New Rule Alert

Effective May 6, 2026, Amazon US and Amazon Canada will officially implement the new TIC DV verification rule for lithium batteries. All lithium batteries and lithium-containing products must be reviewed by Amazon-recognized TIC institutions with results directly transmitted back to the platform; sellers are not allowed to upload reports on their own. Non-compliant products will be directly delisted, with FBA inventory frozen and even account permissions restricted.

1. What is Amazon TIC DV Verification

TIC DV Verification (Testing, Inspection and Certification Direct Validation) is a new compliance review mechanism launched by Amazon for high-risk categories, referring to direct verification by officially recognized third-party testing, inspection and certification institutions.

Previously, sellers could upload certification reports independently in the seller backend to complete compliance review. After the implementation of the new rule, Amazon shifts compliance review from seller self-upload to officially recognized third-party TIC institutions, achieving a fundamental shift from "seller self-certification" to "institutional certification" and significantly raising the compliance threshold.

1.1 Comparison of Old vs New DV Verification Modes

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2. Applicable Scope & Prohibited Sales Red Lines

2.1 Lithium Battery Products Included in DV Verification

This new rule covers consumer and industrial rechargeable lithium batteries/battery packs, specifically including: • Lithium-ion / lithium polymer (Li-Po) rechargeable batteries, lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries, rechargeable lithium-ion coin batteries • Original equipment batteries, same-spec replacement batteries, single-cell batteries, multi-cell battery packs • Lithium-containing complete products: mobile phones, laptops, tablets, smart watches, Bluetooth headsets, speakers, digital cameras, handheld game consoles • Electric toothbrushes, electric beauty devices, robot vacuums, wireless vacuum cleaners, cordless power tools, electric toys, robots, drones

2.2 Prohibited Sales Red Line Products (Direct delisting with no appeal if violated)

Prohibited Product List The following cylindrical lithium-ion independent cells/bare batteries and products containing such batteries that are not built into equipment will be fully prohibited from sale starting May 6, 2026:

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Reason for prohibition: Replacement cells may fail to work with the equipment's battery protection system, cause external short circuits when contacting metal objects, and may also trigger overcharge, over-discharge and thermal runaway, posing serious safety hazards.

3. Mandatory Compliance Requirements

The new rule clarifies that lithium battery products must meet both safety standard certification and transport qualification certification, neither of which is dispensable. Reports must be issued by ISO 17025 accredited laboratories, stamped with CNAS mark, valid within 12 months, and the result must be "PASS".

3.1 Safety Standards (Choose one of the following)

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3.2 Mandatory Transport Certification

UN 38.3 Transport Test (including BTS Test Summary) All lithium batteries must pass the 8 tests specified in Section 38.3, Part 3 of the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods – Manual of Tests and Criteria, to prove that the product meets air, sea and land transport safety requirements with no risks of thermal runaway, leakage or explosion.

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Note: BTS (Battery Test Summary) is a supporting document of the UN 38.3 report, which must be submitted together with the report. Missing BTS summary will result in audit failure.

3.3 Report & Laboratory Qualification Requirements

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4. Mandatory Listing Page Specifications

In addition to certification requirements, the new rule imposes mandatory requirements on product detail page information display. Missing or incorrect information will directly lead to listing audit failure or delisting.

4.1 Required Attributes

1. Product model / part number or commodity number
2. Manufacturer / brand name (full name and address, no vague or misleading information)
3. Product labels and user manuals (complete compliance marks, no missing or incorrect items)
4. Hazard warning statements (complying with US/Canadian safety regulations, e.g. "Flammable", "Avoid high temperature", "Do not disassemble")

4. Mandatory Content Display in Images

1. Product model and manufacturer information
2. Compliance marks (UL certification mark, UN 38.3 mark)
3. Hazard warning labels (clearly visible, no obstruction)

5. DV Verification Application Process

5.1 Sellers with Existing Compliance Reports

1. Select an Amazon-recognized TIC institution (or its authorized accredited laboratory)
2. Submit existing compliance reports or certification documents
3. TIC institution accepts and reviews technical documents
4. After passing the review, the TIC institution directly uploads compliance results to Amazon platform
5. After Amazon platform confirmation, the product resumes normal listing

5.2 Sellers Without Reports or New Products

1. Confirm the corresponding UL standard for the product, sort out technical documents and prepare samples
2. Select an Amazon-recognized TIC institution (or authorized accredited laboratory) and submit an application
3. Send samples to a CNAS ISO 17025 laboratory to complete full set of testing per corresponding UL/UN standards
4. Laboratory issues test report and BTS test summary
5. TIC institution directly uploads compliance results to Amazon platform
6. After Amazon audit approval, the product is successfully listed
7. Continuously accept regular spot checks to ensure ongoing product compliance

6. Additional Air Transport Rules

Implemented from January 1, 2026 Applicable to all FBA and self-shipped orders sent to US and Canadian stations: • Applicable condition: Lithium-ion batteries with watt-hour rating > 2.7Wh, shipped unassembled with equipment (battery and equipment in the same box but not installed) • Mandatory requirement: Battery state of charge ≤ 30% before air transport • Platform operation: Sellers must fill in battery state of charge and compliance information in Amazon backend. Failure to fill in will result in inability to pass air transport, automatic conversion to land transport, and 3 to 7 days of delivery delay.

7. Violation Consequences

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8. Seller Compliance Action Checklist

1. Product Self-Inspection: Sort out all lithium battery and lithium-containing SKUs, check whether they belong to prohibited cylindrical lithium batteries. For non-prohibited products, confirm whether they have UL safety certification + UN 38.3 report.
2. Certification Processing: For SKUs without certification, immediately contact Amazon-recognized TIC institutions to complete testing per corresponding standards (UL 1642 / UL 2054 + UN 38.3).
3. Document Submission: Have TIC institutions directly transmit compliance reports to Amazon platform, and simultaneously save original reports and laboratory qualification certificates for future inspection.
4. Listing Optimization: Supplement complete product model, manufacturer information and hazard warnings, update main and auxiliary images to clearly display compliance marks and warning labels.
5. Air Transport Compliance: When shipping lithium batteries >2.7Wh unassembled with equipment, ensure state of charge does not exceed 30%, and fill in compliance information in the backend.

Closing Remarks

The implementation of the new lithium battery rule on Amazon US and Canadian stations marks that the platform's compliance control over lithium battery categories has entered a full-dimensional tightening stage of "safety + transport + process". For cross-border sellers, compliance is no longer an "optional item" but a "survival bottom line". It is recommended that sellers immediately launch self-inspection and rectification, prioritize certification completion and listing optimization, avoid prohibited sales red lines, ensure full compliance before the new rule takes effect, and avoid major losses caused by violations.

This article is compiled and published by Guangdong Energy Storage Testing Technology Co., Ltd. (www.gdestl.com). The content is for reference only, and specific compliance requirements shall be subject to the official announcement of Amazon platform.