Complete Guide to Shipping Lithium-Battery Products
Which battery-powered items can go by HowBridge Sea Express?
If you are shipping a whole device with the battery installed inside, such as a laptop or phone, it can go by Sea Express when it meets the conditions below. For batteries without a device, such as a replacement laptop battery bought on its own or a power bank, you must send the specs first and customer service will confirm whether they can be carried; do not send them to the warehouse before confirmation. HowBridge does not ship any lithium-battery item by air; power stations and e-vehicles are assessed separately.
Can this item be legally exported from China?
Answer a few questions to check the China export step first: an initial check based on China's export control, prohibition and licensing catalogues, and the international sea dangerous-goods rules implemented by announcement of the China Maritime Safety Administration (MSA). The result lists "Verified conditions" and "Not checked by this tool" separately; the seller's shipment to the Shenzhen warehouse, HowBridge acceptance and Taiwan import are listed below. The initial check does not guarantee customs clearance or carriage, and no data is submitted.
Eligible for Sea Express if conditions are met
Whole devices: laptops, phones, etc. (battery installed inside)
e.g. laptops, phones, tablets, Bluetooth earphones, electric shavers, cameras, drones
Battery type
The battery is installed inside the device and shipped together with it (in international transport this is called “lithium battery contained in equipment”, UN3481).
Conditions
Battery stays installed; each battery no more than 100Wh and each cell no more than 20Wh (for laptops, check the Wh marking on the battery or on the bottom of the device); not damaged, swollen or recalled; switched off and protected against accidental activation.
Please provide
Product name or link; for laptops and other larger-battery devices, the Wh rating printed on the battery; by law the battery model must pass UN38.3 testing, so ask the seller whether they can provide a test summary.
Shipping
Sea Express: yes. Air: not used.
Next step
① Tick “battery item” in the consolidation note; ② the seller ships to the Shenzhen warehouse; ③ choose Sea Express when consolidating for shipment. If unsure, send the product link to WeCom support first.
Basis: HowBridge customer service rules (items with lithium batteries go by Sea Express only, never by air); HowBridge records: filtering shipment records by item name, among parcels created 2026-04-01 to 10-28 and completed by Sea Express, 9 were whole devices with the battery installed inside whose names clearly show it (mobile phones, a laptop, Bluetooth earphones and similar), completed July–October 2026; items whose names do not show a built-in battery were not counted (checked 2026-10-28; HowBridge’s own records, not an official guarantee); under the international maritime dangerous goods rules (IMDG special provision 188), small lithium batteries installed in equipment within the capacity limits need no dangerous goods declaration. The carrier has not provided written packaging and documentation details; if in doubt, ask customer service first.
Send specs first; customer service confirms whether it can be carried
Power banks
Battery type
A power bank is itself a standalone lithium battery (UN3480); the same applies when it is packed with a phone, and it does not count as “shipping a whole device”.
Conditions
HowBridge has not yet verified the acceptable capacity, quantity, packaging and documentation conditions; 100Wh is a tier in international rules and does not mean we guarantee acceptance. International air rules offer no ordinary air route.
Please provide
Product name, capacity (mAh and voltage, or Wh), quantity, and whether it carries the China CCC mark.
Shipping
Send the specs first; customer service confirms whether it can be carried. Do not send it to the warehouse before confirmation. Air: not used.
Next step
Send the specs to WeCom support and ship to the warehouse only after support replies that it can be carried; do not send it before support replies.
Replacement/spare laptop batteries bought on their own (no device)
Battery type
Standalone lithium battery: the battery is not installed in a laptop, so in international transport it falls in the same category as power banks (UN3480), and the “whole device” conditions above do not apply.
Conditions
HowBridge has not yet verified the acceptable capacity, quantity, packaging and documentation conditions; 100Wh is a tier in international rules and does not mean we guarantee acceptance. Damaged, swollen or unmarked batteries need separate assessment; ask customer service before sending them to the warehouse.
Please provide
Battery model, compatible laptop model, a photo of the battery label (showing Wh, or voltage and mAh), quantity, and whether it is original and brand-new.
Shipping
Send the specs first; customer service confirms whether it can be carried. Do not send it to the warehouse before confirmation. Air: not used.
