> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://shipmagic-docs.speedysquirrelhq.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Exclusive Rules
> Stop lower-priority rules from being evaluated once a rule matches
By default, every rule whose conditions match contributes its rates. **Exclusivity** changes that: an exclusive rule that matches stops evaluation there.
## Inclusive vs. Exclusive
Every rule has an **Exclusivity** setting with two choices:
| Setting | Behaviour |
| - | - |
| **Inclusive** (default) | Lower-priority rules are still evaluated and their rates added. |
| **Exclusive** | If this rule matches, all lower-priority rules are skipped. |
## Priority decides what "lower" means
Exclusivity is meaningless without [priority](/shipping-rates/basic-shipping-rate). Rules are evaluated in **ascending** order — 1 before 2 before 10 — and an exclusive match stops everything after it.
Rules with a **higher** priority number are the ones skipped. Anything with a lower number has already run.
## When to use it
**Overrides.** A rule for a special case that should replace normal pricing rather than add to it — hazardous goods that must ship freight, at a freight price, regardless of what else is in the cart.
**Free shipping promotions.** A promotional free-shipping rule that must not have a surcharge rule adding to it afterwards.
```text theme={null}
Rule 1 — Hazardous Good (Priority 10, Exclusive)
Condition 1: Cart Contains <> Product Tag <> Equals <> hazard
Rate: Specialzed Conatiner Shipping, Fixed rate, 100
Rule 2 — Standard pricing (Priority 20, Inclusive)
Condition 1: Cart Subtotal <> Greater Than <> 150
Rate: Standard Shipping, Fixed rate, 0
```
## Exclusivity vs. blending
These solve overlapping problems from different angles, and it's worth being clear which you want.
* [**Blending**](/rate-blending) lets every matching rule contribute, then decides how to combine the results — add them, or take the highest or lowest.
* **Exclusivity** stops the later rules producing anything at all.
If the answer is "the other rules shouldn't even run", use exclusivity. If it's "they should run, but I only want the cheapest", use lowest-rate blending. Exclusivity is the blunter and more predictable of the two.
## Testing
Exclusivity is invisible until rules overlap, so test the overlap deliberately.
1. Build a cart matching **only** the exclusive rule — confirm its rates appear
2. Build a cart matching the exclusive rule **and** a lower-priority rule — confirm only the exclusive rule's rates appear
3. Build a cart matching only the lower-priority rule — confirm it still works
## Related
The alternative to skipping rules outright.
Priority, and why each rule needs a unique one.
Keeping a growing rule set predictable.
When too many rules contribute.
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