Choose a dangerous goods forwarder or 3PL that can show current IATA DGR training records for the staff who will handle your freight, proven experience with your UN numbers (especially lithium batteries), confirmed airline acceptance and cargo-aircraft-only capacity on your lanes, and a clear process for packaging, declarations and incidents. As the shipper, you keep legal responsibility, so verify rather than assume.
Key takeaways
- The shipper stays legally responsible for dangerous goods even when a forwarder or 3PL prepares the shipment, so due diligence protects you.
- Ask for evidence of DG training under IATA DGR subsection 1.5, not just a claim; IATA training certificates are valid for 24 months.
- For lithium batteries, test the provider on UN3480 vs UN3481, packing instructions 965 to 970 and the 2026 state-of-charge rules.
- Confirm airline acceptance and freighter capacity for cargo-aircraft-only goods before you sign.
- Red flags include promises to ship batteries "as general cargo," vague answers on training and no incident process.
Why does the choice of dangerous goods forwarder or 3PL matter?
Because the shipper keeps legal responsibility for dangerous goods, a forwarder's mistakes on classification, packing or paperwork become your compliance problem and your delayed cargo.
The IATA Lithium Battery Guidance Document sets out the split clearly: manufacturers classify products and share the data, shippers package, mark, label and document dangerous goods, and forwarders coordinate routing while watching for undeclared dangerous goods. When you hand DG work to a forwarder or a third-party logistics provider (3PL), you are relying on their people to do part of your job correctly. The FAA's SafeCargo program makes the same point to shippers and e-commerce sellers: knowing what is in your shipment and declaring it is your responsibility.
If you are new to the rules, start with our guide to dangerous goods air freight basics and the nine classes, then use the checklist below.
What should you ask a dangerous goods forwarder or 3PL?
Ask for evidence on eight areas: training, airline acceptance, battery experience, packaging, declarations, freighter capacity, documentation and incident handling.
1. Is your staff trained under the IATA DGR?
Ask which staff will classify, pack and sign for your goods, and request their training records. Under the DGR, training must match each person's function and be repeated within 24 months; IATA's own course for people preparing DG consignments states its certificate is valid for 24 months. In the United States, 49 CFR 172.704 also requires function-specific and security awareness training. A good provider answers this quickly and with dates.
2. Which airlines accept my UN numbers on my lanes?
Acceptance varies by airline, aircraft type and route, and operator variations can be stricter than the DGR. Ask which carriers the provider has actually moved your UN numbers with, not just which carriers it can book.
3. What is your lithium battery experience?
For battery shippers, this is the deciding question. Ask the provider to explain, for one of your SKUs, the UN number, packing instruction and section it would use, and how it checks state of charge. Since 1 January 2026, lithium-ion batteries packed with equipment (PI 966) must ship at no more than 30% charge, in addition to the long-standing 30% limit on standalone batteries (UN3480, PI 965). Our guide to shipping lithium batteries by air (UN3480 and UN3481) covers the detail.
4. Can you supply or source compliant packaging?
Fully regulated shipments need UN specification packaging, and some battery sections need packaging that passes drop and stack tests. Ask whether the provider stocks packaging, repacks in its own facility and keeps the packaging test certificates.
5. Who prepares the Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods?
Clarify in writing who completes the declaration (see how to fill in the Shipper's Declaration) and the air waybill entries, who signs, and what data you must provide (safety data sheets, UN 38.3 test summaries, watt-hour ratings).
6. Do you have cargo aircraft only capacity?
Standalone lithium batteries (UN3480 and UN3090) and many larger DG quantities can only fly on freighters. Ask which freighter services the provider uses on your lanes and what happens if a flight is cancelled.
7. How do you handle documentation and records?
Ask how test summaries, declarations, training records and any State approvals are stored and how quickly you can retrieve them for an audit or a customer.