Next step
Send the specs to WeCom support and ship to the warehouse only after support replies that it can be carried; do not send it before support replies.
Other loose or spare lithium batteries (camera batteries, drone batteries, 18650 cells)
Battery type
Standalone lithium battery (UN3480; lithium metal UN3090).
Conditions
HowBridge has not yet verified the acceptable capacity, quantity and packaging conditions. Batteries that can be put back into a camera or drone are assessed under “whole device” once installed in the device.
Please provide
Battery model, Wh (lithium content for lithium metal batteries), quantity.
Shipping
Send the specs first; customer service confirms whether it can be carried. Do not send it to the warehouse before confirmation. Air: not used.
Next step
Send the specs to WeCom support and ship to the warehouse only after support replies that it can be carried; do not send it before support replies.
Coin and button cells (CR2032, CR2025, LR44, etc.)
Battery type
Cells starting with CR are lithium coin cells, i.e. lithium metal batteries (UN3090 on their own, UN3091 when installed in equipment); cells starting with LR or SR are alkaline or silver-oxide button cells, which are non-lithium dry cells.
Conditions
Lithium coin cells bought on their own: international air rules ban them from passenger aircraft, so there is no ordinary air route; by sea, cells with no more than 1 g of lithium each can travel without a dangerous goods declaration, but the quantity the carrier accepts is still being confirmed. LR and SR button cells carry Taiwan import code 554 (see dry cells above). Coin cells installed in remotes, watches or scales follow the rules for electronics with batteries installed.
Please provide
Battery model (e.g. CR2032, LR44) and count; for boxes or strips, state the total number of cells.
Shipping
Send the specs first; customer service confirms whether it can be carried. Do not send it to the warehouse before confirmation. Air: not used.
Next step
Send the specs to WeCom support and ship to the warehouse only after support replies that it can be carried; do not send it before support replies.
Dry cells and NiMH rechargeables (alkaline, zinc-carbon, alkaline/silver-oxide/zinc-air button cells)
Battery type
Non-lithium batteries. Alkaline, zinc-carbon and button cells fall under tariff 8506; NiMH and NiCd rechargeables under 8507.50/8507.30. International air and sea rules treat them as not restricted, but terminals must be protected against short circuit.
Conditions
Alkaline, zinc-carbon and the button cells above carry Taiwan import code 554: the import needs a mercury and cadmium content confirmation issued by a municipal or county environmental authority (from 2026-07-01 button cells may contain at most 1 ppm mercury). Whether a small personal-use quantity is exempt is not stated in any official rule. NiMH and NiCd batteries have no such requirement.
Please provide
Battery type and model (e.g. AA alkaline, LR44), brand and quantity.
Shipping
Send the specs first; customer service confirms the quantity and documents and then replies whether it can be carried. Do not send it to the warehouse before confirmation.
Next step
Send the specs to WeCom support and ship to the warehouse only after support replies that it can be carried; do not send it before support replies.
Solar lights (garden, camping and clip-on solar lights)
Battery type
The battery is built into the light (usually lithium-ion or NiMH) and charged by a small solar panel. Tariff classification is the lamp, 9405.41.90, not the MW0 solar panel heading.
Conditions
Battery stays installed in the light, no more than 100 Wh, not damaged or swollen; Taiwan import code C02 (a BSMI inspection item), and the personal-use exemption follows BSMI’s determination.
Please provide
Product link, battery type and capacity (mAh and voltage, or Wh), quantity.
Shipping
Send the specs first; customer service confirms whether it can be carried. Do not send it to the warehouse before confirmation. Air: not used.
Next step
Send the specs to WeCom support and ship to the warehouse only after support replies that it can be carried; do not send it before support replies.
Conversion: Wh = mAh × voltage (V) ÷ 1000. Example: a 20,000mAh, 3.7V power bank is about 74Wh.
