Transport of lithium batteries: basic rules and requirements

To arrange lithium battery transport, a forwarder needs more than the shipment weight and number of cartons. Start with the chemistry, transport classification, specifications of each model, battery condition and packing configuration. The same battery can face different requirements when shipped alone, packed with equipment or installed in equipment.

Prepare a dangerous goods shipment before booking transport. Short circuits, physical damage and overheating can cause dangerous releases of heat and gas. Documentation helps establish the identity and suitability of the product, while packaging must preserve its safe condition during handling and carriage. 

Battery identification and UN numbers

Lithium-ion products, including LiFePO4 and lithium-polymer batteries, must be distinguished from lithium-metal cells. Descriptions such as “safe chemistry” or “for solar storage” do not replace transport classification. The following are the principal entries for conventional shipments. 

 For UN 3481 and UN 3091, select the correct shipping name and instruction for the actual configuration. “Packed with equipment” requires equipment that the batteries power. Cables or a charging adaptor alone do not turn a standalone battery into one packed with equipment. A power bank intended to supply another device is generally classified as a battery. 

Electric vehicles, certain large energy systems and prototypes require additional assessment. Do not assign an entry from this table solely because an item contains lithium.

W, Ah and Wh: Different Battery Characteristics

W measures power, Ah measures electric charge and Wh measures energy. Transport thresholds for lithium-ion products often depend on Wh; lithium-metal products are assessed using lithium content in grams. These quantities are not interchangeable.  

Using nominal specifications, Wh = V × Ah. For example, 12.8 V × 100 Ah = 1,280 Wh. A 100 Ah label does not identify a battery of 100 Wh or less. For 10,000 mAh, first convert to 10 Ah; at a nominal 3.7 V, the result is 37 Wh. Use the battery’s own values rather than a USB output voltage or inverter power rating.

Calculation helps check the data but does not replace manufacturer documentation. Record each model’s characteristics, numbers of cells or batteries, weight and distribution between packages.

Documents needed before route approval

Request the technical specification, photographs of identification markings and the UN 38.3 test summary for the relevant product type. The summary links the model to its design testing. An obligation to make the summary available does not create a universal requirement to place a paper copy inside every carton.  

An SDS, where applicable or requested by the carrier, is an additional source of information. It does not replace the test summary or transport document. Check the proper shipping name, UN number, quantity, packing instruction and any required declaration. The document set depends on the mode and any legitimately applicable exceptions.

For air freight, submit the file for acceptance before the cargo leaves for the terminal. A single document described as a battery certificate does not establish the acceptability of the complete consignment.

Road transport and special provision 188

For road legs within the scope of ADR, use ADR 2025 with applicable corrections. Special provision 188 provides a separate arrangement for small cells and batteries only when all its conditions are met. Relevant thresholds include no more than 20 Wh per lithium-ion cell and 100 Wh per lithium-ion battery, or 1 g and 2 g of lithium respectively for lithium-metal products. Testing, short-circuit protection, packaging, marking, package mass and the remaining conditions must also be checked. 

SP 188 does not automatically make every battery below 100 Wh ordinary freight. It is also separate from LQ, EQ and the ADR 1,000-point rule. If SP 188 does not apply, assess any other available exemption and the obligations that remain independently.

For international road transport, consider the complete transport unit, loading compatibility and route. Road acceptability does not establish acceptance by an airline or shipping line.

Air transport and state of charge in 2026

Air shipments are subject to the ICAO Technical Instructions 2025–2026, the 67th edition of the IATA DGR and state and operator restrictions. Standalone UN 3480 and UN 3090 cannot normally travel as cargo on passenger aircraft. For UN 3480, the baseline state-of-charge limit is 30%; special departures require the approvals provided for by the rules.  

From 1 January 2026, lithium-ion batteries packed with equipment under PI 966 are subject to a 30% limit: the relevant cells and batteries under Section I, and those above 2.7 Wh under Section II. Batteries contained in equipment under PI 967 have a different baseline: reduced charge is recommended rather than universally mandatory. Check the airline’s additional restrictions as well. [1]

Consequently, a statement that all batteries are below 30% charge is not proof that the shipment is acceptable. Charge is one condition alongside classification, quantity, packaging, documents and operator acceptance.

Sea and rail legs

The IMDG Code incorporating Amendment 42-24 became mandatory for sea transport on 1 January 2026. When arranging dangerous goods transport by sea, agree shipping-line acceptance, the applicable declaration, packaging, securing and required container markings. Putting batteries into a container does not change their properties or remove the assessment requirement. 

If the itinerary includes rail, check the rules governing that connection, including RID where applicable, and the railway operator’s conditions. On a multimodal route, agree documents and packaging for every leg before dispatch. 

Damaged batteries and product returns

Swelling, leakage, overheating evidence, mechanical damage or a safety recall require a separate technical assessment. Do not include such products in an ordinary consignment of new batteries. Damaged or defective batteries capable of dangerous heat generation, fire or short circuit are prohibited from air transport; installation inside a device does not remove the prohibition.  

For road transport, assess SP 376 and the special packing instructions appropriate to the condition. Waste and batteries intended for recycling have separate requirements. A commercial return of a sound device should not automatically be treated as the return of a dangerous defective battery.  

Customs relief is separate from transport acceptance

As checked on 28 October 2026, relief for specified energy equipment is available during martial law, but no later than 1 January 2029. The relevant provisions are paragraph 9-36 of Section XXI of Ukraine’s Customs Code and paragraph 87-1 of Subsection 2, Section XX of its Tax Code. 

The current list for commodity code 8507 60 00 00 includes exclusions for energy-storage installations below 300 W and electric accumulators below 100 Ah. The 200 Ah threshold mentioned in publications from 2024 no longer reflects the current wording. Eligibility depends on classification and all statutory conditions, rather than a marketing specification alone.  

Confirm relief and supporting evidence during customs clearance in Ukraine. A tax exemption does not change the UN number or remove ADR, IMDG or aviation requirements.

For an initial assessment, send Save Pro Solutions the route, model list, specifications, test summary, condition details, photographs, packing description, weights, dimensions and readiness date. Obtain specialist and carrier agreement before booking, based on the actual cargo and every leg of the journey.