We arrange lithium battery and battery pack shipping from China — standalone lithium-ion batteries, battery packs, LiFePO4 and energy storage batteries, e-bike and power tool batteries, and batteries packed with or contained in equipment. Sea freight, air freight and multi-supplier consolidation are assessed per shipment.
These are the battery cargo types we quote. Every consignment is still reviewed before booking.
Cells and battery packs shipped on their own, not with or inside equipment.
Assembled packs for OEM, distribution and industrial use. Classification depends on how the pack is shipped.
Lithium iron phosphate cells and packs, including stationary and backup power applications.
Storage packs, storage racks and complete storage systems. A standalone battery pack and a complete storage system are different cargo types and are not both automatically UN3480, so the classification is confirmed per configuration. Larger units usually move by sea and need project-style review.
Standalone e-bike battery packs and replacement packs shipped as cargo in their own right. Complete e-bikes or scooters with the battery installed are a different cargo type. A complete vehicle is not simply an UN3481 PI967 consignment: complete lithium-battery vehicles move under their own vehicle entries, and whether a shipment is handled as a vehicle or as UN3480/UN3481 battery cargo depends on the configuration and the packing presented. Tell us which form the cargo is shipped in and we confirm the classification.
Tool battery packs, both as standalone stock and packed with the tool.
Battery packed in the same outer package as the equipment, not installed in it.
Battery already installed in the device it powers.
Battery cargo by FCL and LCL, assessed under the applicable IMDG rules.
Air options are assessed per shipment. Standalone batteries are not carried as cargo on passenger aircraft.
| Configuration | UN number | IATA packing instruction | Air acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standalone batteries (alone) | UN3480 | PI965 Section IA / IB | Not accepted as cargo on passenger aircraft. Cargo aircraft only, subject to watt-hour rating, packing section and carrier approval. |
| Batteries packed with equipment | UN3481 | PI966 Section I / II | Can be offered on passenger and cargo aircraft within the applicable per-package net quantity limits. |
| Batteries contained in equipment | UN3481 | PI967 Section I / II | Can be offered on passenger and cargo aircraft within the applicable per-package net quantity limits. |
PI965 must be offered at a state of charge not exceeding 30% of rated capacity unless the relevant authorities approve otherwise. Batteries packed with equipment under PI966 Section I follow the same reduced state-of-charge requirement. For PI966 Section II it applies to cells and batteries with a watt-hour rating above 2.7 Wh. For batteries contained in equipment under PI967, a reduced state of charge is a recommendation rather than a mandatory regulatory limit, though carriers may still require it.How the batteries are presented decides the classification, and the classification decides the route.
| How the battery is shipped | Lithium-ion classification | What it means for the shipment |
|---|---|---|
| Battery on its own | UN3480 | Tightest control. Passenger aircraft are not an option, and state-of-charge limits apply. |
| Battery packed with the equipment, not installed | UN3481 | Handled under PI966. If the same carton contains an installed battery and a loose spare, the loose spare makes that part of the consignment a PI966 shipment. |
| Battery installed in the equipment | UN3481 | Handled under PI967. This is the configuration used for phones, laptops and handheld tools. It does not cover complete e-bikes or scooters: a complete vehicle is handled under its own vehicle entries, and a storage system is a different cargo type again. |
Two practical points: watt-hour rating is calculated as voltage (V) × capacity (Ah), and the rating should normally be marked on the battery case. And lithium metal batteries follow a different set of UN numbers (UN3090 and UN3091) controlled by lithium content rather than watt-hours — tell us the chemistry if it is not lithium-ion.
Send what you already have. We will tell you what is still outstanding.
Buying from several Chinese suppliers? Yuntuo can coordinate multi-supplier battery cargo and consolidation for you. What we can actually receive and combine depends on your batteries and our receiving conditions, so we confirm it per shipment.
Battery cargo is route-sensitive. We confirm each destination per shipment rather than publishing a fixed coverage list.
| Destination | What we can confirm | Destination-side notes for battery cargo |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Quoted per shipment. Whether sea, air or both are workable depends on the battery type, watt-hour rating, quantity and the destination. | Certification depends on the product and how it is sold, and is not one universal rule for all batteries. Cells are commonly covered by UL 1642 and battery packs by UL 2054, but which certificate your importer needs, and whether FCC or CPSC requirements apply, depends on the product category. Confirm the category before ordering certificates. |
| Canada | Quoted per shipment. Whether sea, air or both are workable depends on the battery type, watt-hour rating, quantity and the destination. | Certification requirements depend on the product category and the province. |
| United Kingdom | Quoted per shipment. Whether sea, air or both are workable depends on the battery type, watt-hour rating, quantity and the destination. | UK conformity and labelling requirements apply in addition to transport rules. |
| Germany, France, Netherlands | Quoted per shipment. Whether sea, air or both are workable depends on the battery type, watt-hour rating, quantity and the destination. | EU Battery Regulation requirements apply. For rechargeable industrial batteries above 2 kWh, the carbon footprint declaration under Article 7 of Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 applies from 18 February 2026 or 18 months after the relevant delegated and implementing acts enter into force, whichever is later. The battery passport applies from 18 February 2027. These are destination import requirements and can hold up a shipment even when the freight itself is fine. |
| Australia | Quoted per shipment. Whether sea, air or both are workable depends on the battery type, watt-hour rating, quantity and the destination. | RCM and applicable battery standards, plus wood packaging requirements. |
| Saudi Arabia, UAE | Quoted per shipment. Whether sea, air or both are workable depends on the battery type, watt-hour rating, quantity and the destination. | Product certification such as SABER or ECAS applies in addition to transport requirements. |
| Other destinations | Ask us | Tell us the destination country, postcode and consignee type and we will check the route and the destination rules. |
Six items are enough to start. Everything else can follow.
