A UN 38.3 test summary is a short document, issued by a battery or product manufacturer or later distributor, confirming that a cell or battery type passed the tests in sub-section 38.3 of the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria. IATA says it must be made available on request, not attached to every shipment, unless a State or an airline requires it.
Key takeaways
- Every lithium or sodium-ion cell and battery type moved by air must have passed the UN 38.3 tests; the summary is the document that proves it.
- The summary needs 10 data elements, from the manufacturer and test laboratory to the pass/fail list and a responsible person's name.
- Manufacturers and later distributors must make it available; IATA says a QR code or URL on the battery, packaging or transport documents is enough.
- There is no mandated format and no expiry, but a design change can mean a new type that needs new testing.
- Button cells installed in equipment are the main exception; most equipment with batteries still needs a summary.
What is a UN 38.3 test summary?
A UN 38.3 test summary is a standardized record showing that a lithium or sodium-ion cell or battery type passed the safety tests in sub-section 38.3 of the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria.
The rule behind it is simple. IATA's 2026 guidance document states that to be permitted in transport, all lithium cell and battery types must have passed the applicable tests in that sub-section. The summary is how a manufacturer or distributor shows it without handing over the full laboratory report. It covers the same ground as the main guide to shipping lithium batteries by air, which explains UN numbers, packing instructions and the 30% charge rule; this article is about the paperwork behind the testing.
The test summary is not a transport document, and it is not a safety data sheet. IATA says neither the DGR nor other modal rules require an SDS for batteries, because an SDS covers substances and mixtures, not manufactured articles such as batteries.
Which tests does UN 38.3 include?
The UN 38.3 series has eight tests, labeled T.1 to T.8, that simulate the stresses a battery meets in transport and in misuse.
According to the Lithium Battery Service overview of the series, which lists the test modules in order, the tests are altitude simulation, thermal test, vibration, shock, external short circuit, impact or crush, overcharge and forced discharge. A typical summary lists each as passed or failed. Not every test applies to every product: T.7 overcharge, for example, applies to rechargeable batteries, and the manual sets which tests apply to cells, small and large batteries and batteries assembled from tested cells.
The key point for a shipper is that testing is done on a design type, not on every unit. One passed test series covers the identical cell or battery model, which is why a single summary can serve a whole product line.
What must the test summary contain?
IATA lists 10 data elements that must appear on the summary, and all of them are required.
| # | Required element | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| a | Manufacturer name | Cell, battery or product manufacturer, as applicable |
| b | Manufacturer contact details | Address, phone, email and website |
| c | Test laboratory | Name plus address, phone, email and website |
| d | Unique test report number | Lets a regulator trace the full report |
| e | Date of the test report | When the testing was completed |
| f | Description of the cell or battery | Lithium-ion, lithium metal or sodium-ion; mass; watt-hour rating or lithium content; physical description; model numbers |
| g | Tests and results | List of tests conducted with pass or fail |
| h | Assembled battery testing | Reference to 38.3.3 (f) and (g) where applicable |
| i | Manual edition | The revised edition of the Manual of Tests and Criteria used, plus any amendments |
| j | Responsible person | Name and title, as an indication that the information is valid |
IATA adds that there is no mandated format; manufacturers may compile the information in any layout. A single document can cover several batteries, manufacturers or products, as long as all required information is stated, and a manufacturer need not name a battery supplier on a product's summary for confidentiality reasons. The data elements themselves cannot be left out for confidentiality: IATA says all 10 must appear.
Who has to provide it, and do you send it with every shipment?
Manufacturers and later distributors of cells, batteries and powered equipment must make the summary available; they do not have to enclose it with each shipment.
IATA's guidance says this duty applies to cells, batteries and equipment manufactured after 30 June 2003, except button cells installed in equipment, including circuit boards. "Make available" means the summary has to be provided on request, and IATA names regulators, consumers and transport providers as parties who may ask. Compliance can be a paper copy, or a website with a QR code or URL on the battery, its packaging or the transport documentation.
On the question shippers ask most often, IATA's answer is that the summary does not have to be provided with every shipment unless a particular State or operator specifies it. The same guidance says IATA does not support requiring a shipper to provide one routinely. Two practical consequences follow:
- Have the summary, or a link to it, ready before you book. Some airlines and forwarders ask for it at acceptance.
- IATA says enforcement agencies should allow a reasonable amount of time to produce it, but you should not count on a slow answer if freight is waiting at the terminal.