Cannot go straight to the warehouse: legal restrictions apply, or separate assessment under dangerous goods procedures is needed
Power stations and outdoor power supplies (including solar-charging models)Needs separate assessment: portable power stations are commonly 300–3,000 Wh, and anything above 100 Wh is fully regulated dangerous goods (by air only on cargo aircraft with a dangerous goods declaration); sea export from China needs a dangerous goods packaging certificate that only the manufacturer can apply for, so they cannot go in ordinary consolidated shipments. In Taiwan, 1–20 kWh energy storage battery packs need BSMI inspection from 2026-07-01. Small units of 100 Wh or less follow the power bank rules above; bundled folding solar panels made in mainland China are MW0 and cannot be imported. HowBridge cannot guarantee carriage at present, so please ask customer service first.
Solar panels and solar cellsMainland-China-made solar panels (tariff 8541.43) and solar cells (8541.42) carry Taiwan import code MW0 (mainland goods not permitted) plus 468: they can only be imported within the small-quantity exemption (CIF NT$32,000 per declaration, no more than 24 units per item), and every shipment needs a certificate of origin issued by the exporting country’s government or its authorised body, which ordinary online sellers can rarely provide; ask customer service before sending to the warehouse. Solar lights and solar power banks with built-in batteries are not in this group; use the battery rules above.
Lead-acid batteries (motorcycle batteries, UPS batteries)Cannot be sent: China’s Catalogue of Items Prohibited from Delivery lists “storage batteries” as corrosive prohibited items, so sellers cannot courier them to the Shenzhen warehouse; traditional flooded lead-acid batteries are Class 8 corrosive dangerous goods in international transport. Taiwan itself has no special import requirement for them.
Complete e-bikes, e-motorcycles (including micro electric two-wheelers and pedal-assist bikes) and electric carsMainland-China-made e-motorcycles (tariff 8711.60.10) and e-bikes or pedal-assist bikes (8711.60.20) carry Taiwan import code MW0 (mainland goods not permitted). Since 2026-03-10 the Ministry of Economic Affairs has excluded these two codes and their dedicated controllers (8543.70.99.50) from the small-quantity permit exemption, so even a single unit first needs a special import permit from the International Trade Administration, otherwise it is returned or abandoned; parts sent in separate batches that have the main characteristics of a complete vehicle once assembled are still declared as the vehicle. Complete electric cars are also MW0 and additionally need vehicle type safety certification. Ask customer service before sending to the warehouse.
Electric kick scootersCustoms advance tariff rulings (107AA0278, 106CA0130) classify stand-up electric scooters steered by handlebars under 8711.60.10 “motorcycles fitted with electric motors”, which are MW0 (mainland goods not permitted) when made in mainland China, and a Ministry of Finance press release of 2026-04-21 also lists electric kick scooters within the scope excluded from the small-quantity exemption. When the on-board lithium battery exceeds 100Wh, it does not qualify for the sea small lithium battery exemption and must be shipped under dangerous goods procedures. Electric ride-on toys designed for children fall under 9503 (import code C02). Ask customer service before sending to the warehouse.
Self-balancing scooters (two-wheel hoverboards)No Taiwan advance tariff ruling on hoverboards has been found; US Customs ruling N319331 (2021) classified a two-wheel self-balancing scooter under 8711.60 “motorcycles… with electric motor for propulsion”, rejecting the toy heading 9503. If Taiwan also classifies them under 8711.60.10, units made in mainland China are MW0 (mainland goods not permitted). When the on-board lithium battery exceeds 100Wh, it does not qualify for the sea small lithium battery exemption and must be shipped under dangerous goods procedures. Ask customer service before sending to the warehouse.
Separate batteries for e-vehicles, e-bikes and scootersAssessed separately: batteries over 100Wh do not qualify for the sea small lithium battery exemption and must be shipped under dangerous goods procedures, so they cannot be tucked into an ordinary parcel; ask customer service before sending to the warehouse.
Damaged, swollen, recalled or unmarked batteriesAssessed separately: forbidden under international air rules; by sea they need special packaging under Special Provision 376; always ask customer service before sending to the warehouse.
The rules differ across four situations
Claims often seen online, such as “100Wh is allowed” and “the post office won’t take it”, come from different situations and cannot be treated as HowBridge’s acceptance standard for Sea Express.
