Flying to, from, or within China with a Power Bank? Read This Before You Pack
Updated for 2026 — CAAC's CCC rule, ICAO's two-power-bank limit, and what changes when you fly a mainland Chinese carrier.
Power Bank Rules for China Flights — Updated for 2026
Power bank rules involving China are often explained too broadly. Some guides say that every traveler leaving a Chinese airport needs a CCC-certified power bank. Others suggest that any power bank made outside China will be confiscated on arrival.
Neither explanation is quite right.
The rules have three separate layers:
- ICAO standards covering capacity, quantity, carry-on storage, and onboard charging
- CAAC's CCC requirement for domestic flights within mainland China
- Individual airline policies, which can be stricter than the general international standard
The most important distinction is not simply whether you are entering or leaving China. It is whether your itinerary includes a mainland Chinese domestic flight — and which airline is operating each segment.
Why the Rules Changed
China's power bank rules developed in stages.
Power banks were added to China's compulsory product-certification system in 2023. Certification bodies began accepting applications on August 1, 2023, and from August 1, 2024, uncertified power banks could no longer be manufactured for sale, sold, imported, or used commercially in mainland China. This was a product-market rule rather than an aviation rule.
A separate aviation restriction followed after an increase in onboard fire and smoke incidents and several large product recalls. From June 28, 2025, the Civil Aviation Administration of China, or CAAC, prohibited passengers from carrying power banks with no CCC mark, an unclear CCC mark, or a recalled model or production batch on domestic flights within mainland China.
The international rules tightened again in 2026. ICAO amended its Technical Instructions effective March 27, 2026, limiting passengers to two power banks, requiring them to remain in carry-on baggage, prohibiting the power banks themselves from being recharged onboard, and stating that they should not be used to recharge portable electronic devices during flight.
The Distinction Most Guides Get Wrong
Here is how that distinction works in practice:
| Flight situation | CCC required by CAAC's domestic-flight rule? | What else applies? |
|---|---|---|
| International flight from another country into mainland China | No | Origin-airport and operating-airline battery rules |
| Flight between two airports in mainland China | Yes | CAAC rules plus the airline's own policy |
| International flight from mainland China to another country | Not expressly required by the nationwide domestic-flight notice | Departure-airport and operating-airline rules should still be checked |
| International flight on a mainland Chinese airline departing outside China | No, unless the itinerary includes a mainland domestic segment | The Chinese airline's onboard-use and storage policy |
| International itinerary with a domestic connection inside mainland China | Yes, for the domestic segment | CCC must be accepted at the domestic security checkpoint |
CAAC's English and Chinese notices consistently describe the restriction as applying to "domestic flights" or 境内航班. Major mainland airports, including Shanghai and Shenzhen, have published the same domestic-flight wording.
This means it is not accurate to say that every uncertified power bank will automatically be rejected simply because a flight departs from mainland China.
It is also not sensible to treat an uncertified power bank as guaranteed to pass every international checkpoint. Airports and airlines can introduce stricter operational policies, and procedures can change. The accurate statement is that CCC is not imposed on all international departures by the published nationwide CAAC domestic-flight notice.
For itineraries involving Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan, check the operating carrier's regional-flight rules rather than assuming that the mainland domestic-flight policy applies.
What CCC Certification Actually Means
CCC stands for China Compulsory Certification and is also commonly called 3C certification.
For a mainland domestic flight, the power bank must have a clear and genuine CCC mark. A CE, UL, KC, UKCA, PSE, or other national certification does not replace CCC because CAAC's rule specifically requires the Chinese certification mark.
A power bank being manufactured in China does not automatically make it CCC-certified. Products manufactured in China exclusively for export may not have been certified for sale in the mainland Chinese market.
A valid CCC mark may be:
- Printed or molded onto the product or its identification label
- Applied as an official standard-format certification label
A separately purchased or self-applied CCC sticker does not create a valid certification. The certification must belong to that exact manufacturer and product model. Chinese market-regulation authorities advise checking the certificate number, manufacturer, model, and current certificate status through the official national certification database.
What changed with QR codes in 2026?
From March 1, 2026, power banks receiving a new CCC certificate must carry a traceability QR code beside the CCC mark before they can be manufactured for sale, sold, imported, or used commercially.
