USPS Regulations on Lithium Flashlight Batteries

The United States Postal Service announced last week that they are changing the rules on how you can mail lithium batteries internationally.

Flashlights like the Streamlight Strion, LED Lenser P5R, Inova X5 UV, Princeton Tec Apex Pro headlamp, and many more are all affected by this new regulation.

The Postal Service now prohibits the shipment of both primary lithium batteries and lithium-ion rechargeable batteries internationally, including to APO, FPO, and DPO locations.  This includes both batteries packaged separately and batteries packaged with the items they operate.  Lithium batteries have been classified as “dangerous goods” by the United Nations, and they have been banned from international airspace.

What does this mean for you?  It means that CR123 primary 3V lithium batteries, 18650 rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, and any flashlights containing lithium or lithium-ion batteries cannot be mailed internationally using USPS.  The lithium batteries can still be shipped internationally using private carriers like UPS or FedEx.  However, the one exception to this rule is for APO, FPO, and DPO locations, which cannot receive shipments from private carriers, meaning lithium batteries can no longer be shipped to those locations at all.

If you have any questions about the new international shipping restrictions and how it affects your flashlights, send an email to flashlightuniversity@gmail.com or info@brightguy.com.