Candles
Solid wax candles are allowed in carry-on and checked bags with no size limit; gel candles must follow the 3.4 oz liquids rule in carry-on.
Carry-on
Allowed with conditions
Checked
Allowed
Carry-on details
Allowed with conditions. Solid candles made from soy, paraffin, beeswax, or coconut wax are allowed in carry-on with no official size or quantity limit, though a screener may pull one aside for a closer look since dense wax can be hard to read on an X-ray. Gel candles are treated as a liquid or gel and must follow the standard 3.4 oz (100 mL) rule and fit in your quart-size bag.
Checked-bag details
Allowed. Both solid and gel candles are fine in checked baggage without a size limit.
Special instructions
Pack candles somewhere accessible in your carry-on since dense wax often triggers a manual bag check. If a candle is packaged with matches or a lighter, those components follow their own separate rules.
Related rules
FAQ
- Do candles need to go in the liquids bag?
- Solid wax candles don't — they're treated as a solid item with no size limit. Gel candles do count as a gel and must follow the 3.4 oz liquids rule in carry-on.
- Why did TSA pull my candle aside for inspection?
- Dense solid items like candles can be hard to identify clearly on an X-ray image, so officers often open the bag for a quick visual check even though candles are allowed.
Related items
Source: TSA — What Can I Bring? · Last verified: 2026-07-31
Final decision rests with the security officer at the checkpoint.