Situation
Main rules
What it means for HowBridge Sea Express
Chunghwa Post mail
Lithium batteries are listed as prohibited dangerous goods; not accepted in domestic or international mail
Applies to mail only; consolidation does not go through the post office
Air passengers’ carry-on
Up to 100Wh allowed, 100–160Wh requires airline approval; from 2026-04-08, max 2 per person, not allowed in checked baggage
Applies only to air passengers; not an acceptance threshold for freight or consolidation
International air cargo (IATA)
Power banks and standalone batteries cannot go on passenger aircraft; only on cargo-only aircraft, declared as dangerous goods
HowBridge does not ship lithium-battery items by air
HowBridge Sea Express
Whole devices with the battery installed inside can be shipped if they meet the conditions; for power banks and batteries bought on their own, send the specs first and customer service will confirm whether they can be carried
Our actual acceptance rules; customer service’s reply prevails
Four separate layers of rules
Being allowed to leave China does not mean HowBridge’s route will accept it; each layer is judged separately.
China export (GACC, MOFCOM)Ordinary consumer lithium batteries have no statutory export inspection; for full dangerous goods sea shipments, only the manufacturer can apply for the packaging certificate; export controls on lithium batteries of 300Wh/kg and above are suspended until 2026-11-10. Domestic couriers to the Shenzhen warehouse treat lead-acid and other storage batteries as prohibited corrosive items.
GACC · MOFCOM 2025-70 · SPB
International dangerous goods rules (IATA／IMDG)Lithium batteries installed in equipment and no more than 100Wh can go by sea without a dangerous goods declaration under special provision 188; power banks count as standalone batteries and can only fly on cargo aircraft as dangerous goods. UN38.3 is the mandatory test; an MSDS is not a document required by transport regulations.
IATA 2026
Carrier and HowBridge acceptance rulesConfirmed HowBridge rule: items with lithium batteries go by Sea Express only, never by air (customer service rules). Shippable under the conditions on this page: whole devices with the battery installed inside. The carrier has not provided written capacity, quantity, packaging and documentation conditions, so for power banks, batteries bought on their own, and items beyond the sea small lithium battery exemption (battery 100Wh, cell 20Wh, lithium content 1g) that must be shipped under dangerous goods procedures, send the specs first and customer service confirms whether they can be carried.
Taiwan import (BSMI, Trade Administration)Power banks carry import code C02 (inspection required, with a personal-use exemption); e-bikes and e-motorcycles made in mainland China are MW0; 1–20kWh storage battery packs require inspection from 2026-07-01. Mainland-China-made solar panels and solar cells are also MW0 and need a certificate of origin (import code 468). Alkaline, zinc-carbon and button dry cells carry import code 554 and need a mercury and cadmium content confirmation; lead-acid and NiMH batteries have no special import requirement. Solar lights (9405.41.90) carry import code C02 and are not MW0. Electric kick scooters are classified under 8711.60.10 by advance ruling and are also MW0. E-motorcycles, e-bikes and their dedicated controllers have been excluded from the small-quantity exemption since 2026-03-10, so even one unit needs a special permit.
8507.60.00.10 C02 · 8711.60.20 MW0 · 8711.60.10 MW0 · CBP N319331 · MOF 2026-04-21 · 8541.43 MW0 · 9405.41.90 C02 · 8506.10 554 · 8507.10 · BSMI
Rules and data checked: 2026-10-24
How to Read a UN38.3 Report: 4 Real Examples
When you send products containing lithium batteries, the seller or factory should be able to provide a UN38.3 Test Summary or test report. This document is required under UN transport regulations. An MSDS/SDS (Safety Data Sheet) is not UN38.3 and cannot replace it. Below, 4 real reports show you which fields to check.
Check These 6 Fields in a UN38.3 Report
Report number
Printed on the cover and in the header of every page, and identical on all pages of the same report. Customer service uses it for cross-checking.
Testing lab
The full name of the laboratory that issued the report, found on the cover and the signature page.
Model
Must match the model on the battery label of the product. A report is only valid for the models listed in it.
Rated energy (Wh)
Usually written like "3.7V, 720mAh, 2.664Wh". If Wh is not stated, calculate it as voltage (V) × capacity (Ah).
Standard version
For example "ST/SG/AC.10/11/Rev.8 38.3", meaning the battery was tested under Section 38.3 of Revision 8 of the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria.
