UPS accepts lithium-ion and lithium-metal shipments on the ground when they meet Section II packaging and marking rules. It accepts them by air only as fully regulated dangerous goods, per the UPS Important Updates to Regulations page read on 2026-08-11. The dividing lines are watt-hour capacity, whether the batteries travel alone or with equipment, and whether the account has a hazmat contract on file.
The mark, the Wh rating and the right UN code are what the driver checks.
Every lithium shipment starts with one of four numbers. UPS reads that number to decide the packaging, the marking and whether the box can go up the plane ramp.
| UN code | Content | Ground | Air |
|---|---|---|---|
| UN3480 | Lithium-ion batteries, alone | Section II ground allowed | Fully regulated only; Section II air not accepted |
| UN3481 | Lithium-ion in or packed with equipment | Section II ground allowed | Section II air allowed within IATA limits |
| UN3090 | Lithium-metal batteries, alone | Section II ground allowed | Fully regulated only; Section II air not accepted |
| UN3091 | Lithium-metal in or packed with equipment | Section II ground allowed | Section II air allowed within IATA limits |
The alone-versus-with-equipment split matters more than the chemistry. Standalone cells and batteries are what UPS restricts on air. In-device batteries — a laptop with its battery, a power tool with a battery pack — go by air under Section II packaging with the right mark and inner packaging separating the batteries from each other.
UPS uses the same three-tier structure the IATA and 49 CFR regulations use. Which section applies depends on watt-hour rating and how many cells or batteries share the package.
Small cells and batteries, packed to strict quantity limits, no full hazmat paperwork. On UPS Ground, no contract required. The lithium battery mark and a phone number are the visible signal. Cells 20 Wh or less, batteries 100 Wh or less; per-package Wh totals capped.
Same small cells packed in higher quantities than Section II allows. Requires the Class 9 hazard label and the Shipper's Declaration on air; ground still needs a UPS hazmat account on the shipper's side. Packaging must be UN-specification 4G.
Cells and batteries above the Section II per-cell watt-hour rating. Fully regulated Class 9. UN-specification packaging, Class 9 label, Shipper's Declaration, hazmat contract, and — for air — a state-of-charge requirement at or below 30% of rated capacity for UN3480 and UN3090.
Every cell manufactured after 1 January 2009 carries its watt-hour rating on the case, per UN model regulations. That number, not the marketing capacity in mAh, is the one the section split reads.
A cell inside a UN3481 device with its battery installed still needs a short-circuit prevention layer: terminals covered, the device switched off, and the outer carton rigid enough to keep the battery from being crushed. A standalone UN3480 battery goes into an inner non-conductive package that isolates the terminals — a manufacturer's blister or a rigid plastic tray with a lid — before it goes into the outer box. Every cell must have passed the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, Part III, Sub-section 38.3 test suite; that is the certificate a bank of cells rides on.
The outer box carries the red-and-white lithium battery mark on one face and a phone number for shipping information on the mark itself. That mark replaces the earlier lithium battery handling label. Section IB and IA shipments add the Class 9 diamond label and, for air, the “Cargo Aircraft Only” label when required.
The shipping calculator handles a Section II ground lithium shipment: describe the item as a battery-powered device, and the checkout walks through the mark and the packaging confirmation before the label prints. Section IB and Section IA shipments need a hazmat contract on the shipper's account and cannot be self-served through the calculator; those go through freight review.
Air rules change frequently. The Section II air acceptance for UN3480 and UN3090 was withdrawn by carriers years ago; check the UPS updates page before assuming any current rule still applies.
Yes, under Section II of the ground rules. A single lithium-ion battery under 20 Wh, or a battery of 100 Wh or less packed with the device it powers, ships on UPS Ground with a Section II lithium battery mark and no hazmat contract required. Larger cells and standalone batteries go up the Section IB and Section IA ladder.
Only as fully regulated dangerous goods, per the UPS updates page: “UPS only accepts air shipments of UN3090 or UN3480, lithium metal or ion batteries packed alone (without equipment) as fully regulated shipments. Section II or 49CFR 173.185(c) will not be accepted for air transport.” That requires a hazmat contract, a Shipper's Declaration and IATA-compliant packaging.
UN3480 is lithium-ion batteries shipped alone; UN3481 is lithium-ion inside or packed with equipment. UN3090 and UN3091 are the same split for lithium-metal cells. Standalone batteries are treated more strictly because a short circuit inside a bare cell is the fire risk carriers are hardest on.
No. Section II ground lithium shipments do not require a hazmat contract. Section IB and Section IA — larger cells, cells shipped in larger quantities, or any air lithium shipment — require an approved hazmat account and either a Materials of Trade or full Class 9 shipment record.
The lithium battery mark: a red-and-white square with two batteries and a phone number for shipping information. It replaced the older lithium battery handling label. For UN3481 lithium-ion in equipment, no separate label is required on very small shipments packed under the excepted quantities in 49 CFR 173.185.