Lithium Battery Shipping in 2026: 30% State of Charge for UN3481, Phone Number Removal and What Section II Still Covers
2026 is a transition year for lithium battery logistics. One rule became mandatory on 1 January, one grace period ends on 31 December, and one change from 2022 is still catching shippers who kept an old procedure. Here is what actually applies this year, in the order it will hit your shipping desk.
Key points
- Mandatory from 1 Jan 2026: UN3481 lithium ion batteries packed with equipment, cells/batteries > 2.7 Wh, ship at ≤ 30% state of charge (IATA DGR 67th edition).
- Ends 31 Dec 2026: the telephone number on the Lithium Battery Mark (IMDG); air requires it gone from 1 Jan 2027.
- Still in force since 2022: no Section II for standalone batteries (UN3480/UN3090) by air.
- Section II remains for UN3481/UN3091 — but now with the SoC condition attached for packed-with shipments.
1. The 30% state-of-charge limit extends to UN3481
Since 2016, lithium ion batteries shipped alone (UN3480) by air have had to be at no more than 30% state of charge. Lower charge means less energy available in a thermal event, which is why ICAO adopted it. For years the same limit was only a recommendation for batteries packed with equipment.
The IATA DGR 67th edition, effective 1 January 2026, makes it mandatory: UN3481 lithium ion cells or batteries packed with equipment, where the cell or battery Wh rating exceeds 2.7 Wh, must be offered for transport at ≤ 30% of rated design capacity (or an indicated capacity ≤ 25%).
| Configuration | SoC requirement in 2026 | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| UN3480 — shipped alone | ≤ 30% mandatory | In force since 2016 |
| UN3481 — packed with equipment, > 2.7 Wh | ≤ 30% mandatory | IATA DGR 67th ed., 1 Jan 2026 |
| UN3481 — packed with equipment, ≤ 2.7 Wh | Not subject to the limit | Threshold in the packing instruction |
| UN3481 — contained in equipment | Recommended; check carrier variations | Not mandated in the 67th ed. base text |
What it means on the floor: products that ship with a separate battery pack in the box — power tools, e-bikes with a boxed battery, camera kits — need a charge-down step in the packing process and a record of the measured SoC. Devices with the battery installed are not caught by the mandatory text, but several airlines apply the limit to them anyway through operator variations.
2. Proving state of charge
- Read SoC from the battery management system where the pack reports it.
- Otherwise measure open-circuit voltage after a rest period and map it to SoC using the manufacturer's discharge curve.
- Record the value per batch, keep it with the shipment file, and be ready to show it at acceptance.
- Design the packing SOP so the charge-down happens before the box is sealed — reopening packages to measure is where errors creep in.
3. The telephone number's last year
The UN Model Regulations (22nd revised edition) removed the telephone number from the Lithium Battery Mark. The modes adopted it with a transition:
- ICAO / IATA: optional now, must be totally removed by 1 January 2027.
- IMDG Code: marks with a number may be applied until 31 December 2026.
- ADR / RID: shown without a number since 2023.
If your label stock still carries a number, 2026 is the year to run it down. Artwork produced now should omit it — see the mark specification.
4. Section II: what is left of it
People still search for "UN3480 Section II" in 2026. It does not exist by air. IATA removed Section II from PI 965 and PI 968 in the 63rd edition, with the transition ending 31 March 2022. Consequences that are still relevant:
- Standalone lithium ion (UN3480) and lithium metal (UN3090) by air are Section IB at minimum: Class 9 lithium battery label, Lithium Battery Mark, Shipper's Declaration.
- Section II continues for UN3481 and UN3091 — batteries packed with or contained in equipment — within the quantity limits, with the Lithium Battery Mark and no Shipper's Declaration.
- From 2026, Section II packed-with shipments over 2.7 Wh carry the 30% SoC condition as well.
Which UN number you are actually shipping under is covered in UN3480 vs UN3481 vs UN3090 vs UN3091.
5. A 2026 checklist
- Classify: ion or metal; alone, packed with, or contained in.
- For UN3480 and UN3481 packed-with (> 2.7 Wh): charge down to ≤ 30% and record it.
- Mark: 100 × 100 mm (or 100 × 70 mm), no telephone number.
- Label: Class 9 lithium battery label for Section IA/IB; Cargo Aircraft Only where required.
- Paperwork: Shipper's Declaration for IA/IB; air waybill statement for Section II.
- Check the operator variations of the airline you actually use — they can be stricter than the base text.
Regulatory summary based on the IATA DGR 67th edition and the UN Model Regulations 22nd/23rd revised editions. Always confirm against the current edition and your carrier's variations before shipping.
Print the 2026-compliant mark
The generator produces the mark without a telephone number by default, in 100 × 100 or 100 × 70 mm, as SVG or 300 DPI PNG. Open the tool →
References
This article is based on the following primary sources; always check the edition in force before shipping or labelling.
- IATA — Lithium Batteries: Dangerous Goods Regulations guidance
- UNECE — UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, Model Regulations
- ICAO — Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air
- IMO — IMDG Code (International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code)
- US DOT PHMSA — Lithium Battery Safety
Frequently asked questions
What is the 30% state of charge rule and who does it apply to in 2026?
Lithium ion cells and batteries must be offered for transport by air at a state of charge not exceeding 30% of rated design capacity (or an indicated capacity not exceeding 25%). It has applied to UN3480 (batteries shipped alone) since 2016. From 1 January 2026, under the IATA DGR 67th edition, it also applies to UN3481 lithium ion batteries packed with equipment where the cells or batteries exceed 2.7 Wh.
Does the 30% SoC limit apply to batteries contained in equipment?
The 2026 mandatory extension covers batteries packed with equipment (PI 966). Batteries contained in equipment (PI 967) are covered by recommendations rather than a mandatory limit in the 67th edition; check the current edition and your carrier's variations, because several carriers apply the limit more broadly.
Do I have to prove the state of charge?
You must be able to demonstrate it. In practice that means measuring and documenting SoC before tender — typically a battery management system readout or a voltage-based measurement against the manufacturer's SoC curve. Carriers can ask for this at acceptance.
Is 2026 the last year I can print a telephone number on the mark?
For air, the number is optional now and must be removed from 1 January 2027. The IMDG Code allows marks bearing a number until 31 December 2026. Switch your artwork to the no-number version now so stock does not become non-compliant on the changeover date.