IATA's Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) 64th Edition took effect January 1, 2023, adjusting air-transport rules for several categories of dangerous goods. Lithium battery handling labels no longer need to display a phone number, with a transitional period through December 31, 2026 during which existing labels stocked before the change remain usable.
For overpacked shipments — UN3481 PI 966 II/967 II lithium-ion battery equipment and UN3091 PI 968 II/970 II lithium-metal battery equipment — packages inside a composite overpack must now be secured so each individual package's protective function isn't compromised. The requirement to submit a testing summary specifically for button-cell batteries installed in equipment was dropped, though testing summaries themselves remain mandatory and must still be produced on request; they're simply no longer required to travel with the shipment.
Packaging weight limits changed for acidic/alkaline wet batteries (UN 2794/2795) and sodium batteries (UN 3292), capping air-transport weight at 400kg per piece and requiring UN-compliant packaging. A new 3-metre stacking test was added for lower-power lithium-ion (UN3480 PI965 IB) and lithium-metal (UN3090 PI968 IB) batteries shipped in bulk quantities: each packaging unit must withstand 24 hours (28 days at 40°C+ for certain liquid-filled composite packaging) under a simulated 3-metre stack without leaking, deforming, or losing structural integrity. New special provisions were also added for battery-powered vehicles, engines, machinery, and life-saving equipment, including packaging rules and a restriction on shipping defective batteries that fail UN38.3 testing inside such equipment.
