UN38.3 certification is the common name for evidence that a lithium cell or battery design has passed the transport tests. Strictly, UN 38.3 is a subsection of the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria. It is not a single certificate issued by a regulator. The key evidence is the test report and, where required, a test summary.
This guide explains what UN38.3 certification involves, what the documents show and how to plan testing. Normal commercial shipments of lithium cells and batteries need to meet the design-test requirements. Prototypes and some other shipments have their own exceptions, and your forwarder’s dangerous goods team assesses them before booking.
What UN38.3 Certification Covers
The tests take their name from subsection 38.3 of the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria. They expose a design to low pressure, temperature changes, vibration, impact and electrical stress. Which tests apply depends on whether the item is a cell, a battery or a battery assembly. The current edition of the Manual is Revision 8, published in 2023 and updated by Amendment 1 in 2025.
UN38.3 certification applies to both lithium-ion and lithium-metal designs. Installing the battery inside a product does not remove the testing requirement. The evidence must cover the battery that ships in the finished product.
The Eight UN38.3 Tests
| Test | What it simulates | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| T.1 Altitude simulation | Low pressure in an aircraft hold | Cells and batteries |
| T.2 Thermal | Rapid swings between hot and cold | Cells and batteries |
| T.3 Vibration | Vibration during transport | Cells and batteries |
| T.4 Shock | Impacts during handling | Cells and batteries |
| T.5 External short circuit | A short circuit at high temperature | Cells and batteries |
| T.6 Impact or crush | Mechanical damage to the cell | Cells |
| T.7 Overcharge | Charging beyond the rated limit | Rechargeable batteries |
| T.8 Forced discharge | Discharge beyond safe limits | Cells |
Tested cells do not prove that the finished pack passes. The laboratory identifies the pack-level tests and any assembly provisions that change the test plan. Each report states which designs and configurations it covers.
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The UN38.3 Test Summary
The test summary records the key details and results in a standard format. Forwarders, carriers and customers use it to check the battery’s testing history. Keep the full report too. A summary does not replace the test evidence behind it.
The US Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s lithium battery test summary guidance says manufacturers and subsequent distributors must make the test summary available. Button cells installed in equipment are an exception. The summary includes:
- The name and contact details of the cell, battery or product manufacturer.
- The name and contact details of the test laboratory.
- A unique test report number and the date of the report.
- A description of the cell or battery: chemistry, mass, watt-hour rating or lithium content, physical description and model number.
- The tests conducted and the pass or fail result of each.
- The edition of the UN Manual used, with any amendments.
- The name and title of a responsible person, confirming the information is valid.
- References to the assembled-battery provisions, where they apply.
Who Needs UN38.3 Certification
Brands selling power banks, wearables, earbuds, toys and other battery-powered products need UN38.3 certification evidence for the installed battery. Your supplier may buy a complete pack or build one from purchased cells. Find out who makes the pack and who holds its test records.
Ask for documents that name the actual cell and battery models used. Any change to the cell, chemistry, capacity, protection circuit or pack construction goes back to the supplier or laboratory for assessment. Update your product records whenever a change affects the tested design. Our quality assurance checks compare production batteries with the tested models.
What UN38.3 Certification Costs
We do not publish a single price, because lab quotes vary widely. The main cost drivers are:
- Cell or pack. Cells and packs have different test sequences.
- Sample quantity. The test plan sets the number of samples and how to prepare them. Some tests are destructive. Ask the lab how many units to send and whether any come back.
- Battery size. Larger packs need more capable equipment.
- Number of designs. Ask the lab which models can share test evidence and which differences need extra testing.
- Retests. A failure means investigation, corrective work and repeat testing. Agree on how extra work is quoted before testing starts.
Get a fixed quote that covers testing, the full report and the test summary. Get the lead time before you book freight.
How to Plan UN38.3 Certification
- Choose cells with existing reports. It reduces risk and speeds up pack testing.
- Freeze the battery design. Test the version you will produce, not an early prototype.
- Book testing before mass production. Shipping dates depend on having the report.
- Keep the documents together. File the test report, test summary and safety data with your product records.
- Brief your forwarder early. Lithium shipments have packing, labeling and documentation rules beyond the test itself.
Air shipments also follow the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. Since January 1, 2026, lithium ion batteries packed with equipment must ship at a state of charge of no more than 30%. Section II cells and batteries of 2.7 Wh or less are outside that limit. For batteries contained in equipment, the IATA lithium battery guidance strongly recommends the same limit. The 2027 edition of the regulations, in force from January 1, 2027, phases out the older battery mark that showed a telephone number.
UN38.3 covers transport only. Your product may also need safety, radio and electromagnetic testing in each market. Build all of these into the plan in our electronics manufacturing process guide, and into the budget described in budget planning for electronics companies.
Check the Battery Evidence Before Booking Freight
Start UN38.3 certification early, so missing evidence is fixed before shipment. Match the documents to the actual battery. Special transport cases require a separate assessment. If you are starting a consumer electronics business, our electronics production package coordinates battery sourcing, UN38.3, FCC and CE testing, and production.
