The short answer
A battery passport is an electronic record that goes with the battery; scan the QR code on the battery to open it. From 18 February 2027, LMT batteries, electric vehicle batteries and industrial batteries above 2 kWh need one to be placed on the EU market. The economic operator that places the battery on the market is responsible for what is in it.
What the regulation says
Which batteries 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’).”
The passport opens through the QR code
“The battery passport shall be accessible through the QR code referred to in Article 13(6) which links to a unique identifier that the economic operator placing the battery on the market shall attribute to it.”
Who is responsible for the content
“The economic operator placing the battery on the market shall ensure that the information in the battery passport is accurate, complete and up to date. It may give written authorisation to any other operator to act on its behalf.”
Quotes are from the English text of the regulations; the text published in the Official Journal prevails.
What it covers, and until when
“Economic operator” is the umbrella term: manufacturers, authorised representatives, importers, distributors and others with duties for a battery. The table is about the passport itself.
| Question | What the regulation says |
|---|---|
| What is in it? | Information on the battery model plus information on that one battery, including data from its use. The items are listed in Annex XIII (Art. 77(2)). The data points, one by one |
| Who can see it? | Three groups: anyone, notified bodies and other authorities, and companies with a legitimate interest. How the three kinds of information are split |
| After refurbishing or remanufacturing? | The battery needs a new passport linked to the original one, and responsibility moves to the economic operator that places it on the market or puts it into service again (Art. 77(7)). |
| When does a passport cease to exist? | After the battery has been recycled (Art. 77(8)). |
Common mistakes
Is a battery passport a document issued by the EU?
No. It is an electronic record created by the economic operator that places the battery on the EU market, which must keep the information accurate, complete and up to date (Art. 77(4)).
Is the battery passport just a QR code on the battery?
No. The QR code is the way in; it links to the battery's unique identifier (Art. 77(3)). The passport itself is the electronic record that holds the data.
If a service provider builds the passport, does the responsibility move too?
No. The regulation lets the economic operator authorise another operator in writing to act on its behalf, but the final responsibility for the content stays with the economic operator that places the battery on the EU market. Ask a professional how to word the authorisation.
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.
