U.S. POSTAL SERVICE ACCEPTANCE OF LITHIUM BATTERIES
The Postal Service has worked collaboratively with the International Civil Aviation Organization, the Universal Postal Union and the Federal Aviation Authority to secure the changes needed to allow international mail shipments containing lithium batteries to begin.
Postal Service policies were changed Nov. 15, 2012, to allow specific quantities of lithium batteries — when installed in the equipment they are intended to operate — to be sent to many international destinations, including APO (Army Post Office), FPO (Fleet Post Office) and DPO (Diplomatic Post Office) locations when permitted by the destination or host country.
The postal operator of Germany notified the Postal Service it will not accept packages containing lithium metal or lithium-ion batteries destined to addresses in Germany. This does not apply to shipments to and from APO (Army Post Office), FPO (Fleet Post Office) and DPO (Diplomatic Post Office) locations in Germany.
Postal employees will advise customers of this prohibition and will decline any shipments of electronic items containing lithium batteries addressed to Germany.
The postal operator of Italy has notified USPS that it will not accept packages containing lithium metal or lithium-ion batteries destined to addresses in Italy. This does not apply to shipments to and from APO (Army Post Office), FPO (Fleet Post Office) and DPO (Diplomatic Post Office) locations in Italy.
Postal employees should advise customers of this prohibition and decline any shipments of electronic items containing lithium batteries addressed to Italy.
Items that can be shipped may include: cameras, video cameras, mobile/smart phones, Bluetooth headsets, laptop computers, shavers, portable DVD players, tablets, two-way radios, GPS devices and most other small electronic devices requiring lithium batteries to operate.
Items that cannot be shipped include any lithium batteries not installed in the equipment they are intended to operate. In addition, when installed, they may not exceed the quantity or limits defined in the IMM or DMM.
Domestic shipments of packages containing lithium batteries, and electronic devices containing lithium batteries currently remain unchanged.
Post Office employees have been instructed on package acceptance and customs label declaration procedures.
Currently, U.S. customers may not take international and APO, FPO, DPO mail containing lithium batteries to Village Post Offices (VPOs), Contract Postal Units (CPUs), Commercial Mail Receiving Agents (CMRAs) or Approved Shippers.
This change presents an enhancement and convenience for our customers. We are pleased that customers maintain their confidence in the Postal Service and we look forward to continuing to be a shipper of choice for international and APO, FPO, DPO shipments containing lithium batteries.
The Federal Register final rule, and IMM, DMM and Publication 52 revisions, is available at pe.usps.com.
