Small lithium battery policy

When will lithium ion batteries be available for air transport?

From 1 January 2026, lithium-ion batteries that are packed with equipment and vehicles powered by lithium ion or sodium ion batteries must be offered for air transport with the battery at a reduced state of charge, unless otherwise approved by the relevant States (A331).

What are lithium ion batteries?

For the purposes of the DGR they are separated into lithium metal batteries and lithium-ion batteries. Lithium metal batteries are generally primary (non-rechargeable) batteries that have lithium metal or lithium compounds as an anode. Also included within lithium metal are lithium alloy batteries.

Does the test summary requirement apply to lithium ion batteries?

Yes. The test summary requirement applies to manufacturers and distributors of lithium or sodium ion cells and batteries. Therefore, a test summary must be made available for lithium or sodium ion battery-powered vehicles and other vehicles containing lithium or sodium ion batteries. C.10 Is the test summary valid for a defined period?

Are lithium-ion batteries safe?

There is growing interest in the safety of lithium-ion batteries following an increase in incidents and, sadly, fatalities, in relation to non-industrial batteries for e-scooters and e-bikes.

What types of batteries are included in the item restriction?

* The item restriction includes all types of battery, i.e. non-spillable wet batteries, dry batteries, gel batteries and lithium batteries. With all batteries the connections must be isolated individually to prevent short-circuits.

Can lithium batteries be packed with equipment?

No, Section I of PI 966 (and also PI 969) allows two methods of having lithium batteries packed with equipment. Either: the lithium batteries are packed into an inner packaging and then packed with the equipment into a UN specification packaging meeting Packing Group II performance standards.