Can you bring glue on a plane? Rules by country

Glue and adhesives on flights in and from Japan

The rule for glue and adhesives comes from the Civil Aviation Bureau's list of restricted items. On international flights its liquids list applies as well.

Glue and adhesives: carry-on and checked baggage in Japan
Where	Allowed?	What applies
In the cabin	No	No. Adhesives are listed as not allowed, unless a safety data sheet or a document from the maker shows that the product is not dangerous goods. Water-based paste glue and denture adhesive are treated differently: Japan's liquids list names both as liquids that can be carried on in containers of 100ml or less on international flights.
In checked baggage	No	No, with the same safety-data-sheet exception.

Paper glue, super glue and epoxy do not get the same answer

Japan's list has one row for adhesives and marks it no. Other documents, in Japan and abroad, sort glue by what it is made of.

One row among the dangerous liquids: Japan's list of restricted items has a single row for adhesives in its table of liquids. It is marked × for carry-on and × for checked baggage and carries no remark about type, size or quantity. The rows that follow it include paint, bleach, insecticide and petrol.
Water-based paste is on the liquids list: The Japanese liquids list for international flights names water-based paste glue in one line with correction fluid and fountain-pen ink. Items on that list may be taken into the cabin in containers of 100 ml or less inside the 1 litre bag. The English version of the list names denture adhesive in the same group.
The paper that lifts the ban: The list's opening notes say that even a listed item can be carried without restriction when a safety data sheet (SDS) or a document issued by the maker shows it is not dangerous goods. The Civil Aviation Bureau describes an SDS as the document that records a chemical product's hazards, and says a hazard pictogram on it or on the package means the product may be dangerous goods.
Australia names the glues that are fine: CASA is the most specific list we read. PVA, craft glue, glue pens, paper gum, super glue and glue sticks are stated not to be dangerous goods and can be carried on or checked. Flammable or solvent based glue, epoxy resin, Araldite and other epoxy based glues, and surfboard repair kits are each flagged Item Not Permitted.
A glue gun is a tool, not glue: Japan's list treats the glue gun together with the soldering iron. A plug-in model is not dangerous goods and may be carried on or checked, though one with a markedly sharp tip is kept out of the cabin. Gas models are × for both bags, and battery models are too unless the heat source and the battery can be separated.

Glue and adhesives: the rule country by country

Glue and adhesives are allowed in carry-on under conditions in Australia.

Glue and adhesives: carry-on and checked baggage rules by country
Flying from	Carry-on	Checked bag	What the authority says
JapanCivil Aviation Bureau	No	No	Adhesives are listed as not allowed, unless a safety data sheet or a document from the maker shows that the product is not dangerous goods. Source
Hong KongCivil Aviation Department	No	No	Flammable adhesives are forbidden in carry-on and checked baggage. Source
AustraliaHome Affairs, CASA	With limits	With limits	Non-flammable glues such as PVA, craft glue, super glue and glue sticks are not dangerous goods: allowed in carry-on and checked baggage. Flammable or solvent based glue and epoxy based glues such as Araldite are not permitted.CASA Pack Right entry: Non-flammable or water based glue - such as PVA, craft glue, super glue and glue sticks, Flammable or solvent based glue, Araldite, oxidiser and other epoxy based glues and adhesives Source

Each row comes from that authority's own page. Airlines can be stricter, and the screening officer has the final say.

If security in Japan will not let glue and adhesives through

What to do: Glue and adhesives cannot go in checked baggage either. Leave them behind or hand them to someone who is not flying. Narita Airport states that anything given up at the checkpoint is discarded and cannot be returned.
If it gets on board: Taking an item that is restricted from the cabin onto an aircraft is punishable under Japan's Civil Aeronautics Act: up to 2 years' imprisonment or a fine of up to 1,000,000 yen.

Buying glue and adhesives in Japan

Where to buy: Hundred-yen shops and home centres.

Frequently asked questions

Can you bring glue on a plane?

On flights in and from Japan: No. Adhesives are listed as not allowed, unless a safety data sheet or a document from the maker shows that the product is not dangerous goods. Water-based paste glue and denture adhesive are treated differently: Japan's liquids list names both as liquids that can be carried on in containers of 100ml or less on international flights. In checked baggage: No, with the same safety-data-sheet exception.

Can you bring super glue on a plane?

From Japan, only with paperwork. The list marks adhesives × for carry-on and × for checked baggage and makes no exception for small tubes, unless a safety data sheet or a maker's document shows that the product is not dangerous goods. Australia's CASA takes the opposite view of super glue and lists it, with glue sticks, as not dangerous goods.

Is liquid paper glue allowed in carry-on on flights from Japan?

Yes, on the liquids list's terms. Japan's liquids list for international flights names water-based paste glue, with correction fluid and ink among the items that may enter the cabin in containers of 100 ml or less placed in the 1 litre transparent bag. The × × row for adhesives sits in a different document, the list of dangerous goods.

Can a glue stick go in carry-on?

In Australia, yes: CASA names glue sticks among the non-flammable glues that are not dangerous goods and may be carried on or checked. Japan's documents do not mention glue sticks. Its liquids list names water-based paste glue, and its list of dangerous goods has a single row for adhesives, marked × for both bags.

Can you put glue in checked luggage?

Not on flights in or from Japan. No, with the same safety-data-sheet exception.

What is the rule for glue and adhesives on flights from Australia and Hong Kong?

Australia: Non-flammable glues such as PVA, craft glue, super glue and glue sticks are not dangerous goods: allowed in carry-on and checked baggage. Flammable or solvent based glue and epoxy based glues such as Araldite are not permitted. Hong Kong: Flammable adhesives are forbidden in carry-on and checked baggage.

Related items

Sources for this page

Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (MLIT) — Items restricted in carry-on and checked baggage (updated 24 April 2026)checked October 2, 2026
Japan Civil Aviation Bureau — Transport of dangerous goods by air cargo (Japanese)checked October 2, 2026
Japan Civil Aviation Bureau — List and Description of LAGs Restriction (1 October 2015)checked October 2, 2026
Japan Civil Aviation Bureau — List of liquids covered by the quantity limits (Japanese, 1 October 2015)checked October 2, 2026
Civil Aviation Department (Hong Kong) — Packing Tips for Air Passenger: Provisions for Dangerous Goods Carried by Passenger and Crewchecked October 1, 2026
CASA — Pack Right: Non-flammable or water based glue - such as PVA, craft glue, super glue and glue stickschecked October 1, 2026