Altor guide · 2026-09-22

Lithium battery shipping Los Angeles: what LAX and Ontario actually apply

The truck is pointed at airline cargo at LAX, or at integrator air tendered in Ontario. The lithium cartons are still open, and someone searches lithium battery shipping Los Angeles because a carrier page or last quarter's air waybill made the airport sound like its own rulebook. The acceptance desk grades this consignment against the current list, the United States variation on that entry, and the operator variation for the carrier on this air waybill.

In a proposed civil penalty dated 31 March 2026, the FAA described lithium ion battery packs offered to UPS for air, one package smoking with a burn hole at the UPS sort in Ontario, California. The allegation included missing shipping paperwork, a consignment not properly classed or described, and a state of charge above 30 percent of rated capacity.

What the regulation actually requires

A dock in Los Angeles and a dock in Ontario are both making a US originating air offer. 49 CFR 173.22 keeps classification, description, packaging, marks, and labels on the offeror. 49 CFR 173.185 is the US lithium packaging section, and 49 CFR 172.202 is the basic description. When a Shipper's Declaration is required, IATA DGR 8.1 is the form, IATA DGR 8.1.6.9 is nature and quantity, and IATA DGR 8.1.6.12 with 49 CFR 172.204 is the certification, including the air statement in 49 CFR 172.204(c)(3). Acceptance is IATA DGR 9.1.3, and 49 CFR 175.30 for a US air operator. That walk runs at LAX cargo and at an integrator terminal in Ontario.

49 CFR 171.22(a) authorizes the ICAO Technical Instructions, with conditions. 49 CFR 171.24(b)(3) requires a United States variation when the Technical Instructions specify one. 49 CFR 171.22(g) keeps emergency response information, training, security, and incident reporting on the US offer, and 49 CFR 172.704 is the training rule for the people who offer it.

These figures are from the current ICAO TI Table 3-1 extract.

UN 3480 is lithium ion batteries shipped alone, including lithium ion polymer batteries: Class 9, no packing group, passenger aircraft forbidden, cargo packing instruction 965. The cargo maximum cell is blank. Take the quantity from inside packing instruction 965, in IATA DGR Section 5. Excepted quantity is E0. State variation US 3 is listed, with special provisions A88, A99, A154, A164, A183, A201, and A213.

UN 3481 contained in equipment is packing instruction 967, 5 kg on passenger aircraft and 35 kg on cargo aircraft. Packed with equipment is packing instruction 966 at the same masses. Both lines are excepted quantity E0 and list US 3. Loose spares stay on UN 3480. Spares in the same outer packaging as the device are packed with equipment.

UN 3090 is lithium metal batteries shipped alone, including lithium alloy batteries: Class 9, no packing group, passenger aircraft forbidden, cargo packing instruction 968, cargo maximum blank, excepted quantity E0, state variations US 2 and US 3. UN 3091 contained in equipment is packing instruction 970, and packed with equipment is packing instruction 969, each at 5 kg on passenger aircraft and 35 kg on cargo aircraft. Both metal lines list US 2 and US 3.

US 2 and US 3 point into IATA DGR 2.8. Operator variations sit in that same section and follow the carrier on the air waybill. Read 2.8 for this route and for this operator.

State of charge is the same read at either gate. Packing instruction 965 and 49 CFR 172.102 special provision A100 cap a UN 3480 offer at 30 percent of rated capacity. Above 30 percent, A100 points to an Associate Administrator approval under 49 CFR part 107 subpart H. When the current packing instruction 966 has a state of charge condition, that condition is part of the same read. A short account of the 2026 lithium air change is at https://altor.consulting/lithium-2026.html.

Use the lithium batteries Class 9 label. A cargo shipment of UN 3480 or UN 3090 also carries the Cargo Aircraft Only label. 49 CFR 172.602 and 49 CFR 172.604 put emergency response information and a 24 hour telephone number with a fully regulated air paper. Shippers tendering through LAX and Ontario can use the local page at https://altor.consulting/hazmat-consultant-los-angeles.html.

The mistake people make

They keep one template stamped LAX and another stamped Ontario, and they pick the file off the truck route. They put UN 3480 on a passenger flight out of LAX because the rest of the order is in the belly. They copy packing instruction 967 onto loose spares. They type a cargo maximum the extract left blank, or they try excepted quantity on an entry marked E0.

They skip IATA DGR 2.8 because both airports are in California. They leave the cells on the charger, attach Section 14 of the SDS as the paper, and ask the counter to finish the signature.

Lithium battery shipping Los Angeles before the truck leaves

Lock the aircraft type before the UN number. A passenger flight stays closed to UN 3480 and to UN 3090. Batteries with equipment take the UN 3481 or UN 3091 line for that chemistry. Use the 5 kg passenger maximum only when that line allows passenger carriage and the operator variation allows it too.

Rebuild the line from the current IATA DGR Section 4.2 list: chemistry, configuration, then the packing instruction. Read the instruction in IATA DGR Section 5, including state of charge where packing instruction 965 or 966 requires it. Open IATA DGR 2.8 for US 3, for US 2 on a metal entry, and for the operator on this air waybill. Apply the stricter condition on the paper before the truck rolls.

Walk the package in IATA DGR 9.1.3 order, then sign under 49 CFR 172.204 and IATA DGR 8.1.6.12.

Altor pre-checks completed Dangerous Goods Declarations line by line against the current regulations and returns a written report, with every finding cited, within one business day. You keep the pen. altor.consulting

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Send your completed declaration before you tender it. A line by line advisory report comes back within 24 hours, every finding cited. $95 flat, one click, and you keep the pen.

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