The short answer
From 18 February 2027, three kinds of battery need a battery passport to be sold in the EU: light means of transport (LMT) batteries such as e-bike batteries, electric vehicle batteries, and industrial batteries above 2 kWh, home storage included. Every other battery needs no passport, but must carry a QR code from the same day.
What the regulation says
These three kinds of battery need a passport
“From 18 February 2027 each LMT battery, each industrial battery with a capacity greater than 2 kWh and each electric vehicle battery placed on the market or put into service shall have an electronic record (‘battery passport’).”
Every battery carries a QR code
“From 18 February 2027, all batteries shall be marked with a QR code as described in Part C of Annex VI.”
Home storage counts as industrial
“Batteries used for energy storage in private or domestic environments, should be considered to be industrial batteries for the purposes of this Regulation.”
Quotes are from the English text of the regulations; the text published in the Official Journal prevails.
Who it applies to, by battery type
First work out which kind your battery is, then check the passport rule. The battery type pages go further: LMT batteries, industrial batteries and home storage, electric vehicle batteries and batteries that need no passport.
| Battery type | Passport needed? | How to tell |
|---|---|---|
| LMT battery (e-bike, e-scooter and similar) | Yes | Any capacity; weighs 25 kg or less and powers the traction of this kind of vehicle |
| Electric vehicle battery | Yes | Any capacity |
| Industrial battery (home storage included) above 2 kWh | Yes | Generally whether the declared rated energy exceeds 2 kWh, counted on the finished battery that works on its own and safely; packs that only work together count by their combined capacity, case by case (Commission FAQ 3.1–3.3) |
| Industrial battery of 2 kWh or less | No passport, QR code needed | Exactly 2 kWh needs no passport either |
| Portable battery | No passport, QR code needed | The ordinary battery of 5 kg or less |
| Starting, lighting and ignition (SLI) battery | No passport, QR code needed | Used to start, light or ignite a vehicle |
How the three thresholds are counted is in 2 kWh, 5 kg and 25 kg. If you are not sure where your product falls, talk to us; what we say is for reference and not legal advice.
Common mistakes
Do only electric vehicle batteries need a battery passport?
No. LMT batteries such as e-bike batteries need one at any capacity, and so do industrial batteries above 2 kWh.
If no passport is needed, is there nothing to do?
There is. From 18 February 2027 every battery carries a QR code. For a battery without a passport it leads to the label, the declaration of conformity and similar information (Art. 13(6)).
Is a home storage battery not an industrial battery?
It is. The regulation says batteries used for energy storage in private or domestic environments are treated as industrial batteries. Above 2 kWh, they need a battery passport.
Update dates and checks
- First published
- Last updated
- Checked against
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 (Battery Regulation), consolidated text; Commission battery passport FAQ (completed September 2026, 1st edition, not law)
- Checked
- Checked 2026-11-07 · by PassBridge
This guide is for reference and is not legal advice. When the rules change we update it and say so here.
