WASHINGTON, DC (January 2, 2008) - New rules from the Department of Transportation governing the quantity and strength of lithium batteries that can be carried on or checked on U.S. registered airliners took effect at the beginning of the new year, and there has been some confusion in the photographic community about what impact the rules might have on traveling with photography equipment.
While DOT sets the regulations, enforcement falls on the shoulders of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at individual screening sites at each airport. Also, individual airlines may have their own rules which are more strict than DOT's guides. DOT recommends printing out the regulations and carrying them with you in the event that you may need to refer to the rules at an airport screening site.
The first clarification is that the rules govern the spare lithium batteries carried on or in luggage, not the number of batteries installed in devices or the number of devices. If the battery is installed in a device, it is not considered a "spare" battery.
The second clarification is that the rules govern "loose" lithium batteries in checked luggage, not installed batteries. While the DOT is not completely supportive of having lithium batteries installed in devices that are inside checked luggage, it says it will only absolutely prevent "loose" batteries in checked items. Spare lithium batteries may be transported in carry-on baggage if they are packed according to DOT specifications.
The third clarification is that the quantity limits do apply to the combined strength of both the carry-on and checked lithium batteries. The limit is expressed in grams of "equivalent lithium content." The DOT says in their rules that 8 grams of equivalent lithium content is approximately 100 watt-hours, and that 25 grams is approximately 300 watt-hours.
Under the new rules, photographers can bring batteries with up to 8-gram equivalent lithium content. DOT says that all lithium ion batteries in cell phones are below 8 gram equivalent lithium content, and that nearly all laptop computers also are below this quantity threshold.
Photographers can also bring up to two spare batteries with an aggregate equivalent lithium content of up to 25 grams, in addition to any batteries that fall below the 8-gram threshold. And for a lithium metal battery, whether installed in a device or carried as a spare, the limit on lithium content is 2 grams of lithium metal per battery.
DOT offers these spare battery tips and how-to Web pages for travelers.