Scanning the code can display information including:
- Certification number
- Manufacturer
- Product model
- Certificate status
- Certification body
Older certified products without a QR code can still be valid. From March 1, 2027, newly released products covered by existing certificates must generally use the QR-linked mark, but products that were already properly marked and placed on the market before the transition deadline do not need to be relabeled.
How Many Power Banks Can You Bring?
As of March 27, 2026, ICAO's international standard limits passengers to:
A maximum of two power banks per person in total.
This is a total quantity limit, not merely a limit for larger 100–160Wh units. Major mainland Chinese airlines have also updated their published rules to allow no more than two power banks per passenger.
An airline may still apply a stricter policy, particularly to unusual, damaged, commercial, or unusually large devices.
Capacity Limits
The standard capacity limits remain:
| Rated energy | General status |
|---|---|
| 100Wh or less | Normally allowed without prior airline approval |
| Over 100Wh and up to 160Wh | Requires advance approval from the operating airline |
| Over 160Wh | Prohibited on ordinary passenger flights |
Power banks with no readable energy rating may also be rejected if their capacity cannot be calculated from the information printed on the device. CAAC and mainland Chinese airlines require the rated energy or the necessary values to calculate it to be clearly identifiable.
Converting mAh to Wh
Use the following formula:
Wh = mAh × nominal battery voltage ÷ 1,000
For a typical lithium-ion power bank using a nominal cell voltage of 3.7V:
- 10,000mAh is approximately 37Wh
- 20,000mAh is approximately 74Wh
- 26,800mAh is approximately 99Wh
- 30,000mAh is approximately 111Wh
Use the battery's nominal voltage, usually shown on the product label. Do not automatically use the 5V, 9V, or 12V USB output specification, since that describes the charging output rather than the internal battery's nominal voltage. CAAC's official calculation method uses nominal voltage multiplied by capacity in ampere-hours.
Checked Baggage Is Not Allowed
A power bank is treated as a spare lithium battery.
It must be carried:
- In your cabin baggage
- In a personal item under the seat
- Or on your person, subject to the airline's instructions
It must never be placed inside checked baggage. This rule applies regardless of whether the flight is domestic or international and regardless of whether the power bank has CCC certification.
If cabin baggage is unexpectedly taken at the gate and placed in the hold, remove all power banks before handing over the bag.
Short-Circuit Protection Is Required
Each power bank must be individually protected against short circuits while not in use.
Accepted methods generally include:
- Keeping it in its original retail packaging
- Placing each unit in a separate plastic bag
- Using an individual protective pouch
- Covering exposed electrical terminals with insulating tape
- Using a connector or terminal cap where appropriate
Do not leave a power bank loose in a bag with coins, keys, tools, cables, or other metal objects that could contact its terminals.
Onboard Storage: Do Not Assume the Overhead Bin Is Allowed
ICAO's global technical rule focuses on carry-on transport and short-circuit protection, but airlines may impose stricter rules about where a power bank must be kept in the cabin.
Major mainland Chinese airlines including Air China and China Eastern prohibit power banks from being placed in overhead baggage compartments. Their published policies require them to remain in an accessible location, such as:
- Inside a bag stored under the seat in front
- In the seat-back pocket
- In another location specifically designated by the crew
This makes it easier for the passenger and cabin crew to detect and respond to heat, smoke, swelling, or fire.
When flying another airline, follow that carrier's instructions. Do not describe the overhead-bin prohibition as a universal rule applying identically to every airline worldwide.
Can You Use a Power Bank During the Flight?
ICAO's amended 2026 Technical Instructions state that a power bank:
- Must not be recharged onboard the aircraft
- Should not be used to recharge a portable electronic device onboard
Major mainland Chinese airlines generally go further and expressly prohibit both activities.
Their published rules prohibit:
- Charging a phone, tablet, laptop, or other device from the power bank
- Charging the power bank from a seat outlet, USB port, or other aircraft power source
- Activating other functions built into the power bank
- Leaving a power bank with an on/off switch switched on
These airline rules apply according to the operating carrier's policy, not according to the passenger's nationality. They may therefore apply on a Chinese-airline flight even when that flight departs from an airport outside China.
Use the aircraft's built-in USB port or power outlet only for devices permitted by the airline, and follow all crew instructions.
Recalled or Damaged Power Banks Are Prohibited
A CCC mark does not override a product recall.
