Planning to sell lithium batteries or electronic products containing lithium batteries on Amazon? In this guide, we will cover what all Amazon sellers must know about safety standards and regulations, lab testing, certification, and other requirements.
Note: This guide only covers product regulations, standards and other requirements for selling on Amazon in the United States. However, the same principles apply when selling products on Amazon in the European Union, Australia, Japan, and elsewhere. Further, Amazon can change their own terms and requirements at will. This article serves as an introduction, but not a replacement for the up to date seller requirements on the Amazon Seller Central.
Content Overview
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Introduction to Lithium Batteries
Here’s an overview of different lithium battery types covered by Amazon’s seller rules:
Lithium-ion batteries
Lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable batteries that use lithium compounds when it comes to the electrode materials. Lithium-ion batteries are gaining more and more popularity in recent years in the power banks and automobile industries.
Products that use Lithium-ion batteries sold on Amazon.com include:
- Power banks
- Bluetooth headsets
- Cellphones
- Personal computers
- Digital cameras
- Walkie-talkie
- Electric toys
- Cardiac pacemaker
Learn more: Click here
Lithium-ion polymer batteries
Lithium-ion polymer batteries are also rechargeable and, compared to lithium-ion batteries, they are light in weight and safer to use. However, these batteries cost more to produce and have a worse energy density than lithium-ion batteries.
They are used in some portable electronic products such as:
- Personal computers
- Electronic cigarettes
- Radio-controlled aircraft
- Radio-controlled cars
Lithium metal batteries
Lithium metal batteries are non-rechargeable batteries that contain an anode. The functioning principle of lithium metal batteries is the same as that of ordinary dry batteries. Compared to lithium-ion batteries, lithium metal batteries are more unstable and easier to explode.
Lithium metal batteries are often used in products such as:
- Flashlights
- Film cameras
- Calculators
Requirements for listing lithium batteries on Amazon
Amazon requires sellers to provide a complete list of battery-related information for their products for safety reasons. All the information must be submitted according to Amazon’s standards, or they will refuse to provide FBA services or forbid the listing of the products on its platform.
Before sellers list the products on Amazon, they are required to answer to provide subsequent information:
- Are you selling batteries or battery-powered electronic devices?
- Chemical composition (e.g. Lithium)
- Battery type (e.g. AAA)
- Batteries per product/package
- Weight
- Number of cells
You can normally obtain this information from your supplier, or use the information in your product specification.
Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
Amazon requires sellers who are selling products with potential dangers, such as batteries, to submit a copy of Safety Data Sheet (SDS), in which they should explain the properties of the batteries, including the physical and chemical natures of the products, potential dangers to human health, routes of exposure, and handling methods.
This is normally included in a Safety Data Sheet (SDS):
- Product name
- Usage
- Labels
- Substances
- First-aid instructions
- Hazards
- Protective equipment
- Safety storage instructions
- Toxicity
- Disposal
How to get a lithium battery Safety Data Sheet (SDS)
You can either request an SDS from your supplier or use an SDS service. Here’s a list of companies offering SDS services:
- Underwriter Laboratories (UL)
- MSDS Online
- MSDS Writer
- MSDS Authority Services
- Intertek
- RTP
- Global MSDS
Battery Exemption Sheet
Some kinds of batteries are exempted by Amazon to provide the Safety Data Sheet. In this case, a battery exemption sheet might be enough.
Learn more: Click here
Lab Testing
Amazon requires all the lithium batteries sold on its platform to be compliant with nationally recognized standards. We suggest that you book testing service for the batteries you plan to list on Amazon via a reputable company, such as Bureau Veritas, Intertek, TUV or SGS. As mentioned, another option is to use batteries from well-known brands as they manufacture batteries in compliance with UN, US, and EU lithium battery standards.
When factoring in testing costs, it’s rarely cheaper to buy an OEM battery without existing test reports, compared to brand name lithium batteries.
UL Standards
UL Standards are internationally recognized standards for assessing the eligibility of the products. UL runs tests on a wide range of materials, components, systems, technologies and more products and provides standards for each category, which enables consumers and businesses to follow the standards or use the standards as a reference to evaluate the safety and compliance of the products.
The following are some UL Standards for lithium batteries:
- UL 1642 – Standards for Lithium Batteries
- UL 2054 – Standard for Household and Commercial Batteries
- UL 4200A – Standard for Safety for Products Incorporating Button or Coin Cell Batteries of Lithium Technologies
- UL 60086-4 – Standard For Safety For Primary Batteries – Part 4: Safety Of Lithium Batteries
It’s also relevant to mention that UL compliance is generally voluntary. That said, Amazon imposed a UL 1642 compliance requirement on all hoverboards sold on its platform. That happened back in 2015 when hoverboard safety issues made the news headlines all over the world. Today, Amazon also requires that many electronic products sold in the United States are UL compliant.
