Lithium Battery Air Shipping Rules
UN 3480/3481 (lithium ion) vs UN 3090/3091 (lithium metal) — and why "batteries alone" and "batteries in equipment" are two different Packing Instructions, not a technicality.
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Lithium battery Packing Instructions (PI965–970)
30%
Mandatory max. state of charge, lithium ion, from Jan 2026
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Chemistries: lithium ion vs lithium metal
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Scenarios: alone, packed with, contained in equipment
Chemistry and shipping scenario both determine the rule
Two independent factors determine which Packing Instruction applies to a lithium battery shipment. First, chemistry: lithium ion, usually rechargeable (UN 3480 shipped alone, UN 3481 packed with or contained in equipment), versus lithium metal, usually non-rechargeable (UN 3090 shipped alone, UN 3091 packed with or contained in equipment). Second, how it's shipped: alone as a spare, packed with equipment in the same package but not installed, or contained in equipment — actually installed. Cross-referencing those two factors gives six Packing Instructions: PI965/966/967 for lithium ion in the alone/packed-with/contained-in scenarios respectively, and PI968/969/970 for lithium metal in the same three scenarios.
PI965 — spare lithium-ion batteries shipped alone — is cargo-aircraft-only; it cannot go on a passenger aircraft regardless of quantity within the fully-regulated thresholds. Each Packing Instruction also has internal quantity bands (based on Watt-hour rating for lithium ion, lithium content in grams for lithium metal) that determine whether a Shipper's Declaration is required at all — small consumer quantities under the lowest band typically only need an AWB dangerous goods statement and a battery handling mark, not a full declaration.
A genuinely new, dateable rule: as of 1 January 2026, the ≤30% state-of-charge limit for lithium-ion cells and batteries shipped under PI965, PI966, and PI967 is mandatory, not merely recommended as it was before. It does not apply to lithium metal batteries under PI968/969/970.
Lithium ion vs lithium metal
Lithium ion — UN 3480 / UN 3481
Usually rechargeable. PI965 covers batteries shipped alone (cargo aircraft only). PI966 covers batteries packed with equipment. PI967 covers batteries installed in equipment — the most common scenario for laptops, phones, and tablets.
Lithium metal — UN 3090 / UN 3091
Usually non-rechargeable. PI968 covers cells/batteries shipped alone (cargo aircraft only). PI969 covers batteries packed with equipment. PI970 covers batteries installed in equipment. Classified by lithium content in grams, not Watt-hours.
6 PIs
965–967 lithium ion, 968–970 lithium metal — same 3 scenarios, different chemistry
State of Charge — Mandatory as of January 1, 2026
Lithium-ion cells and batteries must now be shipped at 30% state of charge or less
This was previously a recommendation. As of 1 January 2026, IATA's Dangerous Goods Regulations make the ≤30% state-of-charge limit mandatory for lithium-ion cells and batteries shipped under PI965 (alone), PI966 (packed with equipment), and PI967 (contained in equipment). It does not apply to lithium metal batteries (PI968/969/970).
See how this applies to electronics shipments →Source: IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, 67th Edition, effective 1 January 2026 — corroborated via IATA's public 2026 lithium battery guidance materials.
Worked example
The error e-commerce electronics shipments make most often
Take two shipments moving through the same consolidation on our electronics commodity lane: a carton of replacement power banks, and a carton of laptops with their batteries already installed.
The power banks are spare lithium-ion batteries, shipped alone — UN 3480, PI965, cargo-aircraft-only. There's no passenger-aircraft option for this scenario regardless of quantity within the fully-regulated thresholds, and a Shipper's Declaration is required once the shipment exceeds the smallest quantity band.
The laptops are lithium-ion batteries installed in equipment — UN 3481, PI967, not PI965. That distinction matters: within the Section II small-quantity thresholds that cover most consumer laptop shipments, no Shipper's Declaration is required at all, but an AWB dangerous goods statement and battery handling mark still apply. Filing this shipment under PI965 because "it's a lithium battery" without accounting for how it's packed is exactly the error this page exists to prevent.
What UAL handles for you
Every lithium battery shipment is checked against the correct Packing Instruction for its actual chemistry and shipping scenario — not just "lithium battery" as a single bucket. UAL is IATA DGR certified, so classification and declaration are handled directly by our own trained team.
Frequently asked questions
Chemistry. Lithium ion batteries are usually rechargeable and cover most consumer electronics (UN 3480/3481). Lithium metal batteries are usually non-rechargeable and cover things like some cameras and watches (UN 3090/3091). They're classified differently — lithium ion by Watt-hour rating, lithium metal by lithium content in grams.
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The Shipper's Declaration Process
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Packing Instruction structure (PI965–970), UN number assignments, and quantity/Watt-hour thresholds: IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, 60th Edition (2019) primary extraction, cross-checked against current 67th Edition (effective 1 January 2026) secondary sourcing — per-PI kilogram limits confirmed unchanged. State-of-charge mandate: IATA DGR 67th Edition, effective 1 January 2026. Last verified: July 2026.
Dangerous Goods & Compliance
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