T1–T8 conclusion
8 tests in total: altitude simulation, thermal, vibration, shock, external short circuit, impact/crush, overcharge and forced discharge. The conclusion should read PASS or "passed". Some tests may be marked not applicable depending on the battery type; for example, T7 overcharge only applies to rechargeable battery packs.
4 Example Reports
Applicant company names have been removed from the examples; only the model, rating, report number and testing lab are kept.
Lithium polymer battery
ModelLP053048P
Report number
CCJC2514323R01
Testing lab
Shenzhen CCJC Technology Co., Ltd.
Rating
3.7V, 720mAh, 2.664Wh
Standard version
Rev.8 38.3 (UN Manual of Tests and Criteria)
T1–T8 conclusion
All 8 tests PASS
Lithium-ion polymer battery
Model802035
Report number
ECT20241018021A
Testing lab
Shenzhen ECT Testing Technology Co., Ltd.
Rating
3.7V, 400mAh, 1.48Wh
Standard version
Rev.7/Amend.1 38.3 (UN Manual of Tests and Criteria)
T1–T8 conclusion
All 8 tests PASS
Lithium-ion battery pack (6 cells in series) Grepow
ModelTARBAS10K0625X
Report number
1815C50736512701
Testing lab
Shenzhen Anbotek Compliance Laboratory Limited
Rating
22.2V, 10000mAh, 222Wh
Standard version
Rev.8 38.3 (UN Manual of Tests and Criteria)
T1–T8 conclusion
All 8 tests PASS
Over 100Wh: not eligible for the SP188 / Section II small-battery exemption; it must go through the full dangerous goods procedure. Please ask customer service before sending it to the warehouse.
Rechargeable lithium-ion battery for agricultural drones XAG B13970S
ModelM1PPA13970B
Report number
SF20240222U01
Testing lab
Guangzhou MCM Certification & Testing Co., Ltd.
Rating
48.75V, 20Ah, 975Wh
Standard version
Rev.7/Amend.1 38.3 (UN Manual of Tests and Criteria)
T1–T8 conclusion
All 8 tests PASS
Over 100Wh: not eligible for the SP188 / Section II small-battery exemption; it must go through the full dangerous goods procedure. Please ask customer service before sending it to the warehouse.
Upload Your Battery Document and We'll Check It with OCR
Not sure whether your file is the document needed for transport? After you upload it, the system automatically identifies the document type, extracts the model, voltage, capacity, Wh, report number, testing lab, standard version and conclusion, and lists any missing fields.
PDF, JPG or PNG, up to 10MB per file; up to 20 uploads per member per day.
Log in to upload and check
Upload checking is available to members only. After logging in, come back to this page to upload a UN38.3 report, Test Summary or MSDS.
Power banks and standalone lithium-ion batteries are UN3480: they are forbidden as passenger-aircraft cargo but may travel on compliant cargo aircraft or by sea. Batteries packed with or contained in equipment are generally UN3481 under PI966 or PI967. Commercial cargo cannot simply use passenger baggage thresholds of 100Wh/160Wh, and sea freight is not unconditional.
Updated 2026-10-28 · Re-checked against shipment records and corrected the HowBridge count of whole devices delivered by Sea Express to 9 (checked 2026-10-28); also adds 4 real UN38.3 report examples and an OCR document check for members
Start with the shipping configuration, not the Wh rating
The same battery may face very different packing and aircraft limits when shipped alone, beside equipment or already installed.
UN3480 · PI965
Standalone lithium-ion batteries
Loose cells, spare batteries and power banks. A power bank remains UN3480 even when placed in the same parcel as a phone.
Forbidden as passenger-aircraft cargo; cargo aircraft or sea may be possible when compliant.
UN3481 · PI966
Packed with equipment
The battery is not installed but shares the outer package with the equipment it powers.
Apply PI966, the Section, SoC, net-weight limits and operator variations.
UN3481 · PI967
Contained in equipment
Phones, laptops, headphones or power tools with the battery secured in its normal operating position.
International rules allow conditional air transport, but HowBridge ships these by Sea Express only, never by air. Prevent accidental activation and damage.
Packaging illustration generated with Hermes × ChatGPT; all UN numbers and compliance decisions are supplied in accessible HTML.
