What does the lithium battery mark look like and when is it required?
The lithium battery mark is required as specified in the additional requirements of Section II of
Packing Instructions 965, 966, 967, 968, 969 and 970. It is also required as specified in the additional
requirements of Section IB of Packing Instructions 965 and 968 in addition to the Class 9 lithium
battery hazard label and Cargo Aircraft Only label. The mark is as shown in Figure 7.1.C of the IATA
Dangerous Goods Regulations. The border of the mark must have red diagonal hatchings with a
minimum width of 5mm. The symbol (group of batteries, one damaged and emitting flame, above the
UN number for lithium ion or lithium metal batteries or cells) must be black on white or suitable
contrasting background. The lithium battery mark may be printed directly on the outer packaging
provided that there is sufficient contrast between the elements of the lithium battery mark and the
colour of the packaging material. The mark must be in the form of a rectangle or a square with
minimum dimensions of 100 mm x 100 mm. If the size of the package so requires, the dimensions/line
thickness may be reduced to not less than 100 mm wide × 70 mm high.
IATA Lithium Battery Guidance Document – 2021
* Place for UN number(s), i.e. UN 3090, UN 3091, UN 3480 and/or UN 3481, as applicable. The UN
number(s) indicated on the mark should be at least 12 mm high.
** Place for telephone number
Note:
The telephone number should be of a person knowledgeable about the shipment but is not intended to be for the
purposes of obtaining immediate emergency response guidance and is therefore not
required to be monitored at all times that the package is in transit. It is acceptable for the number to be monitored
during the company’s normal business hours in order to provide product-specific information relative to the shipment.
However, it also is acceptable to use an emergency response,
24-hour phone number on the lithium battery mark.
If I have smaller packages, can I use a smaller lithium battery mark?
Where the packages are of dimensions such that they cannot bear the full-size lithium battery mark,
the mark dimensions may be reduced to 100 mm wide × 70 mm high. The design specifications
remain otherwise the same.
Where any face of a package is large enough to bear the full-size lithium battery mark, the full-size mark must be used.