Direct answer
A carton of phones is lithium-ion cargo, not a box of plastic. When batteries stay in the devices, the usual UN number is UN 3481, lithium ion batteries contained in or packed with equipment. Name the shipper of record, the mode, the Incoterm and place, and who marks the packages. A chat message that says “we will ship” is not a cargo plan.
Key takeaways
- Phones in cartons are usually UN 3481, not ordinary parcels.
- FOB and CIF are sea terms. Do not sticker them on an air lot.
- Incoterms do not classify dangerous goods.
- Ask who is trained to offer the shipment.
- Spare batteries packed with phones can change the packing instruction.
Shipping is where a cheap quote meets a regulated battery. Write the cargo plan before the phones are taped shut.
Who this guide is for
Importers who will move more than a personal suitcase of phones. If you only need the commercial term, read Incoterms for importers.
What the cargo is
U.S. PHMSA’s lithium battery guide lists UN 3481 for lithium ion batteries contained in equipment or packed with equipment, including lithium ion polymer batteries. Batteries shipped alone are a different UN number, UN 3480.
IATA publishes lithium battery air-cargo rules and packing distinctions. For batteries contained in equipment, air industry material points at Packing Instruction 967. Packed-with-equipment is a different instruction. Spare cells in the same carton can change the job.
This page does not replace the current IATA DGR or your forwarder’s classification. It tells you which questions to put in the order.
Incoterms are not packing instructions
The U.S. ITA groups Incoterms 2020 into any-mode rules (including EXW, FCA, CPT, CIP, DAP, DPU, DDP) and sea or inland-waterway rules (FAS, FOB, CFR, CIF).
| Phrase | Accept | Clarify | Reject |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air lot + FOB Shanghai | Recast to FCA or another any-mode term | “FOB airport” | Sea term left on an air contract |
| “Shipping included” | Incoterm, place, mode, shipper | Freight number only | No named place |
| Seller ships DDP | Who classifies UN 3481 | “We have a friend at the airport” | Buyer discovers marks after seizure |
What to write in the order
- Mode. Air, sea, or road. Not “fast.”
- Incoterm 2020 and a named place.
- Shipper of record for the lithium offering.
- Whether batteries stay in the phones or travel as spares.
- Who books, who pays, who insures, and what cargo clause.
- Who can open cartons for inspection without voiding the offering.
- How a DOA return will move the same batteries back.
Common mistakes
- Using CIF language because the seller used it on the last sea lot.
- Assuming a courier counter will accept an unmarked wholesale carton.
- Letting the buyer become shipper of record on EXW without training.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I mail a wholesale lot as consumer electronics without lithium marks?
Not as a buying plan. IATA and modal rules treat lithium-ion batteries as dangerous goods with packing, mark, and documentation tests. Your forwarder or the shipper of record has to classify the actual packages.
Does DDP mean the seller handles lithium paperwork?
DDP puts destination delivery and import duty on the seller under Incoterms 2020. It does not automatically name who is competent to classify UN 3481. Write the shipper of record.
Sources and methodology
- IATA lithium batteries — International Air Transport Association Accessed August 22, 2026.
- Lithium Battery Guide — PHMSA, U.S. Department of Transportation Accessed August 22, 2026.
- Incoterms 2020 — International Chamber of Commerce Accessed August 22, 2026.
- Know Your Incoterms — U.S. International Trade Administration Accessed August 22, 2026.
Update history
- — First published. Official sources on this page were accessed on this date unless a later note says otherwise.
Factual corrections after publication are listed on the corrections page. There is no separate reviewer identity on this desk. See the editorial policy.