Apply the 2026 rule to the actual battery configuration

Lithium-battery air shipping from China requires the correct chemistry, configuration, rating, condition, and packing instruction. The 2026 changes are not a universal instruction to treat every battery-containing product identically. Determine the applicable category before deciding the charge level, packaging, marks, documents, and carrier service.

IATA's 2026 battery guidance is based on the 2025–2026 ICAO Technical Instructions and the 67th edition of the DGR. It is guidance rather than a replacement for the complete rules and operator variations. Use it to identify the questions the responsible dangerous-goods reviewer must resolve.

Distinguish packed with from contained in equipment

The physical arrangement matters. A battery supplied separately alongside its intended device is not the same configuration as a battery installed in that device. A power bank is treated as a battery, rather than becoming equipment merely because it has an enclosure and charging ports.

From 1 January 2026, PI 966 Section I lithium-ion batteries packed with equipment are subject to a 30% rated-capacity state-of-charge limit unless the required State approvals apply. Under Section II, the corresponding requirement applies above 2.7 Wh. For PI 967 batteries contained in equipment, the guidance recommends reduced charge; it does not make that recommendation a blanket mandatory limit. Check operator restrictions separately.

Do not change the packing description to obtain a preferred category. Record the actual arrangement with photographs and an approved instruction. If the warehouse removes, installs, or adds batteries, return the configuration for review.

Collect a usable technical data package

Obtain the cell or battery manufacturer, model, chemistry, rated capacity, nominal voltage, watt-hour rating where applicable, and relevant test evidence. The documents need to identify the unit actually installed or packed, not a generic battery family with different specifications.

Make the applicable UN 38.3 test summary available through the supply chain. Check its identity against the battery and supporting product records. An SDS or a transport appraisal may contribute information, but neither should be confused with the required test summary.

Maintain change control with the supplier. A new cell source, protection system, or battery model can change the basis of the transport decision. Procurement staff should not approve an undocumented substitute simply because it preserves the device's advertised runtime.

Make charge control an operational record

Where reduced state of charge is required, agree how the manufacturer or qualified operation establishes and records it. A device's screen indicator may not be equivalent to a verified percentage of rated capacity. Use the applicable method and evidence approved for the shipment.

Keep charge management within a competent facility procedure. Warehouse staff should not improvise charging or discharging arrangements to meet an airline cutoff. Identify which party is responsible, what record accompanies the batch, and how a failed check creates a hold.

Plan the consumer instructions around the supported product state. If the item arrives needing charging, explain normal setup accurately without changing the transport preparation to improve the unboxing experience.

Confirm packaging and carrier acceptance before dispatch

The applicable instruction controls terminal protection, prevention of activation, package performance, quantity limits, and required communication. Record the approved configuration and inspect the finished package against it. Requirements can differ between battery-only and equipment shipments, and between sections of an instruction.

Obtain acceptance from the actual airline or service chain. A forwarder's general battery capability does not prove acceptance of every chemistry, rating, or condition. Review any transfer or repacking stage that could alter the approved arrangement.

Damaged, defective, recalled, or returned batteries require separate assessment. Never route them through the ordinary outbound process automatically. Keep affected stock unavailable, preserve its identity, and obtain the appropriate disposition. The practical 2026 task is to connect accurate classification with reproducible charge, packing, and acceptance records for each battery configuration.

Sources and verification links

Operational rules can change. Check the linked primary sources and confirm shipment-specific requirements before booking.