Restrictions for shipping lithium batteries via USPS (update from Shipito)

Below is the information regarding restrictions posed by USPS for shipping lithium batteries. Shipito, a freight forwarder, recommends to follow these requirements in order to ship lithium batteries without having your packages returned.



Lithium Cell: refers to things like AA, AAA, C, D batteries, as well as button cell batteries that you can find at a retail store.

Lithium Battery: refers to two or more cells wired together and to battery packs and modules like those found in laptop computers and smart phones.

New Lithium battery Limitations Effective November 2012:

• Battery must be installed in the equipment being shipped


• Maximum of 4 cells or 2 batteries per package


• NO spare batteries - no more than the number of batteries required to operate the equipment (Example: no extra battery for a cordless drill).


• NO large batteries - like those that exceed lithium content or watt-hour power limits (Example: elec. bike; scooters; elec wheelchair; etc.).

Lithium Battery Do's

• Mail piece contains no more than 4 cells or 2 batteries. Batteries are installed in equipment


• Package is in good condition and will protect the equipment during processing and transport

Lithium Battery Don't

• Do NOT ship lithium batteries packed along or separate from equipment


• Do NOT ship damaged or defective lithium batteries


• Do NOT ship packages with more than 4 cells or two batteries

If you follow these requirement, your packages should be going through USPS smoothly.

Recipients of Polonez Parcel packages in the Ukraine may not receive more than one package within six week period

Shipito received the following notification from Polonez Parcel regarding shipping to the Ukraine:

We would like to inform you that Ukrainian custom standards have been updated. According to
new regulations a recipient may not receive more than one package withiin a six week period. Should this regulation be broken, and a recipient receives more than one package, despite its low value Customs will automaticly apply high duty and tax fees. If you are sending more than one package to a certain address, send your packages to different individuals who live at specified address.

As a reminder: the following information must be included on the declaration:

• Sender name, address and telephone number


• Recipient name, address and telephone number


• Parcel weight


• Parcel value in USD


• Parcel contents must be very detailed. Each category of items must be listed with its amount and value.

If the package contains any food, its weight must be also provided.
Example how to describe parcel's contents:

• Childrens jacket- 2 pcs


• Shoes- 3 pairs


• Peanut butter- 2 pcs- 2 lbs


• Chocolates- 4 pcs- 1.5 lbs


• Cearal- 2 pcs- 0.5 lbs

To avoid customs clearance problems please comply with the following requirements:

• Only up to 2 kg (4.4lbs) of one specific food product (in its original packaging) per one parcel is allowed. Total collective weight of all food products cannot exceed 10 kg (22 lbs) per parcel.


• Parcel contents must be listed as in above example. All items not listed may be confiscated.


• Parcels addressed to Ukraine cannot contain seeds, plants of all kinds of stage, weapons, narcotics, medicine, alcohol, any type of tobacco and smoking mixture.