2026 air rules: UN3480 is not a total ban, while PI966 adds a 30% SoC rule
Commercial cargo must check the UN number, Packing Instruction, Section, aircraft type, battery net weight, SoC and operator variations together.
From 2026-01-01: lithium-ion cells and batteries under PI966 Section I must be at no more than 30% SoC; Section II batteries over 2.7Wh must also be at no more than 30%. For PI967 batteries contained in equipment, 30% remains strongly recommended rather than universally mandatory.
Configuration
Main rule
Practical reading
UN3480 standalone
PI965; passenger-aircraft cargo forbidden; generally SoC ≤30%
Cargo aircraft may accept it; determine Section IA/IB and package weight
UN3481 packed with equipment
PI966; new 2026 SoC requirements
Check Section I/II, Wh, quantity and operator acceptance
UN3481 contained in equipment
PI967; protect from short circuit, damage and activation
Often conditionally accepted by air under international rules; HowBridge uses Sea Express only
Damaged, defective or recalled batteries
Potential dangerous heat, fire or short circuit
Forbidden by air; obtain specialist dangerous-goods advice
How do I calculate Wh?
Wh = voltage (V) × capacity (Ah)
Example: 3.7V × 10Ah (10,000mAh) = 37Wh.
The 100Wh/160Wh thresholds are commonly passenger-baggage rules. Commercial cargo still depends on the UN number, packing instruction and carrier conditions.
Technical screen for 3A001 under China Announcement No. 58
Currently suspended
Status on 2026-10-23: Announcement No. 58 was scheduled for 2025-11-08. Announcement No. 70 suspended it from 2025-11-07 through 2026-11-10. Check later official notices before relying on its status.
This is a technical screen for export control when an item is transferred or supplied from China to outside China. It is not a Taiwan import rule or an IATA transport-Wh rule. The original 3A001 description in Announcement No. 58 required all four conditions:
Rechargeable
Lithium-ion battery
The item is a cell or battery pack
Gravimetric energy density of at least 300 Wh/kg
Estimated gravimetric energy density (not an official determination formula) = rated energy in Wh ÷ manufacturer-specified mass in kg for the same screened itemThe announcement does not define a measurement method or mass boundary. Prefer the manufacturer’s stated gravimetric energy density and technical documents.
Estimate Wh/kg
Enter Wh and mass values greater than zero.
Packaging, cushioning and the gross shipment weight are not the mass of the screened cell or battery pack and must not be used for this estimate. Other lists or temporary controls, item classification, end user, end use, destination and catch-all controls still require review. This tool does not cover the manufacturing equipment, technology, cathode materials or graphite anode materials listed in Announcement No. 58.
Five checks before shipping
Identify lithium-ion, lithium-metal or another chemistry.
Determine UN3480, UN3481 packed with equipment, or UN3481 contained in equipment.
Obtain the model, Wh rating, battery net weight, SoC and UN38.3 test summary.
Follow the applicable instruction for terminal protection, cushioning, outer packaging, marks and documents.
Confirm carrier acceptance plus Taiwan CCC, BSMI, NCC, recycling and other import controls.
Taiwan compliance has three separate tracks: inspection, exemption and recycling
BSMI inspection
“Contains a battery” is not enough to decide. Check the finished product’s function, specifications, use and CCC code; power banks, secondary battery packs and some storage systems have different listed requirements.
Non-sale own-use exemption
The same specification on one declaration may qualify when the total is no more than US$1,000. Above that, the ceiling depends on the category: five units for information technology equipment, and for other goods two own-use units or five samples, exhibition or R&D units. Which category applies to items such as power banks is determined by the BSMI.
Producer/importer recycling duties
Building on existing coverage for smaller dry batteries, Taiwan expanded coverage on 2025-07-01 to secondary lithium batteries weighing 1kg or more per unit. Commercial manufacturers and importers should verify registration, reporting and recycling-fee duties.
Lithium-battery shipping FAQ
Can a power bank travel by air?
International rules: as cargo it is UN3480 and cannot travel on a passenger aircraft, but a cargo aircraft may accept it when PI965, SoC, packaging, documentation and operator conditions are met. HowBridge does not ship lithium-battery items by air; to ship a power bank through consolidation, please send the specs first and customer service will confirm whether it can be carried. Passenger carry-on follows separate rules.