On mainland domestic flights, CAAC prohibits recalled power bank models and production batches, including units whose CCC certificate has subsequently been suspended or revoked. Airlines also prohibit damaged or defective lithium batteries more generally.
Do not travel with a power bank that is:
- Swollen or deformed
- Cracked or punctured
- Leaking
- Unusually hot
- Giving off an odor
- Damaged by water or a serious impact
- Included in a manufacturer or government recall
Check the exact model and production batch rather than assuming that every product from a recalled brand is prohibited.
What Happens If a Power Bank Is Rejected?
For a mainland domestic flight, a power bank with no CCC mark, an unclear mark, or a recalled model may be refused at the security checkpoint.
CAAC has directed airports to provide appropriate areas and procedures for voluntary disposal or temporary storage. Actual options vary by airport and may include:
- Voluntary surrender
- Temporary airport storage
- Collection by another person
- Courier or mailing arrangements, where accepted
These services should not be assumed to be available at every airport or for every recalled or damaged battery. Shenzhen Airport, for example, has published its own temporary-storage and delivery procedures.
What to Actually Do Before You Fly
If your trip has no domestic flight within mainland China
For a straightforward international trip into and out of mainland China, CAAC's published domestic-flight rule does not itself make CCC certification mandatory for every international segment.
You must still:
- Carry no more than two power banks
- Keep them in cabin baggage
- Stay at or below 100Wh unless the airline has approved a larger unit
- Protect each unit against short circuits
- Follow the operating airline's storage and onboard-use policy
- Check the departure airport's current notice before traveling
Taking a genuine CCC-certified unit is still the lowest-risk option, particularly if plans may change or a mainland domestic flight could be added later. That is a practical precaution, not the same as saying that the nationwide CAAC notice legally requires CCC on every international departure.
If your itinerary includes a mainland domestic flight
Use a power bank that has:
- A clear, genuine CCC mark
- A readable capacity or rated-energy label
- A valid certification matching the exact model
- No recall affecting its model or production batch
- A capacity of 100Wh or less, unless prior airline approval has been obtained
Do not rely solely on CE, UL, KC, or another non-Chinese certification.
If you are flying a mainland Chinese airline internationally
The CCC requirement depends on the route and checkpoint, but the airline's onboard rules may apply across its international network.
For major mainland Chinese carriers, the safest assumption is:
- Maximum two power banks
- Carry-on only
- Individually protected
- Kept out of the overhead bin
- Switched off
- Not used to charge another device
- Not connected to the aircraft's charging system
Quick Summary
| Rule | Status in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Maximum number per passenger | 2 power banks in total |
| CCC required on mainland domestic flights | Yes |
| CCC required on every international flight into China | No under the CAAC domestic-flight rule |
| CCC required on every international departure from mainland China | Not stated in the published nationwide domestic-flight notice; verify airport and carrier |
| Maximum capacity without approval | 100Wh |
| Over 100Wh to 160Wh | Prior airline approval required |
| Over 160Wh | Prohibited |
| Checked baggage | Prohibited |
| Short-circuit protection | Required |
| Clear capacity information | Required or capacity must be calculable |
| Overhead-bin storage | Prohibited by major mainland Chinese carriers; carrier-specific elsewhere |
| Recharging the power bank onboard | Prohibited under ICAO's 2026 instructions |
| Using it to charge another device | Discouraged by ICAO and expressly prohibited by major mainland Chinese carriers |
| Recalled or damaged unit | Prohibited |
| 2026 traceability QR code | Required for newly certified products; older certified stock may remain valid without it |
Before You Go
Check every segment of the itinerary rather than looking only at the final destination.
A traveler flying directly to Beijing and back internationally may face different CCC requirements from a traveler continuing from Beijing to Xi'an on a mainland domestic flight. A traveler boarding Air China or China Eastern outside China may not face a CCC checkpoint check, but may still be prohibited from using or storing the power bank in the same way as on the airline's flights from China.
For the simplest travel experience, carry one or two undamaged power banks of 100Wh or less, make sure all markings are readable, keep each unit protected in your cabin baggage, and use a genuine CCC-certified model whenever a mainland domestic segment is involved.
Regulations and airline procedures can change. Check the operating carrier and each relevant departure airport shortly before travel rather than relying only on a general destination guide.