# Mr. Mike Revis — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 15-0009  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2015-08-19

15-0009 concerning 173.185.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
of Transportation
Washington. DC 20590
Pipeline and Hazardous
Administration
Materials Safety
AUG 1 9 2015
Mr. Mike Revis
742 Industry Drive
Building 16
Tukwila, WA 98188
Ref. No. 15-0009
Dear Mr. Revis:
This responds to your January 15, 2015 email requesting clarification of the Hazardous
Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Specifically, you ask for clarification
on the size limits under the exception in § 173.185(c)(1)(i) for lithium ion batteries.
You state the lithium ion battery in question has a rating of 81.4 Watt-hour (Wh). The two
cells that make up the battery each have a rating of 40.7 Wh. You have asked if this battery
qualifies for the exceptions in § 173.185 (c)(1)(i).
The answer is yes. Section 173.185(c)(1)(i) states that the Wh rating may not exceed 20 Wh
for a lithium cell or 100 Wh for a lithium ion battery. The United Nations (UN) Manual of
Tests and Criteria defines a battery as "one or more cells which are electrically connected
together by permanent means." The 100 Wh size limit applies to your battery irrespective of
whether the component cells exceed the 20 Wh rating for a cell. Therefore, the exceptions
in § 173.185(c)(1)(i) apply to your lithium ion battery configuration since the battery does
not exceed 100 Wh.
I hope this answers your inquiry. If you need additional assistance, please contact this
Office at 202-366-8553.
Sincerely,
Acting Chief, Standards Development Branch
Standards and Rulemaking Division

<<<PAGE 2>>>

Boothe
•
$173.185()())
Lithium Battere,
Dodd, Alice (PHMSA)
15-0009
From:
Ciccarone, Michael CTR (PHMSA)
Sent:
Thursday, January 15, 2015 9:44 AM
To:
Hazmat Interps
Subject:
FW: Lithium ion batteries 173.185(c)(1)(i)
Mr. Revis' address is:
742 Industry Drive
Building 16
Tukwila, WA 98188
From: Ciccarone, Michael CTR (PHMSA)
Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2015 9:42 AM
To: Hazmat Interps
Subject: FW: Lithium ion batteries 173.185(c)(1)(i)
Shante/Alice,
Please submit this for a formal letter of interpretation. Mr. Revis spoke with Jordan in the HMIC.
Thanks,
Mike
From: Mike Revis [mailto:mike@hazmatexpress.com]
To: PHMSA HM InfoCenter
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2015 6:49 PM
Subject: Lithium ion batteries 173.185(c)(1)(i)
Good day,
I am writing to explore the possibility of getting an official letter of interpretation regarding the size limit for
lithium ion batteries in 173.185 (c)(1)(i).
I received a telephone response from PHMSA when I originally made this request.
Another person states that he made the same request and received a different response from PHMSA.
The request has to do with the size limitation of a cell in a multiple cell lithium ion battery.
270:1
Specifically.
304h
The lithium ion battery in question has a rating of 81.4 Wh.
The two cells that make up the battery each have a Wh rating of 40.7.
Does this battery qualify for the exceptions in 49CFR 173.185(c)(1)(i)?
Thank you for your consideration.
Mike Revis
206.575.0458
1

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2015/150009.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `900c3459b092c09c87309e5c1191132cac38027c8c333198bb6725a9f4480b00`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-23T14:04:15.969Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-15-0009`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "materialSubtype": "interpretation",
  "interpretationArea": "hazardous_materials",
  "representation": "full_text_from_official_pdf",
  "companies": [],
  "individuals": [
    "Mr. Mike Revis"
  ],
  "refIds": [
    "15-0009"
  ],
  "catalogDates": [
    "2015-08-19"
  ],
  "catalogParts": [
    173
  ],
  "catalogRowCount": 1,
  "sourceRecordUrls": [
    "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/node/62711"
  ],
  "linkedAttachmentUrls": [],
  "unavailableResponseUrls": [],
  "duplicateRepresentationUrls": [],
  "citedSections": [
    "173.185",
    "173.185(c)(1)(i)",
    "40.7"
  ],
  "catalogPageUrls": [
    "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/173185"
  ],
  "pdfUrls": [
    "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2015/150009.pdf"
  ],
  "representations": [
    {
      "viewUrl": "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2015/150009.pdf",
      "detailUrl": null,
      "detailHtmlPath": null,
      "pdfUrl": "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2015/150009.pdf",
      "pdfArtifactPath": "data/sources/phmsa-interpretations/15-0009-abfa894015.pdf",
      "pdfArtifactSha256": "27d9ef4f243377103f278975a397bb66919ae94d62e1ed40d1f921d1391c0b9c",
      "extractedTextPath": "data/sources/phmsa-interpretations/15-0009-abfa894015.v2.txt",
      "extractedTextSha256": "ec52dc2be3b91313f7814236298c920307ee5ddd942b1a36b80ae9b766e55bfd",
      "pageCount": 2,
      "extractionVersion": 2
    }
  ],
  "caveat": "Interpretations apply regulations to the facts presented and do not create independently enforceable requirements.",
  "jurisdiction": "US"
}
```