What Is the Difference Between a Mark and a Hazard Label?

In dangerous-goods transport, mark, label and placard have different meanings. Treating them as interchangeable can lead to the wrong item being placed on a package or cargo transport unit.

The battery mark communicates specified battery information at package level. A hazard label communicates the danger class. A placard communicates a hazard at cargo-transport-unit level. One does not automatically replace another.

The terminology also changes over time. Current source material can refer to a “lithium battery mark,” a “lithium or sodium ion battery mark,” or more generally a “battery mark.” Use the exact terminology and requirements of the rule that applies to the shipment rather than relying only on the name printed in an old procedure.

Start With the Battery Configuration and UN Number

The mark cannot be checked until the battery and its relationship to the product are understood. The four principal lithium entries are:

The words “packed with equipment” and “contained in equipment” describe different arrangements, even when both use the same broad UN entry. They can lead to different packing-instruction sections, quantity limits or operating requirements.

Do not decide the UN number from the invoice description alone. Check:

• whether the battery is lithium ion or lithium metal;
• whether cells or batteries are shipped alone, alongside equipment, or installed in equipment;
• the watt-hour rating for lithium-ion cells or batteries, or lithium content where relevant for lithium metal;
• the number and net weight of cells or batteries in each package;
• the condition of the battery and product; and
• whether the item is actually classified as equipment, a vehicle, a battery-powered device or another dangerous-goods article.

The dedicated UN 3480 vs UN 3481 guide explains the lithium-ion configuration decision in more detail. The label-checking article should not be used to override that classification step.

Current battery marks can also contain UN 3551 or UN 3552 for sodium-ion batteries, as applicable. Those numbers do not convert a lithium battery into sodium-ion cargo. They appear here only because current mark formats cover more than one battery chemistry.

What Should the Battery Mark Look Like?

The IATA 2026 Battery Guidance Document illustrates the package mark with:

• red diagonal hatchings with a minimum width of 5 mm;
• a black group-of-batteries symbol, including one damaged battery emitting a flame;
• a white or suitably contrasting background; and
• the applicable UN number or numbers below the symbol.

IATA identifies this document as guidance rather than a standalone source of regulatory compliance. The applicable regulations, packing instruction, State and operator variations still control the shipment.

The guidance gives a normal minimum size of 100 mm × 100 mm. If the package dimensions require a smaller mark, it may be reduced to no less than 100 mm wide × 70 mm high, with all features kept in approximate proportion. Where a package face is large enough for the full-size mark, the full-size mark should be used. IATA's guidance also states that each UN number on the mark should be at least 12 mm high.

The mark may be printed directly on the outer packaging when the required elements remain clearly visible against the packaging colour. A low-resolution image, altered proportions, faded red border or dark carton that hides the black symbol can defeat the purpose of the mark even if the correct UN number is present.

Which UN number belongs on the mark?

Use the UN number that corresponds to the correctly classified battery and configuration. A package containing batteries assigned to more than one applicable UN number may need all relevant numbers displayed in accordance with the governing provisions.

Do not add several UN numbers simply because a supplier is uncertain. An unexplained list of alternatives transfers the classification problem to the warehouse or carrier rather than solving it.

Are there exceptions to the battery mark?

Yes, but they are limited and mode-specific. For lithium batteries, the IATA 2026 guidance identifies exceptions for specified Section II packages under Packing Instruction 967 or 970 that contain only button cells installed in equipment. It also identifies an exception for consignments of no more than two packages when each package contains no more than four cells or two batteries installed in equipment. The guidance separately lists Packing Instruction 978 for sodium-ion batteries.

An exception should be applied only after confirming the configuration, applicable packing instruction and section, number of cells or batteries per package, and total number of packages in the consignment. “Small battery” is not itself an exception.

When Is the Class 9 Lithium Battery Label Used?

Model 9A is the lithium battery hazard label. It is a square set at a 45-degree angle, so it appears as a diamond. The upper half contains seven black vertical stripes. The lower half contains the battery-and-flame symbol and the underlined class number 9.

This label is different from the rectangular battery mark. Some fully regulated lithium battery packages require the Class 9 lithium battery hazard label and other package marks. Under applicable air provisions, a package can also require a Cargo Aircraft Only label. The required combination must be established from the actual packing instruction, section, aircraft limitation and operator conditions.

Under the current maritime framework, hazard labels are normally at least 100 mm × 100 mm. When the package size requires it, proportionate reduction can be permitted provided the symbol and other elements remain clearly visible. This is not permission to reduce every label for convenience.

Do not confuse Model 9A with the general Model 9 label. The IMDG Code Amendment 42-24 text distinguishes package labelling from placarding and states that Model 9A is not used as the Class 9 placard for cargo transport units.

Air and Sea Requirements Must Be Checked Separately

International dangerous-goods rules are harmonized in many areas, but air and sea shipments should not be prepared from one universal label sheet.

The current ICAO State Variations show why the countries involved in an air shipment matter. Operator variations add another layer. A label combination accepted for one route should not be assumed valid for another airline or State.

For sea freight, IMO identifies the 2024 Edition of the IMDG Code, including Amendment 42-24, as mandatory from 1 January 2026. The full official Code remains the operational reference. A blog article can explain the decision points, but it cannot replace the current entry, special provision and packing instruction.

A time-sensitive 2026 maritime transition

IMDG Amendment 42-24 states that the older lithium battery mark showing a telephone number for additional information may continue to be applied until 31 December 2026.

