Class 9 dangerous goods

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IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations

The airline industry’s manual for shipping dangerous goods by air, built on the ICAO Technical Instructions and reissued every year. Lithium batteries fall under packing instructions 965–967 for lithium-ion — alone, packed with or inside equipment — and 968–970 for lithium metal. Lithium-ion batteries shipped alone must be at no more than 30 % state of charge; from 2026 so must those packed with equipment above 2.7 Wh.

Lithium battery mark

The rectangular package mark — a red hatched border, a burning-battery symbol and the UN number — that flags small lithium batteries in a consignment relieved of the full dangerous-goods rules, such as Section II by air; Section IB packages carry it beside the Class 9A label. It is at least 100 × 100 mm, or 100 × 70 mm on small packages.

UN 38.3

The United Nations test sequence that every lithium cell and battery must pass before it can be shipped: altitude, thermal cycling, vibration, shock, external short, impact or crush, overcharge and forced discharge. Air shipment of cells also caps state of charge at 30 %.

UN Model Regulations and Manual of Tests and Criteria

The two UN documents on which every dangerous-goods rule is built. The Model Regulations, the ‘Orange Book’, classify goods and set packing, marking and documentation, revised every two years; the Manual of Tests and Criteria gives the test methods, including sub-section 38.3 for lithium and sodium-ion batteries. Air, sea, road and rail rules all adopt them.

UN numbers for batteries

The four-digit numbers that identify a battery consignment worldwide: UN 3480 for lithium-ion batteries, UN 3481 for lithium-ion packed with or contained in equipment, UN 3090 and 3091 for the same in lithium metal, UN 3551 and 3552 for sodium-ion, and UN 3536 for batteries installed in a cargo transport unit. Since 2025 battery-powered vehicles have UN 3556–3558.

References & further reading

Further reading on this topic

These sources provide broader context; they are not presented as citations for every statement in this entry.

1. UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, Revision 8

   United Nations Economic Commission for Europe · 2023

   Topic background · Dangerous-goods classification tests; subsection 38.3 concerns battery transport testing.

2. Manual of Tests and Criteria, Revision 8, Amendment 1

   United Nations Economic Commission for Europe · 2025

   Topic background · Amendments to Revision 8, including changes to battery testing in subsection 38.3.