ISPM 15 wood packaging rules, IPPC stamp and import checks

ISPM 15 wood packaging rules and the IPPC stamp

ISPM 15 is the international standard, set by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC, under FAO), for wood packaging such as pallets, crates and dunnage. The wood must be debarked, treated by an approved method and stamped with the IPPC mark. The United States, the EU, the UK, Canada, China, Australia and South Korea enforce it at import, and packaging without a valid mark can be refused and sent back at the importer's cost.

The full title is "Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade". It cuts the risk of quarantine pests traveling in raw wood. Packaging that meets it carries a recognized mark and doesn't need a phytosanitary certificate. In French and Spanish the same standard is called NIMP 15.

What the ISPM 15 standard covers

The standard covers "crates, boxes, packing cases, dunnage, pallets, cable drums and spools/reels" (ISPM 15, section 2). Its current text was adopted in 2018 and published in 2019. The IPPC's list of adopted standards, updated 25 March 2026, lists no revision under way.

Section 2 exempts these low-risk materials:

• packaging made entirely of wood 6 mm thick or less
• packaging made wholly of processed wood made with glue, heat or pressure: plywood, particle board, OSB, veneer
• wine and spirit barrels heated during manufacture
• gift boxes for wine, cigars and similar, made from processed pest-free wood
• sawdust, wood shavings and wood wool
• wood parts permanently attached to freight vehicles and containers

ISPM 15 requirements: debarking and approved treatments

Annex 1 requires debarked wood whatever treatment is used. Bark may be removed before or after HT. For MB and SF, it must be removed before fumigation. Small bark pieces may stay if each is under 3 cm wide (any length), or wider than 3 cm with a surface area under 50 cm² (ISPM 15, Annex 1). Canada's CFIA directive D-98-08 repeats the same tolerance.

Four treatments are approved in Annex 1. These are summary conditions, not full operating schedules. Treatment providers must follow the full annex, including concentration and monitoring requirements.

The fumigants have limits. Neither MB nor SF may be used on packaging with a piece over 20 cm across at its smallest dimension. SF can't be used on wood above 75% moisture content, measured on a dry basis. MB schedules get stricter as it gets colder: 800 g·h/m³ and a final 28 g/m³ at 16 to 20.9 °C, and 900 g·h/m³ and a final 32 g/m³ at 10 to 15.9 °C. Methyl bromide also depletes the ozone layer, and IPPC recommendation R-03 asks countries to replace or reduce its use.

The ISPM 15 stamp: reading the IPPC mark

The IPPC stamp (also called the IPPC seal or heat treated stamp) has four elements, set out in Annex 2:

1. The IPPC symbol, on the left.
2. The ISO two-letter country code, followed by a hyphen (US, DE, KR).
3. A unique producer or treatment provider code, assigned by the national plant protection organisation (NPPO).
4. The treatment code: HT, DH, MB or SF, on a separate line or after a hyphen.

For example, "US-1234 HT" beside the IPPC symbol identifies US producer or treatment provider 1234 and heat treatment. The code may identify either role, not necessarily the pallet maker.

The mark sits inside a rectangular or square border, with a vertical line between the symbol and the codes. Nothing else goes inside the border. It must be legible, durable, not transferable and visible when the packaging is in use, "preferably on at least two opposite sides". Two rules catch people out: "the mark must not be hand drawn", and red or orange should be avoided because those colors are kept for dangerous goods labels.

Older stamps sometimes show "DB" for debarked. The current mark has no DB code, but a footnote in the standard says importing countries should accept packaging marked under earlier versions (2006 text).

What makes an ISPM 15 pallet compliant

Treatment and marking "must always be under the authority of the NPPO" (ISPM 15). The NPPO authorizes, registers and audits producers and treatment providers. Heat treatment alone doesn't authorize a shop to stamp pallets.

ISPM 15 distinguishes reuse, repair and remanufacture. An unaltered marked pallet needs no re-treatment. A repaired pallet (up to about one third of its parts replaced) needs treated or processed replacement wood. Each treated-wood addition gets its own mark. A remanufactured pallet (more than about one third replaced) needs its old marks permanently obliterated, then re-treatment and a new mark.

At the border, importing NPPOs should accept the mark unless extra requirements have technical justification (ISPM 15). Non-compliant material may be detained, treated, destroyed or reshipped. Live pests still count. A valid mark doesn't protect a pallet that has them.

How the US enforces ISPM 15

The US rule is 7 CFR 319.40-3(b). Regulated wood packaging must be treated under 7 CFR part 305 and carry a visible, legible, permanent IPPC mark with the country code, producer number and treatment code. An inspector "may order the immediate reexport" of packaging without the mark. Dunnage counts. Manufactured wood, loose packing material and pieces "less than 6 mm thick in any dimension" do not (7 CFR 319.40-1).

The final rule was published on 16 September 2004 and took effect on 16 September 2005, with full enforcement from 5 July 2006 (CBP FAQ). CBP's wood packaging page lists HT, MB and dielectric heating as approved. The regulation text still says "HT or MB", so check with APHIS before you rely on SF-treated packaging for a US import.

If the packaging fails, it is usually re-exported at the importer's cost. CBP does not accept fumigation on arrival as a fix (CBP help article). Under an Emergency Action Notification, APHIS may also allow safeguarding or supervised destruction, depending on what went wrong. Since 1 November 2017, every documented violation can draw a penalty under 19 USC 1595a(b) or 1592. The earlier policy allowed five documented violations before penalties (CBP bulletin).

Canada and the US exempt packaging made from wood originating in the continental United States or Canada (APHIS). That exemption doesn't cover an overseas pallet that just passes through Canada, and Hawaii and the US territories are excluded (CFIA).

Which countries enforce ISPM 15

The IPPC implementation register holds reports from about 61 countries. It is self-reported, so a country missing from it may still require ISPM 15. The main trading partners:

Inside the EU, ISPM 15 generally isn't required between member states (Commission page). The exception is packaging from areas under pinewood nematode measures (Decision 2012/535/EU). For the UK, Northern Ireland to Great Britain is exempt, but Great Britain to Northern Ireland must comply (gov.uk).

Does Korea enforce ISPM 15?

Yes. Korea has required ISPM 15 on wood packaging from all countries since 1 June 2005, counted by shipping date (APQA). Under the current Notice 2024-57, inspectors check the mark, the bark and pests. A missing mark or failure to meet the debarking requirement leads to disposal or return. A prohibited pest means disposal or return even with a valid mark, and other regulated pests lead to a treatment order. Other treatments count only if APQA recognizes them as equivalent.

You can ask RegAffairs AI the same questions and open the cited ISPM 15 text and national rules behind each answer.