Does the summary apply to equipment, vehicles and data loggers?
Yes. The test summary applies to batteries whether they ship alone or are contained in equipment, with one exception for button cells.
IATA's guidance says that, except where equipment contains only lithium button cells, the summary applies to all lithium cells and batteries, whether shipped alone or inside a device. It also confirms that makers and distributors of battery-powered vehicles (UN3171, UN3556, UN3557 and UN3558) and hybrid vehicles containing a lithium battery (UN3166) are expected to make one available.
Small devices are easy to overlook. IATA notes that many time and temperature sensitive shipments carry battery-powered tracking devices or data loggers, and that most of these use lithium cells; all lithium cell and battery types must have passed the UN 38.3 tests. If you ship cold-chain freight, see our guide to temperature data loggers in air cargo and ask the logger vendor for the summary before you buy.
How long is a test summary valid, and when do you need to retest?
A summary has no expiry date, but it stops applying to a battery that has changed enough to count as a new type.
IATA says the summary remains valid as long as the cell or battery type has not changed in a way that would require re-testing. Under paragraph 38.3.2.2 of the 8th revised edition, amendment 1, quoted in the guidance, a design differs from the tested one if:
- for primary cells and batteries, the cathode, anode or electrolyte mass changes by more than 0.1 g or 20%, whichever is greater;
- for rechargeable cells and batteries, the watt-hour rating changes by more than 20% or the voltage rises by more than 20%; or
- any change might materially affect the test results.
The same guidance lists examples that might count: a different anode, cathode, separator or electrolyte material; changed protective devices, hardware or software; a different venting valve; a different number or connection of component cells; and repairing, refurbishing or remanufacturing, including using non-original spare parts. If a refurbished battery differs from the manufacturer's tested type, the original summary does not cover it.
Check the edition cited too. The summary must reference the Manual edition used, and IATA's guidance refers to the 8th revised edition with amendment 1 as in effect from 1 January 2023.
What if the battery has not passed UN 38.3?
Untested batteries cannot move as ordinary cargo, with narrow exceptions for prototypes and very small production runs on cargo aircraft.
IATA's guidance says pre-production prototypes transported for testing, and low-production runs of no more than 100 cells and batteries a year, may fly on cargo aircraft only if the State of Origin and the State of the Operator approve and Packing Instruction 910 of the ICAO Supplement is met (Special Provision A88). This is a regulator approval, not something a shipper or forwarder can grant. Plan lead time for it, and see our dangerous goods forwarder checklist for how to brief your forwarder early.
How do you get a test summary ready before booking?
Ask the manufacturer, check it against the 10 elements and attach the link or file to your booking file.
- Request it early. Ask the battery or product manufacturer for the current summary and the model numbers it covers.
- Match model numbers. IATA says the provider must make sure the cell, battery or product has identifiers that align with the summary.
- Check the 10 elements. Missing a test report number, laboratory contact or responsible person is a common gap.
- Check the edition and any redesign. Confirm the Manual edition and that the battery you ship is the tested type.
- Put it where it can be found. A QR code or URL on the packaging or transport documents satisfies the "make available" duty, according to IATA.
- Declare correctly. The summary does not replace the right UN number, packing instruction or paperwork; see how to fill in a Shipper's Declaration.
Jumbo Air Cargo's general cargo service is one way to ask about moving battery-containing freight; share the summary with your forwarder or carrier at booking so they can confirm acceptance rules.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to send a UN 38.3 test summary with every shipment?
Not as a rule. IATA's guidance says the summary does not have to accompany each shipment unless a State or an operator specifies it, and that it must be available on request. Check your airline's and forwarder's requirements before tender.
Who has to provide the UN 38.3 test summary?
Manufacturers and subsequent distributors of cells, batteries and equipment powered by them. This covers products made after 30 June 2003, according to IATA's 2026 guidance.
Does the test summary expire?
No. IATA says it stays valid as long as the cell or battery type has not changed in a way that requires re-testing.
Is a safety data sheet the same as a test summary?
No. IATA states that the DGR does not require an SDS for batteries, and that a safety data sheet is not a transport document. The test summary is the document that identifies passed UN 38.3 testing.
Does a power bank or laptop need a test summary?
Yes, in general. IATA says the summary applies to cells and batteries whether shipped alone or contained in equipment, except equipment containing only installed button cells.
