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Lithium-ion batteries are class 9 dangerous goods. Batteries shipped on their own, such as power banks or cells on pallets, travel as UN 3480. Batteries installed in equipment or packed together with equipment travel as UN 3481. The correct number and the size of the batteries decide everything else: packaging, marking and whether the shipment needs the full ADR regime.
UN 3480 or UN 3481: what is the difference
UN 3480 covers lithium-ion batteries shipped standalone: cells, battery packs, power banks, spare batteries. UN 3481 covers two cases: batteries contained in equipment, for example in a power tool or a laptop, and batteries packed with equipment in one consignment. For lithium metal batteries the analogous numbers are UN 3090 and UN 3091. The distinction is not cosmetic: for each variant the ADR agreement sets different packing and marking conditions.
Small batteries: the simplified regime
For small cells and batteries, up to the capacity thresholds set out in special provision 188 of ADR, carriage is exempt from most requirements of full ADR. (source: unece.org) The conditions: batteries in good order, packaging that protects against short circuit and damage, and the lithium battery mark with the UN number on the package. That is how most consumer electronics travel. Mind the scale though: a single laptop and a pallet of power banks are two different conversations, because requirements grow with quantity.
When full ADR is needed
Batteries above the thresholds of provision 188, for example machine traction batteries, energy storage modules or larger industrial packs, travel under the full regime: certified packaging, a class 9 label, an ADR transport document and a carrier prepared for dangerous goods. For a quote we need the UN number, the number and type of batteries and the test summary that the manufacturer should provide. We run such moves within the ADR transport service.
Damaged and recalled batteries: a category of their own
A damaged, swollen or recalled battery is not the same product in worse condition. ADR sets separate, stricter packing conditions for such batteries, and in extreme cases carriage requires individual arrangements. Never put such a battery into an ordinary return: a lithium battery fire on a truck or in a warehouse is a scenario no packaging saving can offset.
Shipping practice
Before you pack, establish: the UN number, whether the batteries travel alone or in equipment, their size and condition. With that set we choose the carriage mode, from ordinary groupage within road transport to full ADR. When classification is in doubt, the battery manufacturer and a DGSA adviser decide, not warehouse intuition.
See also
- ADR transport to the UK after Brexit: documents on both sides of the border
- Limited quantities (LQ): when dangerous goods travel without full ADR
- ADR classes in groupage: what an ordinary carrier will not take
- ADR transport documents: transport document, instructions in writing, certificates
- Service: ADR transport
What is the key difference between UN 3480 and UN 3481?
UN 3480 applies strictly to standalone lithium-ion batteries shipped individually, whereas UN 3481 covers batteries that are installed inside equipment or packaged together with devices in the same unit.
Step by step
- Identify the battery type. Confirm whether you are transporting lithium-ion or lithium metal cells and check their setup.
- Assign the UN code. Select UN 3480 or UN 3481 based on whether the battery travels alone or with equipment.
- Verify power rating. Check the watt-hour capacity to see if simplified packaging rules can be used.
- Pack and mark cargo. Secure the goods in compliant packaging and affix all required dangerous goods labels.
- Hand over documentation. Issue the transport document to the carrier and monitor the journey.
Definitions
- UN 3480: The standard identification number applied to standalone lithium-ion batteries shipped on their own.
- UN 3481: The designation assigned to lithium-ion batteries contained in or packed together with equipment.
- ADR (Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road): The international treaty governing dangerous goods transport by road across Europe.
- UN 3090: The classification used for standalone lithium metal batteries transported as individual items.
When does this rule not apply?
This transport standard does not apply to damaged or defective batteries that are being transported under special recycling provisions.
The OTSL role
When shipping dangerous goods across international borders, OTSL coordinates transport organisation and documentation checks. Discover our ADR transport option and read Supply chain management w praktyce to optimize your operations.
