Free Printable UN3481 Label PDF | USA Guide – If you searched for a free printable UN3481 label PDF, you usually need one thing: a clear lithium battery mark you can print at the legal size before a carrier or post office rejects the box.
This page explains what UN3481 actually is, which mark or Class 9 label you need in the United States, how to print it correctly on Letter paper, and where to get legitimate free files or official diagrams. It is a reference resource, not a substitute for current DOT, IATA, or carrier rules.
What UN3481 Means on a Package?
UN3481 is the UN identification number for lithium-ion batteries contained in equipment or packed with equipment. Think of a laptop with the battery installed, a power tool in its case with the pack attached, or a phone shipped inside its original device.
That is different from UN3480, which is for lithium-ion batteries shipped by themselves. Using the wrong number is one of the fastest ways to get a package refused.
In U.S. commerce, these shipments fall under the DOT Hazardous Materials Regulations, mainly 49 CFR. Air shipments also follow ICAO/IATA packing instructions (often PI 966 for packed-with and PI 967 for contained-in).
UN3481 Mark vs. Class 9 Label
People use “UN3481 label” for two different things. Print the one your shipment actually requires.
1. Lithium battery mark (the red-hatch rectangle)
This is the handling mark most small-equipment shippers need. It is a square or rectangle with a red hatched border, a black battery-and-flame symbol, and the number UN3481. Minimum size is 100 mm × 100 mm (about 3.9 in). A reduced 100 mm × 70 mm mark is allowed only when the package is too small for the full mark.
A telephone number is no longer required inside the mark. Older marks that still show a phone number may be used through December 31, 2026.
2. Class 9 lithium battery hazard label (the diamond)
This is the square-on-point Class 9 label with black stripes on the top half, the battery/flame symbol, and the number 9. Minimum size is 100 mm on each side. It is required for many fully regulated (Section I) shipments, not for every small Section II package.
You may also need the proper shipping name on the package, such as:
- UN3481, Lithium ion batteries contained in equipment
- UN3481, Lithium ion batteries packed with equipment
If both packed-with and contained-in batteries are in the same package, the packed-with shipping name is generally used.
Free Printable UN3481 Label PDF Preview
Use these original letter-style layouts as a visual guide. Print at 100% scale, then measure the mark. Do not shrink to fit.
Standalone UN3481 lithium battery mark (best for a single cut-out)
Class 9 lithium battery hazard label (for fully regulated packages)
4-up cut sheet (mark, Class 9 diamond, shipping-name sticker, and small-package size)
Package check mockup (how the finished carton should look)
These graphics are educational printables. A home inkjet print on plain copy paper may be fine for practice or low-risk ground parcels, but commercial air and high-volume carriers often expect durable, weather-resistant labels that stay readable after handling.
Free Printable UN3481 Label PDF | USA Guide
Where to Get a Legitimate Free Printable?
There is no single “official DOT sticker file” that every shipper must download. The government publishes the specification. A few public files reproduce the mark so you can print it.
1. Free Letter and A4 UN3481 mark PDFs
A CC0 reproduction of the IATA-style lithium battery mark is available as Letter and A4 PDFs on the Internet Archive, including lithium-battery-mark-un3481-letter.pdf. Open the item and download the PDF that matches U.S. Letter paper: Internet Archive UN3481 lithium battery mark PDFs.
2. Official DOT shipper guide (free PDF)
PHMSA’s Lithium Battery Guide for Shippers (revised October 2024) walks through UN3481 packaging, marking, and labeling by scenario. It is the best U.S. starting point before you print anything: PHMSA Lithium Battery Guide for Shippers.
3. The actual U.S. rule text
Size, color, hatching width, UN number placement, overpack rules, and the small-package exceptions are in 49 CFR § 173.185. Class 9 lithium battery label design is in 49 CFR § 172.447.
4. If you are mailing through USPS
Domestic mailability, quantity limits, and when a DOT lithium battery mark with UN3481 must appear on the address side are in USPS Publication 52. Start with USPS Packaging Instruction 9D. International and APO/FPO rules are stricter.
5. If the box will go by air
The FAA maintains current lithium battery shipping resources and points to the 2026 IATA guidance: FAA lithium battery resources.
Skip random “printable word search” blogs that promise a UN3481 PDF. Many are scraped pages with no actual file, outdated phone-number artwork, or the wrong UN number.
Paid roll labels from specialty hazmat printers are not free. Use them when you need weatherproof stock, thermal-transfer durability, or a preprinted UN3481 mark in volume.
How to Print the Label Correctly?
- Choose the right file: UN3481 mark, Class 9 diamond, or both.
- Set the printer to Actual Size / 100%. Turn off “fit to page.”
- Use white paper or blank label stock with strong contrast. Red hatching must stay red.
- After printing, measure the mark. It must be at least 100 mm × 100 mm, with hatching at least 5 mm wide, unless the reduced 100 × 70 mm mark is allowed.
- Cut on the guides. Do not fold the mark around a corner.
- Stick it on one side of the outer package so it stays fully visible. If you use an overpack, the mark must remain visible or be repeated on the outside, and the overpack must say OVERPACK.
For air shipments of certain UN3481 batteries above 2.7 Wh, IATA rules effective in 2026 also address a 30% state-of-charge limit. Labeling alone does not make an overcharged battery acceptable.
Quick Check Before You Tape the Box
- Is this UN3481 (in or with equipment) and not UN3480 (battery alone)?
- Does this package need only the lithium battery mark, or the Class 9 label too?
- Is the printed mark large enough after printing?
- Is the mark on a flat face, not covered by tape or a strap?
- For USPS, is the mark on the address side when required?
- For air, did you check Section I vs. Section II, cargo-aircraft-only limits, and the air waybill statement?
- Are damaged, defective, or recalled batteries excluded? Those follow different, stricter rules.
Small exceptions exist. A mark is generally not required when the package contains only button cells installed in equipment, or when a consignment has two packages or fewer and each package has no more than four cells or two batteries contained in equipment. Confirm the current text in 49 CFR § 173.185 before relying on an exception.
FAQ
Is a free printable UN3481 label PDF legal to use?
A correctly sized, durable reproduction of the required mark can be used. The law specifies design and size, not a brand-name sticker. Carriers can still reject faded, undersized, or smeared prints.
Do I need UN3481 for a laptop or phone?
Usually yes if you are shipping the device with its lithium-ion battery installed or packed with it, unless an exception applies.
Can I print this on a regular home printer?
Yes for a reference copy. For paid carrier freight, use label stock that will not smear in rain or tear in a sort facility.
What paper size should I use in the USA?
U.S. Letter (8.5 × 11 in). Measure the mark after printing; paper size does not replace the 100 mm minimum.
Where should I put the mark on a USPS package?
When Publication 52 requires the DOT lithium battery mark, apply it on the address side and show UN3481 for batteries contained in or packed with equipment.