Does under 100Wh guarantee acceptance?
No. Wh is only one factor; configuration, UN number, Packing Instruction, Section, SoC, packaging and operator rules still apply.
Will Sea Express always accept it?
No. Mandatory IMDG Code 42-24 in 2026 still governs classification, packing, marks, documents, stowage and carrier acceptance. At HowBridge, whole devices with the battery installed inside can go by Sea Express if they meet the conditions; power banks and batteries bought on their own still require customer service to confirm first whether they can be carried.
Must every shipment carry a paper UN38.3 test summary?
Manufacturers and distributors must make the summary available through the supply chain on request. It need not be a paper attachment on every shipment, but the correct model’s document must be obtainable.
Can I ship a laptop to Taiwan through consolidation? What about a laptop battery bought on its own?
A whole laptop (battery installed inside, each battery no more than 100Wh, undamaged) can go by HowBridge Sea Express if it meets the conditions, not by air; tick “battery item” in the consolidation note, and if you are unsure whether it qualifies, send the product link to customer service first. A replacement or spare laptop battery bought on its own (no device) is a standalone lithium battery (UN3480) and the whole-device conditions do not apply: you must first provide the battery model, the compatible laptop model, a photo of the battery label and the quantity, and customer service will confirm whether it can be carried. Do not send it to the warehouse before confirmation.
How can I tell whether a battery item can be legally exported from China?
Check two things first: one, China's export controls and its prohibited-export and export-licence catalogues (the export control on lithium batteries with an energy density of 300Wh/kg or more is currently suspended until 2026-11-10; mercury-containing batteries are prohibited from export); two, the international sea dangerous-goods rules (the China Maritime Safety Administration has announced that Amendment 42-24 of the IMDG Code applies from 2026-01-01): if a lithium battery is no more than 100Wh, each cell no more than 20Wh, in normal condition and the model has passed UN38.3, special provision 188 applies and the dangerous-goods procedure is not needed; batteries over the thresholds can only go through the dangerous-goods export procedure, and for sea transport the manufacturer must apply for the dangerous-goods packaging certificate, whether this can be completed must be verified case by case; damaged or defective batteries are subject to special provision 376, and some cannot be transported. This is only an initial check at the level of export catalogues and transport rules: packaging marks, customs documents and customs regulatory conditions still have to be confirmed separately. The "Can this item be legally exported from China?" tool at the top of the page lets you enter specs and lists verified and unchecked conditions separately; Taiwan import and HowBridge acceptance are assessed separately.
Educational classification and compliance information only; it is not a dangerous-goods declaration or agency ruling. Actual acceptance follows the latest ICAO/IATA/IMDG rules, carrier variations and Taiwan authorities’ decision for the goods.
Classify first, then choose the battery-cargo service
Send the model, battery position, Wh, quantity and available UN38.3 records so the team can confirm whether it can go by Sea Express.
📅 Updated:Customs reference exchange rate 1 CNY ≈ NT$ 4.85 (customs-announced rate, effective) Customs ten-day exchange rate lookup🚢 Delivery time varies by plan, customs clearance method and inspection status; measured transit times for sea express, from billing in China to signed receipt in Taiwan (with sample size and period), are in the article “How long does customs clearance take?”; the pricing page and the checkout quote prevail
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Cited references
This page cites primary government, judicial, and academic sources from HowBridge’s customs reference index (1,171 records). Each item links to its original source.
HowBridge (好運器資訊有限公司) (Taiwan Unified Business No. 57151105, established in August 2017) provides cross-border consolidated shipping from mainland China to Taiwan. Customs declarations are handled together with AEO-certified partner customs brokers. We offer customer support in 14 languages, sync the CCC tariff data of the Customs Administration, and help recipients complete EZWay real-name verification.
Our own statistics (2026-08-01 to 2026-09-30): of 692 sea freight customs declarations, 97.8% received customs clearance within 24 hours; for 774 sea express shipments sent from China and signed for in Taiwan, the median was 6 days and 90% were delivered within 9 days. Content is compiled by the editorial team from Customs Administration (Ministry of Finance) announcements and current regulations.
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