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Self-check · EU 2023/1542
Does the battery passport apply to you?
Five short questions. An honest, conservative read in under two minutes - whether the digital battery passport requirement (from February 2027) applies to your batteries. Free, no login.
Who needs a battery passport from 18 February 2027
The check above asks about your case. If you would rather read or quote the rule directly, here it is in short - as of 10 September 2026, based on Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 and the European Commission guidance as revised on 15 August 2026 (version 2.0).
| Battery type | Passport required from | Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Traction batteries in electric cars (EV) | 18 February 2027 | no threshold, every unit |
| Light means of transport (e-bike, e-scooter, LMT) | 18 February 2027 | no threshold, every unit |
| Industrial batteries and stationary storage (BESS) | 18 February 2027 | above 2 kWh capacity |
| Portable batteries and SLI starter batteries | no battery passport | other obligations still apply |
| Supply chain due diligence (Annex X) | 18 August 2027 | from EUR 40 million annual turnover |
- The passport obligation has no turnover and no headcount threshold: it applies to a one-person importer exactly as it applies to a group.
- It binds whoever places the battery on the EU market - manufacturer, importer or distributor under their own name. Where the company is based does not matter.
- Every individual battery needs its own passport with its own identifier, not the model. One model produces as many passports as units are built.
- The passport is reached through a QR code on the battery and has to stay online across the battery lifetime, at least ten years after the last unit was placed on the market.
- The content covers 71 official EU data points across three access levels: public, legitimate interest for recyclers and testing bodies, and market surveillance authorities.
- Without a compliant passport the battery may not be placed on the market from the deadline. In practice that is a sales ban across the EU.
Legal basis: Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 Article 77 and Annex XIII, together with the European Commission guidance document (version 2.0 of 15 August 2026) listing 71 numbered data points. Not legal advice - the regulation text is binding.
Frequently asked questions on the battery passport obligation
Who is affected by the digital battery passport?
Manufacturers, importers and distributors placing EV batteries, LMT batteries (e-bike, e-scooter) and industrial batteries above 2 kWh on the EU market from 18 February 2027 - regardless of company size.
From when does the battery passport obligation apply?
From 18 February 2027. From that date, every affected battery may only be placed on the EU market with a digital battery passport and QR code under Regulation (EU) 2023/1542.
Are SLI and portable batteries affected?
SLI and portable batteries are not covered by the digital battery passport in the first stage. Other duties of the regulation - conformity, labelling, take-back and collection - still apply to them.
What happens without a battery passport?
Without a compliant passport, the battery may not be placed on the market from the deadline - effectively a sales ban across the EU. Fines and market-surveillance measures can follow.
What data must the battery passport contain?
71 official EU data points under Annex XIII - including cell chemistry, capacity, carbon footprint, recycled content and dismantling information, structured into three access levels for the public, legitimate interest and authorities.
Do the Annex X due-diligence duties apply to every company?
No. The supply-chain due-diligence duties apply from 18 August 2027 and only to companies above €40 m annual turnover (membership of a larger group counts). The battery passport obligation itself has no turnover threshold.
Does an electric car battery need a battery passport?
Yes. Traction batteries in electric cars are the core category of the regulation: from 18 February 2027 every individual vehicle battery needs its own digital battery passport with a QR code, regardless of volume or company size. The same applies to replacement and second-life batteries once they are placed on the market again. The classic 12 V starter battery (SLI) is not covered by the passport obligation.
What does battery passport ready mean?
The term is not protected and appears in no regulation. It usually means a product or software is prepared for the deadline. It only becomes verifiable through concrete questions: is there a unique identifier and a resolvable GS1 Digital Link QR code per unit? Are all 71 EU data points held in structured form? Are the three access levels separated? Does the passport stay reachable across the battery lifetime? Anyone who cannot answer these is not battery passport ready.
Go deeper in the knowledge hub: Battery passport obligation from 2027 · EU Battery Regulation 2023/1542 · Choosing battery passport software