Skip to main content

Shipping Lithium Batteries in Canada? Know These 3 Changes.

Shipping Lithium Batteries in Canada? Three New Special Provisions to Know

If you ship lithium metal or lithium-ion batteries in Canada, there are three new Special Provisions you should be aware of.

As part of the June 2026 amendments to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDGR), Transport Canada introduced Special Provisions 13, 14 and 15. These provisions provide clarification for some less common—but increasingly important—lithium battery configurations.

Here is a quick look at what they address.

Special Provision 13 — Batteries Packed With and Contained in Equipment

Have you ever shipped a package containing batteries inside equipment, along with additional batteries packed with that equipment?

Special Provision 13 now provides clear direction.

When a means of containment includes both batteries contained in equipment and batteries packed with equipment, the shipment must use the applicable “PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT” entry:

UN3091 — LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT
or
UN3481 — LITHIUM ION BATTERIES PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT

Special Provision 13 also addresses packages containing both lithium metal and lithium-ion batteries packed with and contained in equipment. In this situation, both applicable UN numbers and shipping names must be included on the shipping document and displayed on the means of containment in accordance with Part 4.

Something to remember: If you are shipping equipment with batteries installed and additional batteries packed alongside it, take another look at the UN number and shipping name you are using.

Special Provision 14 — Batteries Installed in Cargo Transport Units

Special Provision 14 introduces requirements involving:

UN3536 — LITHIUM BATTERIES INSTALLED IN CARGO TRANSPORT UNIT

This provision applies to lithium metal or lithium-ion batteries installed in a cargo transport unit when the specified conditions are met.

Among those conditions, the battery must:

  • be intended to provide power outside of the cargo transport unit;
  • have systems to prevent overcharge and overdischarge;
  • meet the applicable conditions of section 2.43.1; and
  • be securely attached to the interior structure and protected against damage, short circuit and accidental activation during normal conditions of transport.

Something to remember: If you are shipping a cargo transport unit containing an installed lithium battery system that provides power outside the unit, UN3536 may apply to your shipment.

Special Provision 15 — Batteries Containing Both Lithium Metal and Lithium-Ion Cells

What happens when a single battery contains both a primary lithium metal cell and a rechargeable lithium-ion cell?

Special Provision 15 provides the answer.

When such a battery is not designed to be externally charged and meets the applicable conditions of subsection 2.43.1(3), it must be transported using the applicable lithium metal battery entry:

UN3090 — LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES
or
UN3091 — LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES CONTAINED IN EQUIPMENT / LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT

There is another important consideration if Special Provision 34 is being used.

To qualify, the:

  • total lithium content of all lithium metal cells in the battery must not exceed 1.5 g; and
  • total capacity of all lithium-ion cells in the battery must not exceed 10 Wh.

Something to remember: A battery containing both lithium metal and lithium-ion cells does not automatically become a lithium-ion battery for transport. Under the conditions of Special Provision 15, it is transported using the applicable lithium metal battery entry.

Take Another Look at Your Lithium Battery Shipments

If your company regularly ships UN3090, UN3091, UN3480 or UN3481, now is a good time to review the June 2026 amendments and the new Special Provisions in Schedule 2 of the TDGR.

For many routine lithium battery shipments, these new provisions may not change anything.

However, if you ship:

  • batteries both packed with and contained in equipment,
  • lithium batteries installed in cargo transport units, or
  • batteries containing a combination of lithium metal and lithium-ion cells

Special Provisions 13, 14 and 15 deserve your attention.

As lithium battery technology continues to evolve, the regulations are evolving with it. Taking a few minutes to review these new provisions now may help ensure that the UN number, shipping name, documentation and package markings you are using remain appropriate for your shipment.

If you have questions, our team of experts is just a call away for our customers at 855.734.5469 or send us an email, we’re happy to help.

Stay up to date and sign up for our newsletter!  

We have all the products, services and training you need to ensure your staff is properly trained and informed.

TDG Publications SNL Label Shipping DG by
Ground Training

Tags:

Elton Woodfine

Elton Woodfine

Elton Woodfine CD (Canadian Decoration) served 22 years as a member of the Canadian Forces. Initially as an Infantry section Commander in the Princess Patricia Canadian Lite Infantry (PPCLI), he served on two peace keeping missions in the former Yugoslavia, and one combat tour in Afghanistan where his unit was awarded the Governor General Unit Citation for actions in combat. He then continued to serve as a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force as a firefighter, where he completed a diploma in Fire Science/ Fire-fighting from Memorial University and Occupational Health and Safety diploma from the University of New Brunswick. Lastly, in his career with the Canadian Forces, he served as a member of the Joint Incident Response Unit (CJIRU) as a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Operator (CBRN Op), part of the Canadian Special Operation Command (CANSOFCOM). Upon his retirement from the Canadian Forces, he took a position as a Life Cycle Management of hazardous materials instructor for the logistical branch of the Department of National Defense and is knowledgeable in NFCC, CEPA 1999, IMHWR, TDGR, ICAO, IATA, IMDG, GHS and OH&S federal regulations.