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How to import power banks from China

Power banks are class 9 dangerous goods in transport and a regulated product in every major market. This is the document set and the marking rules that actually decide whether your shipment moves — written for importers and sourcing managers placing a first or fiftieth order.

Short version: you need UN38.3 + MSDS to ship, an air or sea identification report for the booking, and CE/RoHS (or FCC/UL for the US) to sell. All of these are issued for our models — ask for the documentation pack with your quotation.

1. The document set

UN38.3 test report	Proves the cell and the pack passed the eight transport-safety tests (altitude, thermal, vibration, shock, external short, impact, overcharge, forced discharge). Who needs it: Required by every airline, courier and freight forwarder.
MSDS / SDS	The 16-section safety data sheet describing the battery chemistry, hazards and handling rules. Who needs it: Requested together with UN38.3 for air and sea bookings.
IEC 62133-2 CB certificate	International safety standard for lithium-ion cells and packs — the technical basis for KC, and accepted evidence in many markets. Who needs it: Retailers and safety-conscious importers; required for Korea.
CE Declaration of Conformity	Issued under LVD 2014/35/EU and EMC 2014/30/EU — and RED 2014/53/EU for models with wireless charging. Who needs it: EU and EEA, UK in practice.
RoHS test report	Restricted substances (lead, mercury, cadmium, phthalates) below the 2011/65/EU limits. Who needs it: EU, and increasingly asked for by US retailers.
REACH / SVHC statement	Confirms no SVHC above 0.1% w/w in the article. Who needs it: EU chemical compliance.
Air transport identification report	An accredited third-party report classifying the goods for air freight (class 9, UN3480 or UN3481, packing instruction). Who needs it: The document your forwarder actually checks before accepting the booking.
Sea transport identification report	The sea-freight equivalent, issued for the booking and the dangerous-goods declaration. Who needs it: LCL and FCL sea shipments.
1.2 m drop test report	Packaging performance for retail buyers who require it. Who needs it: Some EU and US retail programmes.
Capacity / label artwork	Rated capacity, Wh, input and output printed on the product and the box. Who needs it: Market surveillance checks; required for EU battery marking.

2. Shipping: why power banks are class 9

Air freight

Standalone batteries (UN3480, PI 965) are cargo-aircraft only — not permitted on passenger flights — at no more than 30% state of charge, with the UN38.3 report, MSDS and a dangerous-goods declaration. Batteries packed with or contained in equipment (UN3481, PI 966 / 967) have wider limits.

Sea freight

The usual route for volume. Booked as class 9 dangerous goods with the UN38.3 report, MSDS and a sea identification report; many forwarders accept LCL under these documents.

Express courier

Samples can move by DHL / FedEx / UPS, but only from an account approved for dangerous goods — otherwise the shipment is held at origin. Always attach the documents to the shipment, not just email them.

Packaging rules

Lithium batteries travel under packing instructions with a lithium battery handling label, and package limits per box. We pack and label to the instruction your forwarder names.

3. What your market requires

European Union	CE (LVD + EMC, plus RED for wireless charging), RoHS, REACH, WEEE registration, EU Batteries Regulation marking and EPR registration in each country you sell into.
United Kingdom	UKCA marking, UK WEEE and batteries producer obligations. CE-marked goods have continued to be accepted, but UK registration is separate from the EU.
United States	FCC Part 15B for the electronics and an FCC ID for wireless transmitters; UL 2056 power-bank safety is what retail buyers expect; California Prop 65 and state battery EPR rules.
Canada	ISED certification for wireless models plus NRTL safety marks.
Japan	PSE under DENAN applies to mains adapters rather than the power bank itself; VCCI for EMC. Confirm the exact scope before listing.
Korea	KC safety certification built on IEC 62133-2 and KC EMC.
Australia / New Zealand	RCM marking covering electrical safety and EMC.
India	BIS CRS registration for power banks.
Middle East	SASO / SABER for Saudi Arabia, ESMA for the UAE.

Requirements change and national interpretations differ — treat this as the checklist to confirm with your forwarder, your compliance advisor and our sales team, not as legal advice.

4. Marking that must appear on the product or box

Rated capacity	mAh and Wh, printed on the product and the packaging.
Input / output	Voltage and current for every port, matching the test report.
Manufacturer & importer	Name and address of the manufacturer, and of the importer where the market requires it (EU).
CE / FCC marks	Applied per market, at the minimum legible size.
WEEE & battery symbols	Crossed-out bin and separate battery collection marking.
Batch / serial	Traceability code tied to the production run and the test reports.

5. Common questions

Do I need a UN38.3 report to import power banks?

Yes. Every airline, courier and freight forwarder requires a UN38.3 test report and its test summary before they will accept lithium batteries. It is a transport document, not a product certification — you need it even for a single sample.

Can power banks be shipped by air?

Yes, but under conditions. Standalone lithium-ion batteries (UN3480, PI 965) are forbidden on passenger aircraft and travel as cargo, at a state of charge of no more than 30%, with the UN38.3 report, MSDS and a dangerous-goods declaration. Batteries packed with or contained in equipment (UN3481, PI 966 / 967) have more generous limits. Your forwarder decides how your specific shipment is classified.

How long does the documentation take?

The UN38.3 report, MSDS and identification reports are already prepared for the models we supply and are sent out with the proforma invoice, usually within one working day. Certificates that must be issued in your company's name — such as a CE Declaration of Conformity — take longer and are quoted per model.

What is the difference between UN38.3 and IEC 62133?

UN38.3 is about safe transport and is required by carriers. IEC 62133-2 is a product safety standard for lithium-ion cells and packs and is the basis for market certifications such as KC. Buyers usually ask for both.

Who arranges customs clearance and the dangerous-goods declaration?

Either side can. Many importers use their own forwarder and simply need our document set; we can also quote the shipment delivered to your port or warehouse with the DG declaration handled on our side.

Do the products carry the markings my market requires?

Marking is produced for the destination market: CE and WEEE symbols, rated capacity, input/output, manufacturer and importer details, batch coding and the battery collection symbol. Confirm the exact marking set with your sales contact so the artwork is approved before printing.

Ask for the documentation pack

UN38.3 report and summary, MSDS, air and sea identification reports, IEC 62133 and CE/RoHS evidence for the exact models you are considering — send us the model numbers and destination market.

Request documentation