Starting January 1, 2026, new air cargo regulations for lithium-ion batteries packed with equipment have officially taken effect. Issued by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), these rules directly impact Amazon sellers shipping products that include lithium-ion batteries.

To help sellers stay compliant and avoid delivery disruptions, here’s a clear breakdown of what’s changed—and what actions you need to take immediately.

1. Key Points of the New Regulation

• Effective date: January 1, 2026 (now in force)
• Who is affected: Amazon sellers whose products include lithium-ion batteries
• Core requirement:

If a product package contains a lithium-ion battery with a rated capacity over 2.7Wh, the state of charge must be 30% or less before air transport

• Seller obligation:

You must confirm and declare on Seller Central whether the battery charge level is below 30%

2. Are Your Products Affected?

The regulation applies only to one specific scenario:

Batteries Packed With Equipment (Not Installed)

This means the battery is shipped together with the device, but not installed inside it.

Examples include:

• Remote-control toys with detachable batteries
• Bluetooth speakers packaged with separate batteries

Scenarios Not Currently Required to Declare

• Batteries installed inside devices (e.g., smartphones, smartwatches with built-in batteries)
• Standalone batteries sold separately (e.g., replacement laptop batteries, power banks)
• Batteries packaged with products they do not power

Important:
If your product falls under “battery packed with equipment”, you must immediately update the “Battery charge ≤30%” attribute.

3. What Happens If You Don’t Comply?

If required battery charge information is missing:

• FBA sellers:

Affected ASINs will no longer be eligible for air shipping and will default to ground transport, potentially causing delivery delays.

• Merchant-fulfilled sellers:

You should confirm compliance requirements with your logistics provider to avoid replenishment delays or extended transit times.

• Good news:

Failure to provide this information does not affect account health and will not result in account suspension.

4. How to Submit the Required Information

Option 1: Edit ASINs Individually (For Small Catalogs)

1. Go to Seller Central → Manage Inventory
2. Locate the affected ASIN
3. Click Edit
4. Open Safety & Compliance
5. Scroll to “Battery charge ≤30%”
6. Select Yes or No based on actual status
7. Save changes

Option 2: Bulk Upload (Recommended for Multiple ASINs)

1. Seller Central → Catalog → Add Products
2. Under “Publish products,” select Spreadsheet
3. Download a blank template
4. Choose “Products not currently in Amazon’s catalog”
5. Select relevant product type keywords (multiple allowed)
6. Download the file (do not select BETA versions)
7. In the compliance section, find “Battery charge ≤30%”
8. Mark all affected ASINs as Yes or No
9. Upload the spreadsheet

5. Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Do power banks fall under this rule?
No. Power banks are considered standalone batteries and are not subject to mandatory declaration.

Q2: If my product is not affected, do I need to do anything?
No action is required if your product does not involve batteries packed with equipment.

Q3: What if I entered incorrect information?
You can update the attribute at any time. Amazon will use the most recent submission.

Act Now to Avoid Shipping Delays

These lithium battery air shipping rules are already in effect. If you have affected ASINs, update the battery charge status immediately to ensure uninterrupted logistics and fulfillment.

As a shipping agent China, Global Vertical Shipping works closely with Amazon sellers to manage lithium battery compliance, air and ground shipping options, and end-to-end logistics from China to global destinations—helping you stay compliant while keeping supply chains moving smoothly. Contact us to get a free quote!