Lithium Battery SoC for Air Transport: IATA DGR 67th Edition (2026) & ICAO Rules

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Lithium Battery State of Charge (SoC) Rules for Air Transport: ICAO Mandates & IATA DGR 67th Edition Updates (2026 Effective)

Editor:ESTL Category:Technical information Release time:2025-09-17 Click volume:5

For the State of Charge (SoC) of lithium batteries in air transport, the SoC of pure lithium-ion batteries must not exceed 30% — a requirement enforced by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for many years.

As for lithium-ion batteries packed with equipment, according to the latest provisions in the 67th Edition of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR), starting from January 1, 2026, their SoC must meet the following new requirements:

Packing Instruction PI966 (UN3481)

Applicable to UN3481 "Lithium-ion batteries packed with equipment" — scenarios such as "a power drill main unit and a spare battery placed separately but in the same box," or "a robot vacuum’s battery and main unit shipped in the same box but not embedded in the main unit."

PI966 Part I

When transporting lithium batteries, the SoC must not exceed 30% of the rated capacity. If the SoC exceeds 30%, approval from both the country of origin and the country where the airline is registered must be obtained before transportation can be arranged.

PI966 Part II

For batteries with a capacity exceeding 2.7Wh: The SoC must not exceed 30% when tendered for transport. If the SoC exceeds 30%, approval from the two aforementioned countries is required.
For batteries with a capacity not exceeding 2.7Wh: It is recommended that the SoC not exceed 30% when tendered for transport. However, even if the SoC exceeds 30%, it falls within the "normal transport scope" and no national approval is needed.

Packing Instruction PI967 (UN3481)

Applicable to UN3481 "Lithium-ion batteries installed in equipment" — such as daily-use devices like mobile phones, tablets, and laptops, where lithium batteries are already installed in the equipment and integrated with the main unit.

Starting from January 1, 2026, the SoC requirement for such goods is a "recommended measure". For both PI967 Part I and Part II, it is recommended that the transport meet one of the two following conditions:

The SoC does not exceed 30%;
The equipment displays a battery level of no more than 25%.

Note: This provision is a recommended measure and not mandatory.

Packing Instruction PI952 (UN3556)

Applicable to UN3556 "Vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries" — such as electric balance bikes and lithium-ion battery-powered scooters.

The new regulation uses 100Wh as the threshold, dividing requirements into "mandatory" and "recommended" categories:

For Batteries Exceeding 100Wh

Transport must meet one of the following conditions (mandatory requirement):

The SoC does not exceed 30%;
The equipment displays a battery level of no more than 25%.

If the SoC exceeds 30% or the equipment displays a battery level exceeding 25%, approval must be obtained before transportation.

For Batteries Not Exceeding 100Wh

It is recommended that the transport meet one of the following conditions (recommended measure):

The SoC does not exceed 30%;
The equipment displays a battery level of no more than 25%.

Label: IATA DGR 67th Edition lithium battery rules lithium battery air transport approval 2026 air transport battery regulations Lithium battery SoC for air transport PI967 battery installed in equipment PI952 UN3556 (electric vehicles) PI966 UN3481 SoC requirement ICAO 30% SoC mandate

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