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What Is a Battery Passport? The EU Battery Regulation Explained

Written by Johannes Cornelis de Boer, founder of Software Lantern

An explainer on the regulation itself: for software-specific guidance, see Battery Passport software.

A battery passport is a digital record, required under the EU Battery Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, Article 77), that has to accompany a battery placed on the EU market, accessible via a QR code and carrying the lifecycle data regulators, market surveillance bodies, and recyclers need to verify compliance.

Digital Product Passport vs. Battery Passport

“Battery passport” and “digital product passport (DPP)” are related but not the same thing. DPP is the broader concept the EU is rolling out across many product categories under separate legislation (the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, ESPR); the battery passport is the specific, already-regulated implementation for batteries, with its own legal basis in the Battery Regulation. Some software platforms are built specifically for battery passports; others are general DPP tools configured to handle batteries as one product category among several.

Which batteries need a passport?

The requirement applies to EV batteries, LMT batteries (light means of transport: e-bikes, e-scooters, and similar), and industrial batteries above 2 kWh. Portable and starting-lighting-ignition (SLI) batteries are not currently in scope. The passport requirement applies from 18 February 2027.

What a battery passport has to cover

The detailed data requirements are set out in the regulation's annexes rather than in a single short list, but a battery passport is generally expected to cover things like:

• Manufacturer identity, battery model, and manufacturing details
• Material composition and the presence of hazardous substances
• Carbon footprint, declared per manufacturing batch
• Recycled content share for key materials (cobalt, lithium, lead, nickel)
• Supply chain due diligence documentation
• Performance and durability data, including State of Health, updated over the battery's life
• Safety and dismantling information for repairers and recyclers

Not all of this data is visible to everyone: the regulation tiers access between the general public, regulators, and recycling-service operators. Treat this list as a practical summary of what buyers should expect a passport to cover, not an exhaustive legal enumeration. Confirm the specific data fields required for your product against the regulation's own annexes or a qualified advisor.

This article is a general guide, not legal advice. Confirm your specific obligations against the regulation itself or with a qualified advisor.