That mark is a hazard communication, not a carrier logo: a red-hatched rectangle showing burning cells and a UN number that tells handlers what kind of lithium cargo is inside. UN3481 means the battery rides in or with its equipment; UN3480 means batteries alone. Get the number right, put the mark where the address is, and the shipment is legal on ground services.
The mark is identical either way; the UN number printed on it is the part that must match your shipment.
The split is entirely about whether the battery ships inside equipment. Nothing else about the device changes the answer.
| Mark | Covers | Everyday examples | Extra requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| UN3481 | Lithium-ion batteries contained in, or packed with, equipment | Phone, laptop, tablet, camera, smartwatch, drone, cordless drill, game console | Domestic ground service; mark on the address side; used devices secured against switching on |
| UN3480 | Lithium-ion batteries shipped by themselves | Power bank, spare tool pack, replacement phone battery | Ground only, cell max 20 Wh and battery max 100 Wh, mailpiece at 5 lb or less, terminals protected |
For the standalone case, USPS Publication 52 instruction 9D (pe.usps.com, read 2026-07-27) also demands wording beside the mark: Surface Mail Only, Lithium-ion Batteries - Forbidden for Transportation Aboard Passenger Aircraft. Preprinted UN3480 labels carry that text already.
Describe the item honestly and the battery logic runs at quote time. A phone listing triggers the UN3481 path on the first screen, ground services replace the full menu, and the review step presents one confirmation covering the battery status and the mark. Tick it once and payment opens; nothing else to fill in.
Flat surface, address side, no wrapping over edges, no tape across the printed area that could blur it. Marks are supposed to stay readable through rain and conveyor scuffs, so laser print or preprinted stock beats an inkjet page that runs when wet.
The mark communicates a compliant shipment; it cannot rescue a non-compliant one. Packs over 100 Wh, loose lithium-metal cells, and anything damaged, swollen or recalled stay outside the self-service system no matter what sticker goes on the box. Bigger packs mean manual review, not creative labeling.
A rectangle with red hatching around the border, a pictogram of battery cells with flames, and the UN number of the shipment printed inside. USPS requires a DOT-approved version of this mark on the address side of the package.
Whenever the lithium-ion battery travels inside or alongside the equipment it powers: phones, laptops, cameras, drones, cordless tools and the like. Batteries shipped on their own switch to UN3480.
You can print one, as long as it stays legible, sized to spec and firmly attached. Preprinted sheets of the mark are cheap and remove the sizing guesswork. Hand-drawing is not acceptable.
A battery shipment surfaces a yellow panel naming the UN number that applies. You confirm the battery details and that the mark will be on the box; after that single tick the purchase proceeds without re-entry, and only ground services stay offered.