• Lead-acid batteries: lead-acid batteries for car starting, fixed lead-acid batteries, small valve-regulated sealed lead-acid batteries…;
• Secondary power batteries: batteries for electric vehicles, batteries for power tools, batteries for hybrid vehicles…;
• Cell phone batteries: lithium-ion batteries, lithium polymer batteries, nickel hydrogen batteries…;
• Small secondary batteries: batteries for laptop, batteries for digital camera, batteries for video camera, cylindrical batteries, batteries for wireless communication devices, batteries for MP3/MP4 player, batteries for portable DVD/CD…);
• Primary batteries: alkaline zinc-manganese batteries, lithium-manganese batteries…

Not sure if your product requires UN38.3 certification? Please fill out our short form, our expert will be glad to assist further.

• PI 965 refers to lithium ion batteries that are contained in equipment. Think of your laptop or smartphone battery, for example.
• PI 966 is for batteries that are packed with equipment, but not inside it. For instance, a spare battery that comes with your camera.
• PI 967 is for lithium ion batteries that are loose. This means they are not contained in equipment or packed with it.
• PI 968 is for lithium ion batteries that are included in or packed with equipment that is transported by air. Think of a drone that has a battery in it.
• PI 969 is for lithium metal batteries that are contained in or packed with equipment. Lithium metal batteries are different from lithium ion batteries in that they have a higher risk of catching fire or exploding.
• PI 970 is for lithium metal batteries that are loose.

According to the requirements of UN38.3, lithium cells and batteries are subject to as many as eight separate tests designed to assess their ability to withstand the anticipated rigors incurred during transport. The eight tests evaluate samples for risks from electrical, mechanical and environmental conditions, as follows:

Test T.1: Altitude simulation

• Purpose: this test simulates air transport under low-pressure conditions.
• Test procedure: test cells and batteries shall be stored at a pressure of 11.6 kPa or less for at least six hours at ambient temperature (20 ± 5 °C).
• Requirement: cells and batteries meet this requirement if there is no mass loss, no leakage, no venting, no disassembly, no rupture and no fire and if the open circuit voltage of each test cell or battery after testing is not less than 90% of its voltage immediately prior to this procedure. The requirement relating to voltage is not applicable to test cells and batteries at fully discharged states.

Test T.2: Thermal test

• Purpose: this test assesses cell and battery seal integrity and internal electrical connections. The test is conducted using rapid and extreme temperature changes.
• Test procedure: test cells and batteries are to be stored for at least six hours at a test temperature equal to 75 ± 2 °C, followed by storage for at least six hours at a test temperature equal to – 40 ± 2 °C. The maximum time interval between test temperature extremes is 30 minutes. This procedure is to be repeated 10 times, after which all test cells and batteries are to be stored for 24 hours at ambient temperature (20 ± 5 °C). For large cells and batteries the duration of exposure to the test temperature extremes should be at least 12 hours.
• Requirement: cells and batteries meet this requirement if there is no mass loss, no leakage, no venting, no disassembly, no rupture and no fire and if the open circuit voltage of each test cell or battery after testing is not less than 90% of its voltage immediately prior to this procedure. The requirement relating to voltage is not applicable to test cells and batteries at fully discharged states.

Test T.3: Vibration

• Purpose: this test simulates vibration during transport.
• Test procedure: cells and batteries are firmly secured to the platform of the vibration machine without distorting the cells in such a manner as to faithfully transmit the vibration. The vibration shall be a sinusoidal waveform with a logarithmic sweep between 7 Hz and 200 Hz and back to 7 Hz traversed in 15 minutes. This cycle shall be repeated 12 times for a total of 3 hours for each of three mutually perpendicular mounting positions of the cell. One of the directions of vibration must be perpendicular to the terminal face. The logarithmic frequency sweep is as follows: from 7 Hz a peak acceleration of 1 gn is maintained until 18 Hz is reached. The amplitude is then maintained at 0.8 mm (1.6 mm total excursion) and the frequency increased until a peak acceleration of 8 gn occurs (approximately 50 Hz). A peak acceleration of 8 gn is then maintained until the frequency is increased to 200 Hz.
• Requirement: cells and batteries meet this requirement if there is no mass loss, no leakage, no venting, no disassembly, no rupture and no fire and if the open circuit voltage of each test cell or battery after testing is not less than 90% of its voltage immediately prior to this procedure. The requirement relating to voltage is not applicable to test cells and batteries at fully discharged states.

