How to Read a Car Battery Label: JIS, DIN, Ah and CCA
Short answer
A car battery label tells you four things: case size, capacity in amp-hours (Ah), starting power in cold cranking amps (CCA) and terminal position. Japanese and Korean cars mostly use JIS codes such as 55D23L. European cars use DIN sizes such as L3, also called H6. American cars use BCI group sizes. Match all four to the old battery.
What do the markings on a battery label mean?
Every label answers the same four questions: how big the case is, how much energy it stores, how hard it can crank and where the terminals sit. The standards differ in how they write this down. A JIS code packs size and terminal position into one string, while a DIN battery is usually described by its case name and its Ah figure.
| Marking | What it tells you | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ah | Capacity: how much energy the battery stores | 70 Ah |
| CCA | Cold cranking amps: starting power | A figure in amps (A) |
| JIS code | Performance rank, case class, length and terminal position | 55D23L |
| DIN/EN case | Case size by length | L3, also called H6 |
| Technology | Flooded, EFB or AGM | AGM |
How do you read a JIS code like 55D23L?
A JIS code has four parts, read from left to right, and each part describes one thing about the battery. It is the standard used on most Japanese and Korean cars. Other common examples are 80D26L and 95D31R, and shorter trade names such as NS40, NS60 and NS70 are also used for JIS batteries.
- 55 is the performance rank. It is not the Ah figure.
- D is the class for the width and height of the case.
- 23 is the length of the case, about 23 cm.
- L is the terminal position. The other option is R.
The last letter is the part to be careful with. Sources disagree on exactly which terminal the L or R refers to and from which side you are meant to look, so do not rely on a rule you read online. Put the new battery next to the old one with the terminals facing the same way and confirm that positive and negative sit on the same sides.
How do DIN sizes work?
DIN, or EN, batteries are sorted by case length, running from L0 to L6. The same cases also go by H names, with L1 to L6 matching H4 to H9. H6 and L3 are one case, 278 mm long. H7 and L4 are one case, 315 mm long. "DIN 70" is trade shorthand for a 70 Ah battery in a DIN case, not an official size.
What is the difference between Ah and CCA?
Ah is capacity and CCA is starting power. Ah tells you how much energy the battery stores for lights, screens and the air conditioning fan when the engine is off. CCA, cold cranking amps, tells you how much current it can deliver to turn the engine. CCA also sets the load test: half the CCA rating is applied for 15 seconds and the battery should hold 9.6 V or more.
Which standard does your car use?
The origin of the car usually decides it. Japanese and Korean cars mostly use JIS sizes, European cars use DIN sizes and American cars use BCI group sizes. There are exceptions by model and year, so the battery in the car is a better guide than the badge. If the old label is gone, the make, model and year are enough to look the fitment up.
What else on the label matters in the UAE?
Check the technology and the name. A label marked AGM or EFB means the car needs that type again, and Varta is clear that a car built with AGM takes AGM only. The brand on the label is not always the maker. Duracell and Energizer on car batteries are licensed names, Varta belongs to Clarios, and ACDelco is the General Motors parts brand, produced in the Middle East with MEBCo since 1998.