The International Air Transport Association (“IATA”) has published a summary of significant changes to the upcoming 67^th edition of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) that will become effective January 1, 2026. The full document for the Significant Changes and Amendments in the 67^th edition (2026) of the DGR can be found using the following link: https://www.iata.org/en/programs/cargo/dgr/download/

• The general philosophy section now emphasized supply chain safety and clarifies the roles of all   stakeholders involved in handling and transporting dangerous goods.
• The List of States has been updated to include variations from Thailand and includes changes to variations for France and the United Kingdom as well as other States.
• Several operators have been added and others removed from the list of Operator Variations.
• Updates to multiple operator variations have been included, notably UPS has prohibited UN3551, Sodium Ion Batteries, from shipping to, from, or within Europe

• Operator Variations have been updated across the board to provide a consistent format or language standardization.
• UN3166 has been amended in the dangerous goods list to include the word “hybrid” as part of the descriptive text.

• UN3166, Vehicle, flammable gas powered, hybrid
• UN3166, Vehicle, flammable liquid powered, hybrid

• Special provisions A1 and A199 have been amended to remove information that is no longer relevant or contradictory, and special provision A226 has been removed because it is no longer in effect.

• Where a shipper’s declaration is not required, clarification has been provided on the information required on the Air Waybill.
• The reference for minor discrepancies found under Note 4 of 9.1.3 has been amended to remove inaccurate examples
• Appendix A includes the definition of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and cross references information found in Appendix B regarding Globally harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS)
• Appendix B.2 now includes marginal symbols to help users quickly locate details about lithium batteries and infectious substances.

• The IATA Cargo Special Handing Codes (Cargo-IMP Codes) have been updated to include Vehicles.
  • RVB: Vehicle, Battery Powered (UN 3556, UN 3557 and UN 3558)
  • RVF: Vehicle, Flammable, gas or liquid powered (including fuel cells)
  • RVH: Vehicle, Hybrid (hybrid vehicles under UN 3166)
  • VRO: Vehicle Other (UN 3171)

• As a reminder, the following battery changes that were previously introduced will come into effect on January 1, 2026
  • Lithium-ion batteries packed with equipment and vehicles powered by lithium or sodium ion batteries must be offered for transport at a reduced state of charge, not to exceed 30% of their rated capacity. Approval by the State of Origin and the State of the Operator are required to ship at a higher state of charge (SOC).

• Appendix H-Impending Changes, which provides information on changes that will come into effect in 2027 as part of the 67^th edition of the IATA DGR, was also included and some of the proposed changes include:
  • Certain Sodium Ion Batteries will be included in the exception granted to Data Loggers.
  • Four states will be amended on the variation list to reflect their ISO country code.
  • New information on the prohibition of certain aerosols which also meet the classification criteria for particular classes, divisions, or packing group.
  • New entries to the list of dangerous goods include:
    • UN 3561, Chlorophenols, corrosive, toxic, solid, n.o.s.;
    • UN 3562, Chlorophenols, corrosive, solid, n.o.s.;
    • UN 3563, Lithium metal batteries installed in cargo transport unit;
    • UN 3564, Sodium ion batteries installed in cargo transport unit
  • Changes and additions to the special provisions include:
    • A26 and A103 updated to include heating machines;
    • A107, A185, A214 and A235 updated to include additional references to batteries;
    • A236 added regarding magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines.
  • Minor edits to packing instructions 200, 459, 497, 590, 854, 950, 951, and 952.

• In addition to the significant changes document published by IATA, IATA has also published the 1^st addendum, which also becomes effective January 1, 2026. The most notable amendments are:
  • Removing PI 978 from the Note related to the data logger exception found in 1.2.7.1
  • Special provision A226 has been removed from UN0030, UN0255, and UN0456.
  • Removing UN3551, sodium ion cells or batteries, from 7.1.5.5.2 regarding the requirement of the battery mark as the battery mark is not applicable to UN3551.