Lithium batteries are classed as dangerous goods, so the paperwork travels with the product. A shipment held at customs, an Amazon listing suspended, or a CE mark refused almost always traces back to a missing or mismatched certificate. This guide explains what each certification actually covers, which ones your market requires, and what to ask a supplier for before you place an order.
The certifications that matter
| Certification | What it covers | When you need it |
|---|---|---|
| UN38.3 | Transport safety testing (altitude, thermal, vibration, shock, short circuit, impact, overcharge, forced discharge) | Always — any lithium cell or battery shipped by air, sea or road |
| IEC 62133 | Product safety for portable sealed secondary cells and batteries | International markets; basis for many national approvals |
| UL 1642 / UL 2054 | Cell (1642) and battery pack (2054) safety | North America; often required by retailers and OEM customers |
| CE | Conformity with applicable EU directives | Selling into the EU/EEA |
| RoHS | Restriction of hazardous substances (lead, cadmium, mercury and others) | EU and markets that mirror it |
| REACH | Registration and disclosure of chemical substances | EU; often requested in B2B supply chains |
| MSDS / SDS | Safety data sheet for handling and emergency response | Requested by freight forwarders and customs |
UN38.3 is the one that stops shipments
If you take one thing from this guide: UN38.3 is non-negotiable. It is a transport requirement under the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, and freight forwarders will ask for the test summary before they accept the cargo. Since 2020 suppliers have been required to make a UN38.3 Test Summary available — a specific document listing the manufacturer, cell description, tests performed and the lab. Ask for that summary by name, not just “the UN38.3 certificate”, and check that the cell model on it matches the model you are buying.
Cell certificate vs pack certificate
This trips up a lot of first-time buyers. A certificate issued for a cell does not automatically cover the battery pack you build from it. Assembling cells into a pack — adding a PCM, welding, housing — creates a new product that generally needs its own UN38.3 testing, and under UL the split is explicit: UL 1642 covers the cell, UL 2054 covers the pack. If you are sourcing a custom battery pack, confirm which certificates apply to the finished assembly, not only to the cells inside it.
What CE actually means for a battery
CE is a manufacturer’s declaration of conformity with the EU directives that apply to the product, not a test certificate issued by a single body. For batteries it typically involves the applicable safety standard plus RoHS, and the EU Battery Regulation adds labelling and recycling obligations. Expect a Declaration of Conformity naming the directives and standards applied — a “CE certificate” from an unrecognised lab, with no DoC behind it, is not the same thing.
What to request before you order
- UN38.3 Test Summary matching the exact cell model you are buying
- MSDS/SDS for your freight forwarder
- IEC 62133 or UL report as your market requires, with the report number so you can verify it
- RoHS and REACH statements if you sell into the EU
- ISO 9001 / ISO 14001 certificates for the manufacturing site — evidence the process behind the product is controlled
- Verify the issuing lab — a report is only as good as the body that issued it
Frequently asked questions
Do I need UN38.3 for coin cells?
Yes. UN38.3 applies to lithium cells and batteries regardless of size, including coin and button cells. Carriers and customs can request the test summary for any lithium shipment, and small cells are no exception.
Does a cell certificate cover my finished battery pack?
Generally no. Assembling cells into a pack creates a new product that usually requires its own testing — UL splits this explicitly between UL 1642 for cells and UL 2054 for packs. Confirm with your supplier which documents cover the finished assembly.
How long does battery certification take?
Timelines depend on the standard and the lab queue; UN38.3 testing is typically the fastest and full product safety approvals take longer. The practical shortcut is to select a cell that already holds current certification rather than certifying a new one from scratch.
Certified batteries from JBWCELL
JBWCELL operates ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 systems and supports UN38.3, UL, IEC 62133, CE, RoHS and REACH across our lithium button cell, Li-SOCl2 and solid-state ranges, with test reports supplied on request. Choosing a supplier? See our guide on how to choose a lithium battery manufacturer, or contact us for documentation and a quote.
