UL + UN38.3 Testing for Home Appliances with Lithium Batteries

Introduction: Attention Amazon US small home appliance sellers and cross-border factories! Amazon's brand-new compliance policy for lithium-battery household appliances has officially landed. The policy takes effect on June 30, 2026. Products that have not completed compliance verification by August 30 will be mandatorily delisted. A large number of sellers of vacuum cleaners, floor washers, kitchen food processors, hair styling tools, and air purifiers are facing the risk of link removal and inventory backlog.

The new regulation requires that products must match the corresponding UL complete machine safety standard + lithium battery ul1642/ul2054/UL62133-2 + a full set of un38.3 transportation tests. Additionally, it requires a valid report within 12 months from an ISO 17025 laboratory, passing a direct audit by an Amazon-authorized TIC agency, along with the submission of a Commercial Insurance COI (Certificate of Insurance) credential.

Jiapin Instruments JP17, deeply cultivated in lithium battery testing for 22 years, has compiled a complete compliance interpretation in response to this new Amazon policy. It simultaneously provides a full set of testing equipment for complete machine safety, battery safety, UN38.3 eight transportation tests, airtight sealing, and environmental reliability. Self-built laboratories, third-party testing agencies, and cross-border small home appliance factories can all purchase the equipment in a one-stop manner to complete compliance self-testing in advance and avoid delisting losses.

Core Policy Time Nodes (Key to Bookmark)

Policy Applicable Product Scope (Clear Distinction of Included/Excluded Lists)

✅ Applicable Products (Lithium-battery powered home equipment, mandatory compliance)

Home appliances powered by Lithium-ion / Lithium polymer / Lithium iron phosphate batteries:

• Floor washers, vacuum cleaners, steam cleaners, blenders, juicers, meat grinders, food processors, electric knives, milk frothers, grinders.

• Air purifiers, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, desktop / camping / patio fans.

• Curling combs, hair straighteners, hair dryers, and other hair styling devices.

❌ Not Within the Control Scope, No Need to Execute the New Policy

• NiMH / NiCd battery products, disposable dry battery appliances, pure AC equipment.

• Heavy-duty commercial equipment, power tools, garden tools.

• Digital products such as mobile phones, tablets, speakers, and players.

• Clocks, remote controls, body scales, and small, simple home appliances.

Mandatory Compliance Standard List by Category (Dual Dimensions of Complete Machine + Battery)

1. Dedicated UL Safety Standards for Complete Machine Equipment

• Floor steam cleaners: UL 499

• Vacuum cleaners, floor washers (excluding steam models): ul 1017

• Kitchen food processing equipment (blenders / juicers / meat grinders, etc.): UL 982

• Air purifiers, various types of fans: UL 507

• Humidifiers: UL 998

• Air conditioners, heat pumps, dehumidifiers: UL 60335-1 + UL 60335-2-40

• Hair dryers, hair styling devices: ul 859

• Lithium battery chargers (home appliance matching) pick one out of four: UL 1012 / ul 1310 / UL 60335-2-29 / ul 62368-1

2. Mandatory Dual Standards for Built-in Lithium Batteries

• Battery body (pick one out of three): ul 1642 / ul 2054 / UL 62133-2

• Transportation mandatory items: UN38.3 Full set of eight tests + BTS (Battery Test Summary) document.

Amazon's Strict Compliance Submission Requirements

• Qualification Document Threshold: All test reports must be issued by an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory, with a validity period limited to 12 months. Expired reports will not be recognized.

• Brand New Audit Mechanism (DV Direct Verification): Sellers cannot upload reports in the backend themselves. They must dock with an Amazon-authorized third-party TIC agency, and the agency will directly submit the verification documents to the platform.

• Required Submission Materials:

1. Complete information on product model, brand, and part number.

2. Commercial insurance COI credential.

3. Complete test report of the UL standard corresponding to the whole machine.

4. Lithium battery UL safety test report.

5. UN38.3 full set test report + BTS test summary.

• Control Red Line: No compliance data, expired reports, mismatched standards, or missing testing items will result in a unified delisting on August 30, and no new ASINs can be created for listing.

UN38.3 Eight Mandatory Test Items (Must-Do for Cross-Border Lithium Batteries)

All built-in lithium battery home appliances, regardless of whether they are battery cells or finished battery packs, must complete the full set of tests from T.1 to T.8, without exception:

• T.1 Altitude Simulation: Simulate an aviation low-pressure environment, static at ≤11.6kPa low pressure for 6h, to verify the risk of battery sealing leakage.

• T.2 Thermal Test: -40°C~75°C high and low temperature for 10 cycles, simulating the temperature difference between day and night in cross-border transportation.

• T.3 Vibration: 7Hz-200Hz three-axis sine vibration, replicating land transportation bumps.

• T.4 Shock: Multi-axial pulse shock, simulating loading and unloading bumps.

• T.5 External Short Circuit: External short circuit under 55°C high temperature, monitoring temperature rise without fire or explosion.

• T.6 Impact / Crush: Crushing the battery cell with a heavy round bar to verify impact resistance safety.

• T.7 Overcharge: Prolonged overcharge at overvoltage, troubleshooting hidden dangers of thermal runaway.

• T.8 Forced Discharge: Deep discharge, verifying the structural stability of the battery cell.

Unified Judgment Standard: No leakage, no rupture, no fire, no explosion throughout the entire process, and voltage attenuation ≤10% to be considered qualified.