Authorisation to transport radioactive material

This page contains information for those who plan to transport radioactive material within Sweden. It includes information about which types of shipments require authorisation from us and how to apply for a permit.

Pursuant to the Swedish Radiation Protection Act (2018:396) and Act on Nuclear Activities (1984:3), a permit from the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority is required to transport radioactive material within the borders of Sweden. To be granted a permit, the applicant must have the necessary resources to transport shipments in a secure manner and in accordance with the application. Radioactive material is also subject to the provisions of the Swedish Transport of Dangerous Goods Act (2006:263), including requirements on labelling, screening and security during transport, which vary depending on what you intend to transport.

Dangerous goods are divided into nine classes, radioactive material being Class 7.

The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority will review your permit application to ensure that you have the necessary competence to safely and securely transport radioactive material, including adequate protection against theft and sabotage.

The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority may require seven (7) days’ notice before shipments of nuclear material and certain other radioactive substances can begin. Notice must include information about what is to be shipped, the destination of the consignment and when shipment is to take place.

The following requirements are in general placed on the transport of radioactive material:

  • Containment and shielding of the radioactive material to protect employees and the public from the harmful effects of radiation.
  • When applicable, Criticality safety measures to prevent a self-sustained nuclear chain reaction when transporting fissile materials.
  • Labelling, marking and documentation of the consignment and vehicle.
  • A radiation protection programme to optimise radiation protection during transportation.
  • Security measures to prevent theft and sabotage during transport.
  • A quality management system to ensure regulatory compliance.

When transporting radioactive material, all packing must be designed to prevent:

  • the leakage of any radioactivity;
  • criticality arising in a consignment containing fissile material; or
  • heat-related damage.

Packaging shall also be designed and constructed to shield against radiation so that no harm comes to people or the environment.

If the consignment contains fissile material, i.e., material that under certain conditions can achieve a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction, or if it contains a large quantity of some other kind of radioactive material, the consignment must have been inspected and approved by a competent authority. In Sweden, the competent authority is the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority. If you apply for approval of a consignment, you must be able to demonstrate that all requirements for that type of packaging are met. Among other things, some packaging must have been subjected to drop testing, fire testing and water immersion testing.

For packaging types that do not require approval from a competent authority regarding transport of radioactive materials, the consignor must have documentation showing that the design and construction of the packaging complies with applicable regulations. There are international rules concerning what different types of packaging are permitted to contain in order to protect people and the environment from the contents.

A transport permit may cover a single shipment, or it may be issued to cover recurring shipments of a similar nature for a limited period not exceeding three years.

How to apply for a licence

To apply for a permit to transport radioactive material, email the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority at registrator@ssm.se with the following information:

  • Name, address and telephone number, or the equivalent information for the organisation to which the application relates.
  • Company registration number, VAT registration number or other information that can identify the company.
  • Name and contact details of a security consultant for the transport of dangerous goods (if applicable).
  • Description of the material or substances being transported. For example: radionuclides, activity and chemical and physical properties.
  • When transporting uranium or other nuclear materials, state the enrichment level of uranium as a percentage, as well as the weight in grams of all fissile nuclides.
  • Information about the carrier who will transport the radioactive material (if applicable).
  • Description of the anticipated shipments, such as the UN number, mode of transport (road, sea, air or rail), route, consignor, consignee and estimated number of shipments.
  • Description of the organisation’s radiation protection programme and how it is implemented in the management system.

If the application contains information requiring a high level of secrecy, it must be submitted in a secure manner, such as by registered letter or courier. If in doubt, please contact the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority.

The address for applications by post or courier is:

Swedish Radiation Safety Authority
171 16 Stockholm

Please note that registered letters should not be addressed to a specific person. Any such details can be stated on the documents inside the envelope.

Observe that you must have a radiation protection programme (RPP) and it must be implemented in the organisation’s management system. Among other things, your RPP must contain measures for dealing with accidents and other security incidents. The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority may request to see your RPP and how it is implemented in your management system during the supervisory process or in connection with your permit application.

If the shipment requires some form of certification, copies of certificates must be attached to the application. For example, a certificate approving the design and construction of packaging or special form radioactive material.

Additional requirements may apply and additional measures may need to be taken for transit through Sweden.

