CCC marking for power banks in China: what travelers need to know
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
If you are flying to China with a power bank, the usual limit of up to 100 Wh is not enough. On a domestic flight within China from June 28, 2025, the device must have a clear CCC mark and must not belong to a recalled model or batch. The rule is checked at pre-flight security: an absent or illegible mark means the power bank cannot enter the cabin.
CCC is not an international aviation certificate. It is mandatory Chinese product certification. It matters to travelers chiefly because a domestic Chinese flight is subject to a separate rule from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, CAAC. On an international segment, check the rules of the operating carrier as well. If your itinerary includes, for example, Beijing - Shanghai or Guangzhou - Chengdu, the CAAC rule applies to that segment.
What CCC is and who issues it
CCC stands for China Compulsory Certification, or China Compulsory Certificate. In Chinese sources and on device cases, the same mark is often called 3C. It is a unified mandatory certification system for products in the relevant government catalogue.
The State Administration for Market Regulation, SAMR, regulates the system, while rules for specific product groups and the designation of certification bodies fall under the Certification and Accreditation Administration, CNCA. A designated certification body issues the certificate for a specific model. For a trip, what matters is a clearly applied mark on the device itself, rather than a similar symbol in a store listing. CE, FCC, RoHS, and UN 38.3 transport testing may matter in other situations, but they do not replace CCC for a domestic flight in China.
In 2023, the Chinese regulator added power banks and other mobile power sources with lithium-ion cells to mandatory certification. Applications for CCC for this group began on August 1, 2023. From August 1, 2024, a product without a valid certificate and marking cannot be manufactured, sold, or commercially imported in China. The official category covers power banks, portable energy-storage devices, and mobile power sources weighing up to 18 kg. CCC rules and announcements regarding power banks describe the system in more detail.
Why this requirement appeared
The reason is neither USB-C power nor the fact that power banks have become too large. Lithium-ion cells contain a flammable electrolyte. A defect, damage, overheating, or prolonged overcharging can lead to thermal runaway, swelling, smoke, or fire. As the market for inexpensive external batteries grew, China moved risk control to the level of the mass-produced product and its traceability.
The aviation issue also became more acute. In 2025, CAAC cited frequent cases of smoke and fire from power banks on board, device recalls caused by cell-related risks, and the suspension or recall of some CCC certificates. Therefore, from June 28, 2025, domestic flights prohibit power banks without CCC, with an illegible mark, or from a recalled model or batch. This does not replace ordinary aviation rules. It adds a Chinese safety filter to them. official CAAC notice names these reasons directly.
Entering China, a domestic flight, and an international flight are three different situations
The most common mistake is to think that CCC is required for every power bank that crosses the Chinese border. That is not the case. Mandatory-certification rules exempt personal items that an entering traveler carries for personal use from CCC formalities. A power bank without CCC is therefore not prohibited solely because of personal import.
However, this exemption no longer helps when you transfer to a domestic flight. CCC is required specifically to carry a power bank into the cabin on a domestic Chinese segment. An international arrival in China or departure from it does not prove that the same blanket ban applies: the carrier or airport may have its own rules. The practical conclusion is simple: if your route includes a domestic Chinese flight, buy and carry only a power bank with clearly visible Wh and CCC marks on its case.
From March 1, 2026, newly certified power-bank models add a traceability QR code next to the CCC mark. It links the product to its certificate, manufacturer, and document status. This is a market-marking change, not a separate new passenger limit: products already released with the earlier compliant mark do not need an immediate new QR code. CNCA announcement on traceable CCC describes the transition deadlines.
Which aviation limits still apply
CCC does not override energy rules. The basic CAAC limits for power banks are:
Carry the device only in carry-on baggage or on your person. A power bank is prohibited in checked baggage.
Up to and including 100 Wh: no prior airline approval.
Over 100 Wh and up to and including 160 Wh: airline approval required, with no more than two devices per passenger.
Over 160 Wh: prohibited.
If Wh is absent and cannot be reliably calculated from the marking, the device is prohibited.
You cannot use a power bank to charge devices in flight. If it has a switch, it must remain off.
The formula is simple: Wh = V x Ah. For borderline models, however, do not calculate capacity from rounded mAh figures yourself. Use the Wh value printed by the manufacturer on the case. CAAC rules and the calculation method are published here.
Tested CCC-marked power banks
Both recommendations below refer to tested devices with a legible CCC mark on the case.
AOHI The Future Starship 240W 27600mAh 2C1A
This powerful, high-capacity power bank supports USB Power Delivery 3.1 (140W), AVS EPR (15-28V5A), UFCS 63W, and the full PPS range to 21V5A. It can charge laptops and the vast majority of smartphones at maximum speed, including top Samsung and Google smartphone versions.
Its 99.36 Wh capacity is convenient for a demanding traveler with a laptop: the device is designed for high combined output of up to 240W, has two USB-C ports and one USB-A port, and supports simultaneous charging and discharging.
For a domestic flight in China, this model meets the energy limit without separate approval. Do not confuse 240W with the aviation limit: the carrier considers Wh, not maximum output power.
Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.de | Official website
SHARGE SHARGEEK 170 24k mAh 170W 2C1A
This power bank has 86.4 Wh of capacity, 170W total output, two USB-C ports and USB-A, and support for PD3.1 140W and the full PPS range to 21V5A. Its distinctive features include IP66 dust and water protection and the ability to deliver its full 100% capacity during continuous 140W discharge. This is rare and indicates high reliability and component quality.
The power bank can charge PD3.1 laptops, such as a MacBook Pro 16 at maximum power, as well as the vast majority of smartphones at maximum speed, including top Samsung and Google smartphone versions.
This is the best power bank tested on the site from both a technical and design perspective.
Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon.de | Official website
Short checklist before your trip
Make sure that CCC and the nominal energy in Wh are clearly visible on the case.
For domestic flights in China, do not take a device without CCC, with a worn mark, or with an unknown Wh value.
Keep the power bank in carry-on baggage, not in checked baggage.
Limit capacity to 100 Wh to avoid extra bureaucracy.
The main rule for travel in China is this: 99 Wh is still not a boarding pass. A domestic flight requires an additional CCC mark. The AOHI Future Starship and SHARGE SHARGEEK 170 models have outstanding characteristics for their class and meet these requirements as well.