8. What happens if something goes wrong?
Ask for the incident process: who is notified, how damaged or leaking packages are handled, and how the provider reports incidents to authorities and to you.
What does a forwarder checklist look like in practice?
Score each provider against the same questions and ask for evidence, not just a yes.
| Area | Good answer | Weak answer |
|---|---|---|
| DG training | Named staff with dated training records within 24 months | "Our team is trained" with nothing to show |
| Airline acceptance | Specific carriers and aircraft types moved for your UN numbers | "Any airline will take it" |
| Lithium battery experience | Explains UN3480 vs UN3481, PI 965 to 970 and the 2026 charge rules | Treats all batteries the same way |
| Packaging | Supplies UN specification packaging with test certificates | Asks you to "box it well" |
| Declaration | Clear written split of who prepares and signs | Unclear who signs |
| CAO capacity | Named freighter services and a backup plan | Relies on passenger flights only |
| Documentation | Retrievable records for each shipment | Paper files, no system |
| Incident handling | Written procedure and reporting contacts | No process |
What are the red flags when choosing a dangerous goods 3PL?
The biggest red flag is any offer to move dangerous goods as general cargo or to "skip" the paperwork.
- Suggesting batteries, perfume or aerosols can go undeclared or be described vaguely, such as "electronics" or "samples."
- No training records, or certificates older than two years.
- Quotes for standalone lithium batteries on passenger flights.
- Vague answers on state of charge or UN 38.3 test summaries.
- Claims of certifications or accreditations that the provider cannot document. Ask for the certificate and check it with the issuer.
- No written split of responsibilities between you and the provider.
Undeclared dangerous goods are a safety risk, and in the United States the FAA can pursue civil penalties against the people who offer them for transport.
Should you use a forwarder, a 3PL or both for lithium batteries?
Use a forwarder alone if your goods leave your own facility already classified, packed and labeled; add a 3PL with DG capability if someone else stores, picks or repacks your batteries.
The risk sits wherever the packing happens. If a 3PL picks power banks from stock and builds cartons for a freighter booking, its warehouse staff are performing dangerous goods functions and need the matching training, packaging and procedures. If it only handles finished, sealed cartons, the questions above apply mainly to the forwarder. E-commerce sellers should also check how returns are handled: IATA's guidance expects companies arranging battery returns to give consumers clear instructions on packaging, marks and permitted transport modes.
How do you prepare before contacting a forwarder?
Have your classification data ready so the provider can quote accurately and you can judge its answers.
- Collect safety data sheets and, for batteries, UN 38.3 test summaries and watt-hour ratings for every SKU.
- List the UN numbers, quantities per package and packaging you use today.
- Note your lanes, required delivery windows and whether goods are cargo aircraft only.
- Estimate the chargeable weight with the chargeable weight calculator so quotes are comparable.
For battery-powered electronics and other high-value cargo, see JumboSecure, and send your safety data sheets with your quote request so Jumbo Air Cargo can check what your lane requires.
Frequently asked questions
Can a freight forwarder sign the Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods for me?
A forwarder or packer can prepare and sign the declaration on the shipper's behalf if its signatory is trained to the required standard, but the shipper remains responsible for the accuracy of the information it provides, so keep the agreement and the classification data on file.
What is the difference between a DG forwarder and a 3PL for lithium batteries?
A forwarder books and coordinates the air movement; a 3PL usually also stores, picks and packs your goods. For lithium batteries you may need both functions, so check whether DG packing happens in the 3PL's warehouse and who trains the people doing it.
How do I check a forwarder's dangerous goods training?
Ask for training certificates or records for the staff who will classify, pack and document your shipments, check the dates against the 24-month IATA cycle, and confirm the course covered the classes you ship.
Do all airlines accept lithium batteries?
No. Acceptance varies by airline, aircraft type and route, and many carriers publish operator variations stricter than the DGR. Standalone lithium-ion batteries (UN3480) need cargo aircraft only capacity.
