E-Bike Marketplace | United Lithium Solutions

Shipping Lithium Batteries

General shipping guidance for lithium batteries using UPS, FedEx, and USPS.

Important: Lithium battery shipping rules change often. Carrier rules, hazmat requirements, mailability restrictions, labeling, documentation, and destination rules may vary based on battery chemistry, watt-hours, condition, whether the battery is installed in equipment, packed with equipment, or shipped by itself, and whether the shipment is moving by ground, air, or international service.

Why Shipping Lithium Batteries Is Different

Lithium batteries contain significant stored energy. If they are damaged, short-circuited, crushed, improperly packed, or improperly labeled, they can overheat, vent, ignite, or cause transportation incidents. For that reason, carriers and regulators treat lithium batteries differently than standard merchandise.

Shipping rules are influenced by battery type, battery size, battery condition, package configuration, carrier policies, and the mode of transportation. A battery installed in equipment may be treated differently than the same battery shipped loose. A new battery may be treated differently than a used, damaged, defective, end-of-life, or recycling-bound battery.

The Main Lithium Battery UN Numbers

You will commonly see these classifications:

• UN3480 — Lithium-ion batteries shipped by themselves
• UN3481 — Lithium-ion batteries packed with equipment or contained in equipment
• UN3090 — Lithium metal batteries shipped by themselves
• UN3091 — Lithium metal batteries packed with equipment or contained in equipment

The exact requirements can change depending on chemistry, size, route, destination, and carrier.

General Best Practices Before Shipping

• Do not ship a battery unless you are confident it is eligible for shipment.
• Do not ship damaged, defective, recalled, swollen, punctured, burned, or suspect batteries without verifying the exact carrier and regulatory pathway.
• Protect all terminals from short circuits.
• Use strong outer packaging and internal cushioning to prevent movement.
• Prevent accidental activation when batteries are installed in devices or equipment.
• Use the correct marking, labeling, and documentation for the package configuration.
• When in doubt, contact the carrier or a qualified hazmat professional before shipping.

UPS Guidance

UPS states that battery shipments must comply with applicable transportation regulations and notes that battery rules are dynamic and frequently updated. UPS also makes a major distinction between batteries shipped by themselves and batteries packed with or contained in equipment.

For UPS air shipments, standalone lithium-ion and lithium-metal batteries are subject to stricter treatment, and UPS notes that some air configurations require full dangerous goods handling rather than simplified exceptions. UPS also separately addresses damaged, defective, or recalled batteries, which are much more restricted and generally not handled like standard consumer battery shipments.

In practical terms, UPS is often easier to use when the lithium battery is properly packed with equipment or contained in equipment, and harder when the battery is traveling by itself — especially by air.

FedEx Guidance

FedEx also treats lithium batteries as regulated shipments with acceptance rules based on battery type, configuration, and service level. FedEx guidance emphasizes classification, proper packaging, securement against movement, protection against short circuits, and required markings and labels.

FedEx says it will not accept certain recalled or defective battery shipments in standard ways, and it distinguishes between batteries shipped alone, packed with equipment, and contained in equipment. FedEx also notes that some dangerous goods services require shipper approval and that not every FedEx retail drop-off location accepts battery shipments or dangerous goods.

This means that even if a package seems physically small, the shipment may still require special handling, approval, or a specific drop-off or pickup method depending on what is inside.

USPS Guidance

USPS has its own mailability rules under Publication 52. For domestic mail, USPS generally permits certain lithium batteries when they are installed in equipment or packed with the equipment they are intended to operate, subject to packaging, marking, and quantity rules.

USPS also states that, unless an exception applies, lithium batteries shipped without equipment are generally limited to surface transportation only domestically. For international mail and APO/FPO/DPO mail, USPS is more restrictive and generally limits mailability to batteries properly installed in the equipment they operate, subject to destination acceptance and other conditions.

USPS also requires specific battery markings in many situations and has separate treatment for used, damaged, or defective electronic devices containing or packaged with lithium batteries.

What This Means in Plain English

If you are shipping a lithium battery:

• The easiest path is usually a properly packed battery that is installed in equipment or packed with equipment.
• Standalone batteries are often more restricted, especially by air.
• Damaged, defective, recalled, or end-of-life batteries are a separate category and may be prohibited or severely restricted under normal channels.
• Battery recycling shipments and service-return shipments can have special rules.
• Retail drop-off acceptance varies by carrier and shipment type.

Need Help Shipping a Battery?

If you are planning to send a battery to us for service, recycling, diagnosis, repair review, or rebuild review, contact us first. We can help you determine whether the battery appears eligible for shipment and whether a safer or more compliant route makes sense.

Do not ship a battery to us without approval if it is swollen, damaged, recalled, involved in impact, involved in fire, or otherwise questionable.

Contact Us Before Shipping

Contact us before mailing lithium batteries for repair, rebuild, recycling, warranty review, or service intake.

Email:
ops@unitedlithium.us

Phone:
877-742-8136

Address:
E-Bike Marketplace / United Lithium Solutions
4856 Judson Suite 155
Las Vegas, NV 89115

This page is provided for general informational purposes only and is not dangerous goods legal advice. Carrier policies and hazardous materials regulations can change frequently, so always confirm current requirements before shipping.