Product Packaging
Amazon provides specific product packaging instructions for FBA sellers when shipping dry batteries. Some lithium-ion batteries, lithium-ion polymer batteries, and lithium metal batteries are included in this category. Therefore, these products should abide by Amazon’s product packaging policies for dry batteries.
More specifically, sellers should guarantee the good condition of batteries, i.e. not expired, and the packaging is sealed and prevent battery terminals from having direct contact or rub against any metals or other batteries.
Allowed packaging materials for rigid packaging:
- Original manufacturer packaging
- Boxes
- Clamshell plastic
Prohibited packaging materials (except when used in rigid packaging):
- Zipper-sealed bags
- Shrinkwrap
Additionally, when shipping lithium batteries or products containing lithium batteries, sellers should also strictly follow UN 38.3’s lithium batteries shipping methods or any other applicable shipping instructions.
Learn more: Click here
Restricted Products
Amazon prohibits the sales of the following products containing lithium batteries:
- Electronic cigarettes
- Cylindrical lithium-ion cell battery types: 14500, 16340, 18650, 20700, 21700, and 26650
Additional Resources
1. Amazon Requirements for lithium batteries
2. Safety Data Sheet (SDS) Guide For Importers & Amazon Sellers
Greetings;
We have been selling karaoke microphone contains 18650 batteries for 2 years
2 weeks before, We got a notification from amazon about our Listing has Removed by product safety issue.
We have been approved by amazon wiht MSDS on UN38.3 hazmat program and we also got approved by fcc.
We do not know how to solve this issue.
Amazon keep sending us this message below
———————————
Greetings,
Please note that the provided ASIN(s) cannot be approved due to safety reasons.
As part of our ongoing efforts to provide the best possible customer experience, Amazon is implementing listing restrictions for [Lithium Ion Battery Cells]. You will no longer be able to sell these products and your listings will be removed. We are not accepting applications to sell these products.
We appreciate your cooperation and thank you for selling on Amazon.
We have been selling this product for more than 2 years.
Hey, Thanks for the reply,
I have just encountered a very similar problem the other day,
Would you please tell me how you ended up resolving the issue + any solutions/strategies
This doesn’t even mention NEC 2020 or section 480 so it leaves out a whole section of the market. Its a complete failure to address so many questions.
Hello,
so all the products with following battery types can’t be sold on amazon?
Cylindrical lithium-ion cell battery types: 14500, 16340, 18650, 20700, 21700, and 26650
No Matter what catalog it located in?
Hi Fredrik
Our product uses a lithium ion battery, Lithium Ion Battery contained in equipment. We are going to send our products to Amazon Italy for distribution. It is essential that we register on the Lithium Ion Disposal Registry if we are not the battery manufacturer.
Hi fredrik.
Thank you for your article.
in my case, I submitted MSDS for li-ion batteries to Amazon.
but, Amazon electronic safety team required the submission of reports in accordance with IEC 62133:2.
so I additionally submitted a CB-report(according to IEC 62133:2).
but.. Amazon required other reports again.
The problem is that Amazon doesn’t say at all what additional materials are needed.
I don’t know if they want the UN38.3 report or something.
Because of this terrible situation, I’ve been filing complaints with Amazon over and over again for 6 months.
What I understand is that the product model name on the MSDS and the actual product model name must be the same.
I meet those conditions.
CB-report is also a data generated by TUV according to IEC 62133:2, so this also meets the conditions.
But Amazon keeps saying that there is not enough evidence.
What am I missing?
I want to get your help.
Hi Adam,
Where did you get this report from? We can take a closer look at this if you fill out this form: https://www.compliancegate.com/amazon-case-report/
Hi, is selling 18650 still prohibited. or one can sell it if UN38.3 is available ?
You need to ask Amazon directly. We can’t speak on their behalf.
Him
I intend to start seling a privacy door sign with recharcable lithium ion baterry.
i need aproval from amazon for this?
Factory from China alredy provide me a UN 38.3 REPORT
Amazon don’t give out “approvals” but they may require certain documents. For example, they may require UL test reports.
Hello
Thank you for your article.
I’m wondering if my product is a beauty product with USB, do I need to upload a SDS sheet?
Thank you
Hi Sofya,
Does it contain a lithium battery?
Great article Chuiyan. Very thorough and informative.
Our lab performs all of these tests on battery and battery powered products. I think you nailed the information with detail and accuracy. Very informative to the reader not familiar with our industry.
Hi Scott,
I sent you an email