This is a dated maritime transition, not a universal permission for every route or mode. For shipments prepared near or after the deadline, confirm the current rule and the operator's implementation before using old stock.

For broader regulatory context, see the 2026 lithium battery shipping regulations guide.

How to Review a Package or Overpack Photograph

A photograph review cannot certify compliance, but it can expose mismatches before cargo reaches the warehouse. Ask for clear images of every relevant face of the inner package, outer package, pallet and overpack.

1. Identify the cargo shown

Match the product and battery model in the photograph to the specification, invoice, packing list and available test-summary information. Record whether the image shows the final export package or only a sample carton.

2. Confirm the proposed UN number

Compare the mark with the battery chemistry and configuration. If the package shows UN 3480 but the packing list describes equipment containing batteries, pause and investigate. Do not edit the photograph or relabel the carton until the classification has been resolved.

3. Inventory every visible item

List the battery mark, hazard label, proper shipping name/UN number marking, Cargo Aircraft Only label where applicable, orientation arrows, overpack marking and any carrier or warehouse stickers. This separates regulated elements from commercial markings.

4. Check size, proportion and contrast

Request at least one photograph with a ruler or known package dimension when size is uncertain. Check that the mark or label is not stretched, compressed or printed so lightly that required elements disappear.

5. Check location and condition

Required information should be visible, legible and durable enough for the planned movement. Look for marks or labels that are:

• wrapped around a carton edge;
• covered by clear or opaque tape;
• hidden behind pallet bands or stretch wrap;
• torn, stained or partly detached;
• placed over old conflicting information; or
• obscured by another logistics label.

6. Review the overpack

When marked or labelled packages are placed inside an overpack, check whether the required information remains visible. If it does not, determine which marks and labels must be reproduced outside and whether the word “OVERPACK” is required under the applicable rules.

This decision applies to the actual completed overpack—not to a photograph of an empty pallet before wrapping.

7. Reconcile the document set

Compare package information with:

• product and battery specifications;
• the applicable UN 38.3 test summary;
• SDS or product information where relevant;
• invoice and packing list;
• dangerous-goods transport document when required; and
• booking or operator instructions.

An SDS/MSDS is supporting product information, not a substitute for classification or a source of ready-to-print labels.

8. Escalate unresolved differences before booking

Record each conflict and identify the party responsible for correcting the underlying information. The manufacturer or qualified document issuer may need to confirm the model or ratings. A trained shipper or competent dangerous-goods specialist may need to determine the classification and package preparation. The carrier or operator decides acceptance under its current conditions.

Common Marking and Labelling Problems

The wrong UN number is printed

A supplier may reuse a carton design for batteries shipped alone and batteries contained in equipment. The visual mark then conflicts with the actual configuration. Resolve the classification first; do not choose the number that appears most often in old files.

The battery mark is mistaken for Model 9A

The red-hatched battery mark and the diamond Class 9 lithium battery label are separate items. One cannot be omitted merely because the other is present.

A reduced mark is used on a large carton

The reduced 100 mm × 70 mm battery mark is associated with package-size necessity. It should not become the default because it saves label material or fits a preferred printer.

Stretch wrap or pallet bands hide required information

Marks and labels visible on individual cartons before palletizing may disappear after the overpack is completed. Review the final packed unit and reproduce the required information outside when applicable.

Old artwork is used without checking the date and mode

The 2026 maritime transition for the older telephone-number mark has a fixed end date. Air requirements, carrier instructions and later editions may differ. Check the shipment date and applicable rule before using remaining label stock.

A generic template adds every possible label

More labels are not automatically safer. An unnecessary Cargo Aircraft Only label, wrong hazard label or unrelated UN number can create conflicting information. Apply only the marks and labels required for the correctly prepared shipment.

Package photographs and documents describe different cargo

A label review should stop if model numbers, Wh ratings, quantities, weights or configurations conflict across the photos and documents. Cosmetic relabelling cannot resolve an identity problem.

Package rules are copied onto a freight container

Package labels and cargo-transport-unit placards are related but distinct. Under IMDG Amendment 42-24, Model 9A is not the Class 9 placard used for a cargo transport unit.

What Information Should Be Sent for a Shipment Review?

Provide one shipment-specific information set rather than a folder of unexplained certificates and label images.

Product and battery identity

• product name, use and model;
• battery manufacturer and model;
• lithium-ion or lithium-metal chemistry;
• nominal voltage, rated capacity and Wh rating, or lithium content where relevant;
• number of cells or batteries in each product and package; and
• battery condition and production status.

Configuration and packing

• proposed UN number and proper shipping name, if known;
• batteries alone, packed with equipment or contained in equipment;
• inner and outer packaging description;
• package count, gross weight, battery net weight and dimensions;
• pallet or overpack arrangement; and
• clear photographs before and after the final overpack is closed.

Supporting records

• product and battery specifications;
• available UN 38.3 test summary;
• SDS/MSDS or product information where relevant;
• invoice and packing list; and
• any current packing, declaration or operator instructions already supplied by qualified parties.

Route and service request

• China pickup location;
• destination country, city and postcode;
• preferred air, sea, road, rail or courier mode;
• cargo-ready date;
• Incoterm and requested delivery scope; and
• importer or consignee information needed to define the handoff.

State clearly if the cargo is used, returned, damaged, defective, recalled, waste, intended for recycling, a prototype, or from a small production run. Special-condition batteries should not be assessed through the ordinary label checklist.