Battery shipping documents: what each one is for

Why battery paperwork is the most common cause of a held shipment

Battery documentation is not a formality attached to the end of an order. It is the condition that makes the shipment legal in the first place, and because regulated paperwork has to match the goods and the route exactly, a mismatch stops the shipment regardless of how ready everything else is.

• The goods are not usually the problem. The unit is built and packed; what is missing is a document that matches it, or a document that matches the wrong part number.
• The freight mode changes the requirement. Lithium batteries are classed as dangerous goods, so the packing, marking and documentation requirements differ between air and sea. A set prepared for one mode does not automatically serve the other.
• It cannot be solved once the goods have left. A document produced after dispatch is a document produced too late, which is why the set is assembled before collection rather than after a query.
• The destination market adds its own layer. Test documentation for transport is not the same thing as market access, and the two are confirmed together.

This is also why it is a supplier test rather than a logistics detail. A supplier that cannot produce UN38.3 and MSDS documentation for a lithium-battery product is telling you something about the rest of the programme. The sourcing guide treats that as a walk-away signal.

What is held on every model, and what is confirmed per market

UN38.3 and MSDS are held across the whole range, because without them a lithium battery cannot be shipped legally. Everything beyond that depends on the model and on where the goods are going, which is why it is confirmed during quotation rather than assumed from the model name.

• Held across every platform. Every platform ships with UN38.3 test documentation and an MSDS for the battery pack, and we confirm what your destination market needs before the goods leave.
• European Union. The set typically requested is CE, RoHS and ERP where applicable, plus the battery transport documents, UN38.3 and MSDS.
• United States. FCC, and UL where the order requires it, plus the same battery transport documents.
• The exact set depends on the build. The model, the fitted wireless module, the charger, the battery and the destination all affect it, so it is confirmed against the configuration rather than the model name.
• Battery capacity and documentation are linked. Capacity is chosen against the runtime your users actually need, and that choice also determines the transport documentation required for the shipment. See customisation.

The wider certificate set sits on the quality page, and what changes market by market is set out under compliance by market.

Battery documentation questions

• What battery documents should I ask for?

  The UN38.3 test summary, the MSDS, the 1.2-metre drop test report and the transport certificate covering the mode you intend to use. A supplier that cannot produce UN38.3 and MSDS for a lithium-battery product is a red flag rather than a point to negotiate.

• What does UN38.3 actually cover?

  UN38.3 covers the UN test requirements for transporting lithium batteries by air, sea and road. It is the baseline that makes the shipment legal in the first place, rather than a market-access certificate.

• What is the MSDS for?

  It is the material safety data sheet covering battery chemistry and handling. It travels with the shipment for handlers, carriers and customs.

• Why is a drop test report needed?

  It is part of what a carrier reviews on a lithium battery shipment. It is one of the four documents to have on file before dispatch rather than after a query.

• Does the freight mode change the documents?

  Yes. Lithium batteries are classed as dangerous goods and the packing, marking and documentation requirements differ between air and sea, so the mode is agreed before the paperwork is assembled.

• Are the documents model-specific?

  UN38.3 and MSDS are held across our range, but the exact set depends on the model, the fitted wireless module, the charger, the battery and the destination, and is confirmed during quotation. See compliance by market.

• What else does my destination market want?

  It depends on the market. For the European Union the set typically requested is CE, RoHS and ERP where applicable, plus the battery transport documents. For the United States it is FCC and UL where the order requires it, plus the same battery set.

• Can you confirm the set before I order?

  Yes. We confirm what your destination market needs before the goods leave, and the document set is agreed during quotation rather than assumed from the model.