Test T.4: Shock

• Purpose: This test simulates possible impacts during transport.
• Test procedure: test cells and batteries shall be secured to the testing machine by means of a rigid mount which will support all mounting surfaces of each test battery. Each cell or battery shall be subjected to a half-sine shock of peak acceleration of 150 gn and pulse duration of 6 milliseconds. Each cell or battery shall be subjected to three shocks in the positive direction followed by three shocks in the negative direction of three mutually perpendicular mounting positions of the cell or battery for a total of 18 shocks. However, large cells and large batteries shall be subjected to a half-sine shock of peak acceleration of 50 gn and pulse duration of 11 milliseconds. Each cell or battery is subjected to three shocks in the positive direction followed by three shocks in the negative direction of each of three mutually perpendicular mounting positions of the cell for a total of 18 shocks.
• Requirement: cells and batteries meet this requirement if there is no mass loss, no leakage, no venting, no disassembly, no rupture and no fire and if the open circuit voltage of each test cell or battery after testing is not less than 90% of its voltage immediately prior to this procedure. The requirement relating to voltage is not applicable to test cells and batteries at fully discharged states.

Test T.5: External short circuit

• Purpose: this test simulates an external short circuit.
• Test procedure: the cell or battery to be tested shall be temperature stabilized so that its external case temperature reaches 55 ± 2 °C and then the cell or battery shall be subjected to a short circuit condition with a total external resistance of less than 0.1 ohm at 55 ± 2 °C. This short circuit condition is continued for at least one hour after the cell or battery external case temperature has returned to 55 ± 2 °C. The cell or battery must be observed for a further six hours for the test to be concluded.
• Requirement: cells and batteries meet this requirement if their external temperature does not exceed 170 °C and there is no disassembly, no rupture and no fire within six hours of this test.

Test T.6: Impact

• Purpose: this test simulates an impact.
• Test procedure: the test sample cell or component cell is to be placed on a flat surface. A 15.8 mm diameter bar is to be placed across the centre of the sample. A 9.1 kg mass is to be dropped from a height of 61 ± 2.5 cm onto the sample. A cylindrical or prismatic cell is to be impacted with its longitudinal axis parallel to the flat surface and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the 15.8 mm diameter curved surface lying across the centre of the test sample. A prismatic cell is also to be rotated 90 degrees around its longitudinal axis so that both the wide and narrow sides will be subjected to the impact. Each sample is to be subjected to only a single impact. Separate samples are to be used for each impact. A coin or button cell is to be impacted with the flat surface of the sample parallel to the flat surface and the 15.8 mm diameter curved surface lying across its centre.
• Requirement: cells and component cells meet this requirement if their external temperature does not exceed 170 °C and there is no disassembly and no fire within six hours of this test.

Test T.7: Overcharge

• Purpose: this test evaluates the ability of a rechargeable battery to withstand an overcharge condition.
• Test procedure: the charge current shall be twice the manufacturer’s recommended maximum continuous charge current. The minimum voltage of the test shall be as follows: (a) when the manufacturer’s recommended charge voltage is not more than 18V, the minimum voltage of the test shall be the lesser of two times the maximum charge voltage of the battery or 22V. (b) when the manufacturer’s recommended charge voltage is more than 18V, the minimum voltage of the test shall be 1.2 times the maximum charge voltage. Tests are to be conducted at ambient temperature. The duration of the test shall be 24 hours.
• Requirement: rechargeable batteries meet this requirement if there is no disassembly and no fire within seven days of the test.

Test T.8: Forced discharge

• Purpose: this test evaluates the ability of a primary or a rechargeable cell to withstand a forced discharge condition.
• Test procedure: each cell shall be forced discharged at ambient temperature by connecting it in series with a 12V D.C. power supply at an initial current equal to the maximum discharge current specified by the manufacturer. The specified discharge current is to be obtained by connecting a resistive load of the appropriate size and rating in series with the test cell. Each cell shall be forced discharged for a time interval (in hours) equal to its rated capacity divided by the initial test current (in ampere).
• Requirement: primary or rechargeable cells meet this requirement if there is no disassembly and no fire within seven days of the test.

• Application form;
• Battery specification;
• Label (model, voltage, capacity and wattage shall be marked on the label, and must be consistent with the shipment sample).

If a certification for transport of goods (by air/sea) is required, the following document is also required:

• Power of attorney;
• Shipping statement;
• Packaging pictures (outer packaging picture, outer packaging opening picture, inner packaging picture).

Below are the general application steps for achieving UN38.3 certificate. Have questions or not sure where to start? Please fill out our short form, our expert will be glad to assist further.

• Fill out the application form and send the technical specification of the product to us;
• Issue a quotation: our engineer will evaluate the testing time required and the cost;
• Settle the payment;
• Send the test sample to our laboratory;
• Perform tests: the laboratory will carry out a full set of tests according to UN38.3;
• Prepare for the test report;
• Identification and Classification Report for Transport of Goods will be issued by DGM if approved.

• Single cell battery: 18PCS+30PCS;
• Multi-cell battery: 16PCS+30PCS;
• Single cell: 40PCS.