Every January, the dangerous goods rulebook turns over, and every January we field calls from shippers who found out the hard way. The 68th edition of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations takes effect January 1, 2027, and this one carries more battery changes than most years. If you move cells, batteries, or battery-powered equipment by air — and in 2026, who doesn’t — here is what we’re preparing for.
Sodium-Ion Batteries Move Into the Mainstream
The biggest theme in the 2027 edition is sodium-ion chemistry catching up with lithium in the regulations. IATA amended more than two dozen packing instructions — PI 950 through 952, 962 through 970, 972, 975, 978, and others — largely to fold sodium-ion batteries into the same framework lithium shippers already know, and to revise the text on prototype batteries.
There are new classification rules too. A new paragraph in 3.9.2.6.1 and a new Special Provision A235 cover hybrid batteries that contain both lithium-ion and sodium-ion cells — a configuration that had no clear home in earlier editions. Special Provisions A107, A185, A213, A225, and A228 all pick up new lithium and sodium battery references. If your product line is moving toward sodium-ion, the 2027 book is the first one written with you fully in mind.
New UN Numbers to Learn
Four new UN numbers land in the 68th edition. The two that matter for most battery shippers: UN 3563 for lithium metal batteries installed in a cargo transport unit, and UN 3564 for sodium-ion batteries installed in a cargo transport unit. UN 3561 and 3562 cover chlorophenol solids. Phased-out UN numbers and proper shipping names remain usable for two years under Special Provision A808, so declarations written against the old entries won’t fail overnight — but new paperwork should use the new numbers from day one.
The Battery Mark Loses Its Phone Number
The lithium battery mark with a telephone number is being phased out. Shippers should move to the current version of the mark without one, and when a package needs both the battery mark and other hazard labels, the mark now goes on the same surface as those labels. IATA has told operators that the old mark alone should not be grounds for rejecting a package — but in our experience, a package that invites a second look at acceptance is a package that misses its flight. Print the current mark.
Cabin Rules Tighten Too
The 2027 edition also tightens what passengers and crew may carry. Power banks over 100 Wh are forbidden outright, passengers are limited to two power banks, and the spare battery allowance drops from 20 to 18. Mobility aids get new operator requirements for installed batteries over 300 Wh. For our charter clients, this matters most on crewed cargo moves and go-team flights — the technician carrying six spare drill batteries and three power banks through the FBO is now a compliance question, not just a packing one.
What to Do Before January 1
- Re-train your DG staff against the 68th edition and update shipping declarations templates.
- Audit your battery marks and switch to the current version without the phone number.
- Map any sodium-ion or hybrid-chemistry products to the revised packing instructions and new UN entries.
- Brief traveling technicians on the new power bank and spare battery limits.
When a regulated shipment can’t wait for a scheduled-carrier booking window — or a carrier embargo leaves your batteries on the dock — a dangerous goods charter is often the answer. We run hazmat moves through vetted Part 135 operators with the right approvals, and we check the paperwork before the truck rolls, because a rejected package at 2 a.m. helps nobody.
Need to move dangerous goods on a deadline? OnFly Air is available 24/7/365 with average wheels-up under two hours. Call (858) 529-7860 or email quotes@onflyair.com for a quote.