XINWEI TESTING offers UN38.3 compliance testing services for lithium batteries
What is UN38.3?
UN38.3 refers to Section 38.3 of Part III of the United Nations Manual of Tests and Criteria for the Transport of Dangerous Goods. It is a mandatory global safety test for lithium batteries for transportation.
Products covered by the UN38.3 safety test report include the following:
Lithium-ion batteries and lithium polymer batteries, e.g. power banks, laptop computers, mobile phones, energy storage batteries, power batteries, power tool batteries.
Lithium metal batteries (primary batteries): e.g. lithium button cells.
Complete equipment with built-in lithium batteries (batteries installed inside the device). Lead-acid batteries and Ni-MH batteries are not applicable to UN38.3.
UN38.3 is not a product quality certification; it is a safety test report required for lithium batteries for air, sea and export shipments. Lithium batteries fall under Class 9 dangerous goods. Both IATA air transport regulations and IMDG maritime regulations mandate a valid UN38.3 safety test report. Airlines and shipping carriers may refuse shipment directly without a UN38.3 report.
UN38.3 consists of 8 mandatory tests (T1–T8), all of which must be passed. The acceptance criteria require no fire, no explosion, no disintegration and no massive electrolyte leakage. The 8 test items are listed below:
| No. | Test Item | Simulated Scenario |
|---|
| T1 | Altitude Simulation | Low pressure of 11.6 kPa in aircraft cargo hold at high altitude, stored for 6 hours; to check for electrolyte leakage or fire hazards. |
| T2 | Thermal Cycling | 10 repeated thermal cycles between -40°C and +75°C, simulating temperature variation during transportation. |
| T3 | Vibration Test | 3-axis swept-frequency vibration, simulating jolts during truck and air transport. |
| T4 | Shock Test | Multi-directional 150g shock, simulating knocks and impacts during loading & unloading. |
| T5 | External Short Circuit at 55°C | External short circuit under high temperature to verify short-circuit protection; temperature shall not exceed 170°C. |
| T6 | Impact / Crush | Heavy object impact or crush on the cell, simulating risks of compression and penetration. |
| T7 | Overcharge | For rechargeable batteries only; simulating abnormal overcharging conditions. |
| T8 | Forced Discharge | Simulating reverse forced discharge of the battery. |
⚠️ Important Notes!
For bare lithium cells or bare battery packs: if each package contains more than 24 cells or more than 12 battery packs, an additional 1.2 m drop test is required.
A new UN38.3 safety test report must be obtained if the lithium battery model is changed or the cell configuration is revised.
There is no legally stipulated expiry date for the UN38.3 safety test report. However, airlines and shipping carriers generally require reports issued within 1 year.
Market access certifications such as CE, FCC and KC for lithium batteries cannot replace UN38.3. These are product market access standards, while UN38.3 is a lithium battery safety test standard governing transportation safety. They are separate documents and cannot be used interchangeably.
Even when lithium batteries are installed inside machinery (finished equipment), the battery itself must still hold a UN38.3 report.
Email：Kobe@xinwei-test.com