When your application is received it will be registered and issued with a unique registry number that references the case. It will then be assigned to a case officer who will review the application and any enclosed documents. At this point, we will also send you an invoice for the application fee.

The case officer will assess whether the application is complete and meets the criteria for granting a permit for the transport of radioactive material. If the application is incomplete, or the case officer needs further information, they may request additional documentation or information from you.

If the criteria are met, a decision will be made to approve the application. If the criteria are not met, the application will be rejected. A rejection will include a justification of the decision.

For information on RRPs, please refer to IAEA Safety Guide No. TS-G-1.3, Radiation Protection Programmes for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material.

For information on management systems, please refer to IAEA Safety Guide No. TS-G-1.4, Management System for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material.

When transporting high-activity sealed radioactive sources, nuclear material or nuclear waste, measures for physical protection must be described in the management system. These measures must be reported to the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority on request in connection with a permit application or inspection.

For information on physical protection, please refer to IAEA Nuclear Security Series No. 13, Nuclear Security Recommendations on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and Nuclear Facilities (INFCIRC/225/Rev. 5).

For more details about what information an application for a permit to transport radioactive materials needs to contain, please refer to the document Information on Legal Requirements for Transport of Radioactive Material Under Swedish Jurisdiction.

Processing time

Our goal is to reach a decision within one to four months of receiving your permit application. The processing time may be longer for larger or more complex operations. If the application is incomplete and supplementation is required, the processing time will be extended accordingly. If the requested information is not forthcoming, we may need to reach a decision based on the information we have to hand, or we may dismiss the application entirely.

Appealing a decision

A decision concerning authorisation under the Radiation Protection Act (2018:396) may be appealed to the Administrative Court in Stockholm. A decision concerning a licence to import or export radioactive waste or spent fuel under the Act on Nuclear Activities (1984:3) may be appealed to the Government. The decision includes instructions on how to lodge an appeal.

Fees

The fee for a permit review by the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority depends on the type of shipment the application relates to.

Regulations

The transport of radioactive material is regulated in the following acts, ordinances and regulations:

Criminal liability

Pursuant to Section 5 of the Swedish Act on Nuclear Activities (1984:3), authorisation is required for activities involving the transport of nuclear material or nuclear waste. Pursuant to point 1 of Section 25 of the same act, anyone conducting such activities without authorisation, whether with intent or through negligence, can be sentenced to a fine or imprisonment for up to two years.

The transport of radioactive material or radioactive waste requires a permit pursuant to Section 1 of Chapter 6 of the Swedish Radiation Protection Act (2018:396). Pursuant to point 1 in Section 2 of Chapter 9 of the same act, anyone intentionally or negligently transporting radioactive material without a permit is sentenced to a fine or imprisonment for up to two years.

Supervisory authorities with responsibility for the transport of dangerous goods

Pursuant to the Swedish Transport of Dangerous Goods Act (2006:263), and the regulations issued under that act, the following authorities have supervisory responsibility:

  • The Swedish Police Authority is responsible for supervising road transport.
  • The Swedish Transport Agency is responsible for supervising rail, air and maritime transport.
  • Swedish Coast Guard is responsible for inspecting dangerous goods on land at ports. At the request of the Swedish Transport Agency, Swedish Customs will also inspect shipments of dangerous goods at sea.
  • The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) is responsible for supervising security consultants and transport protection.
  • The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority is responsible for supervising the transport of radioactive material.

Do you have any questions or concerns?

Do you have any questions or concerns about the permit review process, or suggestions for improving the information on this page? If so, please contact us at registrator@ssm.se.

Information on how we process personal data

The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority is the controller of processing for the personal data you supply in your application or registration. We process personal data in compliance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Related information

If your organisation handles radioactive waste, nuclear waste or spent fuel and shipments of the material cross a border into or out of Sweden, you may need authorisation for transboundary shipment. In certain cases, the transport of radioactive material from Sweden may be subject to export restrictions. If you intend to transport sealed radioactive sources between EU Member States, you also need to comply with Council Regulation (Euratom) No 1493/93 and complete the standard form, which is then sent to the competent authority in the country of destination. This is a system of declaration within the EU. It should not be viewed as authorisation in the meaning described above but rather as a parallel process in applicable cases.