| # | What to send | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Battery type | Standalone lithium-ion, battery pack, LiFePO4, energy storage, e-bike, power tool, packed with equipment or contained in equipment |
| 2 | Capacity (Wh) | 48 Wh per pack, or cell and pack rating if known |
| 3 | Quantity | 40 cartons, 4 suppliers |
| 4 | Cartons / Gross weight | 60 × 40 × 35 cm, 18 kg per carton |
| 5 | Destination country / postcode | United States, 90210; delivery address type if relevant |
| 6 | Documents available | UN 38.3 report, SDS, product sheet, photos — and which ones are still outstanding |
Also useful, if you have it: origin city, ready date, trade term (EXW, FOB, DDP and so on), and whether you are buying to your own warehouse, a 3PL or a marketplace fulfilment centre. If you only have some of the above, send it anyway and we will ask for the rest.
Yes. We arrange lithium battery and battery pack shipping from China, including standalone lithium-ion batteries, battery packs, LiFePO4 and energy storage batteries, e-bike and power tool batteries, and batteries packed with or contained in equipment. Each shipment is reviewed against the battery type, watt-hour rating, packing, quantity, mode, destination and carrier requirements before we confirm a booking.
Standalone lithium-ion batteries are classified as UN3480. By air they move under IATA packing instruction PI965 and are not accepted as cargo on passenger aircraft; cargo aircraft acceptance depends on watt-hour rating, packing section and carrier approval. By sea they are assessed under the applicable IMDG rules. We confirm the classification, mode and booking per shipment.
Yes. LiFePO4 packs can be quoted, but classification, packaging, mode and destination depend on the watt-hour rating, quantity, gross weight and packing format, so each consignment is assessed individually. Send the battery type, watt-hour rating, carton quantity, gross weight and destination and we will advise the available options.
Yes. Battery cargo can be quoted by sea as FCL or LCL. The applicable IMDG requirements, packing, marking and carrier conditions depend on the battery type, watt-hour rating and shipment size, and container and LCL bookings are confirmed per shipment after cargo review.
Air freight can be assessed, but acceptance is restricted by regulation and by carrier. Standalone batteries (UN3480) are not carried as cargo on passenger aircraft and require cargo aircraft handling under PI965. Batteries packed with equipment (UN3481) fall under PI966 and batteries contained in equipment (UN3481) under PI967, both of which can be offered on passenger and cargo aircraft within the applicable per-package net quantity limits. Watt-hour rating, state of charge and packing section all affect whether air transport is possible.
Yes. Yuntuo can coordinate battery cargo from multiple suppliers and consolidate it. Suppliers deliver to our Shenzhen receiving facility, and we check the classification and documentation of each supplier's cargo separately, because a packing or labelling error on one pallet affects the whole consignment. Whether the cargo can be received there, whether the batteries can be mixed, whether they can be consolidated into a single consignment and how the dangerous goods declaration will be arranged all depend on the battery classification, the packing, the receiving conditions of the facility and the actual carrying channel. We confirm each of those per shipment.
Battery cargo normally requires an UN 38.3 test report and test summary for the battery model, plus a safety data sheet. Depending on the packing instruction, section and mode, a dangerous goods declaration may be required, with a compliance statement on the air waybill where a Section II packing instruction applies; cargo aircraft shipments also require the Notification to Captain (NOTOC) raised through the air operator's notification process, and carrier pre-approval may be needed. Chinese export packaging requirements depend on the rules in force and on any exemption your consignment qualifies for. Send what you already have and we will tell you what is outstanding.
Battery shipping is quoted per shipment, not at a fixed rate. Cost depends on battery type, watt-hour rating, carton quantity, gross weight and volume, mode (FCL, LCL or air), origin and destination, and the documentation required. Send your cargo details and destination and we will quote the available options. We do not publish fixed dangerous goods rates or guaranteed transit times.
Tell us the battery type, watt-hour rating, quantity, carton weight and destination. We will come back with realistic options and tell you what documents are still needed.
General freight services from the same China export network.