For a U.S. TSA checkpoint: ordinary carry-on liquids, gels, aerosols, creams and pastes go in containers marked 3.4 fl oz (100 ml) or less, inside one clear, quart-size, resealable bag per traveler. The container size counts: 50 ml left in a 200 ml shampoo bottle does not meet this limit. Medical supplies, infant nourishment and certain international duty-free purchases need a different check.
This guide helps you sort what to pack before leaving home. TSA decides what passes screening; your airline sets your baggage allowance. Reviewed September 8, 2026 against the official sources linked below.
The 3-1-1 packing check
Check both the bottle and the bag. Several small bottles do not become compliant just because their total is below a liter: they must fit together in your single quart-size bag. A large cosmetic case is not a substitute. An oversized ordinary liquid does not qualify merely because it is unopened.
The TSA liquids rule sets the container limit and describes the exceptions. Its packing checklist specifies one clear, plastic, quart-size zip-top bag per passenger. Keep it accessible and follow the officer's instructions about taking it out.
Which items need the liquids bag?
Do not check only drinks. Toiletries and spreadable foods can use up the same allowance. For an unusual item, use the official What Can I Bring? directory and read its special instructions.
| Item | Preparation for an ordinary carry-on |
|---|---|
| Shampoo, toothpaste, sunscreen cream | Use containers no larger than 100 ml and include them in the quart bag. |
| Peanut butter, yogurt, honey or hummus | These are covered by the liquid/gel food restriction. Check container size and bag space, even for a sealed gift. |
| Water bottle | Empty it before security. Look for drinking water after screening. |
| Liquid medicine, breast milk or infant food | Read the exceptions below before putting essential supplies in checked baggage. |
| Aerosol toiletries, alcohol or an unfamiliar chemical | Check the item's own TSA entry and applicable dangerous-goods limits. Moving it to a checked bag does not make every substance permitted. |
Pack your quart bag, then check it off
Put your actual products on a table. For each oversized ordinary toiletry, choose a smaller labeled container suitable for that product, a travel-size version, or leave it out. Do not change medication packaging or treatment to fit a toiletries checklist.
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Example: a 75 ml toothpaste tube plus a 100 ml shampoo bottle can go in the quart bag if everything fits. A 200 ml bottle with just a little shampoo left needs replacing with a compliant container. A larger medically necessary liquid needs the exception process below, rather than this ordinary-toiletries test.
Liquid medication and infant supplies
Medically necessary liquids
TSA permits medically necessary liquids, gels and aerosols in amounts appropriate for your trip, including containers larger than the ordinary limit. Tell the officer at the start of screening and have them ready for inspection. Read the liquid-medication instructions; this is a screening exception, not a guarantee that every item will clear.
Breast milk, formula and baby/toddler food
Formula, breast milk, toddler drinks and baby/toddler food, including puree pouches, may exceed 100 ml and need not fit in the quart bag. Tell the officer and remove them for separate screening. TSA also describes permitted cooling accessories and options if you do not want these supplies X-rayed or opened. Your child does not need to travel with you for breast milk and cooling accessories. Check the current child-travel instructions for your supplies.
Duty-free liquids: a sealed bag alone is not enough
For a bottle larger than 100 ml purchased internationally, TSA's exception applies when you are traveling into the United States with a connecting flight. Confirm all of these conditions before relying on it:
- The retailer packed the liquid in a transparent, secure, tamper-evident bag, with no evidence of tampering.
- You have the original receipt and the purchase was made within 48 hours.
- The contents can be screened and cleared by TSA.
“Yesterday” is not an exact time check, and a sealed bag from an earlier trip is not enough. If the item alarms or cannot be screened, it will not be allowed through in your carry-on. TSA recommends checking larger liquids even in secure bags. If you plan that option, confirm you can access and recheck your luggage before the next checkpoint. Read the inbound international-flight conditions. Other countries and airlines can impose additional rules.
A CT scanner is not permission to skip the quart bag
Prepare to the published 3-1-1 rule. Whether the officer lets items stay inside your carry-on is a screening procedure; it does not by itself remove the container limit or the quart-size packing requirement. Follow the instructions at your actual lane. We do not publish a guessed list of airports where ordinary liquids are exempt.
The TSA CT technology page explains the equipment. It does not announce a general end to the liquids rule.
What if I use an expedited lane?
Do not pack larger ordinary toiletries on the assumption that membership changes what you may carry. Check your screening program's instructions and keep following the published liquids rule and applicable exceptions.
Check every security checkpoint on your itinerary
TSA guidance covers TSA screening in the United States. It does not decide what is allowed at a departure or transfer airport abroad. Find the official airport or national security guidance for each place you will pass security, including the return journey. Record the container limit, bag requirement, exceptions and whether you must remove items.
For a connection, first find out whether you will pass security again. A drink bought after your first checkpoint may face a new restriction at the next one. Do not rely on a general “CT airport” label or on the rules that applied last year.
Reduce toiletries without guessing what you need
Before buying new travel products, remove duplicates and check what your accommodation provides. If considering a solid version, look up that specific item in the TSA directory. “Solid” does not mean every object is unrestricted, and changing products does not guarantee a lighter bag. Weigh the finished kit if baggage weight is your constraint.
If you find an oversized item at security
Ask the officer about the options before leaving the line. For an ordinary oversized liquid, you may need to dispose of it or take it out of the checkpoint area. Checking it depends on the airline's acceptance, baggage deadline and the time to pass security again. Mailing services are not guaranteed. For medically necessary or infant supplies, explain what the item is and ask about the appropriate screening procedure.
Quick answers
Does a half-full 200 ml shampoo bottle qualify?
No. For ordinary toiletries, the marked container capacity must be 100 ml or less; the amount left inside does not change that.
Can I use a larger bag if the bottles are small?
For ordinary liquids, use one clear quart-size bag per traveler. Small containers still need to fit together in that bag.
Does a CT lane remove the liquids limit?
Do not assume so. Prepare to the published 3-1-1 rule and follow the officer's removal instructions at the lane.