Shipping Products with Lithium Batteries: What to Know

Products with built-in or separate lithium batteries — from headphones to electric scooters — fall under special shipping rules as potentially dangerous goods. Not knowing these rules is a common cause of delays and shipping refusals at the booking stage, not after the cargo has already shipped.

Why lithium batteries are classified as dangerous goods

Lithium batteries can catch fire if damaged, overheated, or short-circuited, and in rare cases such fires are difficult to extinguish with standard means — which is why international regulations (IATA for air, IMDG for sea) classify them as a separate dangerous goods category with their own packaging, labeling, and documentation requirements, regardless of the battery's size.

The difference between built-in and standalone batteries

Requirements differ depending on whether the battery is inside the device (for example, headphones with a built-in battery), packed alongside the device separately, or shipped on its own without the device. Batteries shipped separately from the device usually fall under stricter requirements than ones built into an already assembled product.

Documents typically required

The UN38.3 certificate confirms the battery has passed a series of transport safety tests (vibration, impact, short circuit, pressure and temperature changes) — this document is required for practically any lithium battery shipment and must be provided by the battery manufacturer. A safety data sheet (MSDS) with technical specifications. A shipper's declaration for dangerous goods for air transport, filed in the strict IATA format.

Restrictions by transport method

Air transport of lithium batteries is regulated especially strictly — many airlines refuse to carry standalone batteries above a certain capacity on passenger flights, limiting them to cargo aircraft. Sea freight is usually less restricted by volume but requires proper container labeling and correct cargo placement per dangerous goods requirements. Having a battery in the product can rule out certain express couriers that don't handle this category of goods at all.

Packaging requirements

Packaging must prevent short circuits — battery terminals are insulated, and the batteries themselves are secured to prevent shifting or friction inside the box during transport. For batteries shipped separately, special external packaging markings are usually required, identifying the contents as lithium batteries of a specific type, along with a limit on the number of units per package.

How to prepare in advance for shipping a battery-containing product

Request the UN38.3 certificate from the supplier before ordering the batch, not after the product is already made — missing this document can halt shipment indefinitely. Check with your forwarder in advance whether they handle this dangerous goods category and on which routes — not every company is willing to carry lithium batteries on every route. Budget extra time for paperwork compared to a regular product without batteries.