EN 13698: production specifications for 800 × 1200 and 1000 × 1200 wooden pallets
EN 13698 is the European production specification for reusable flat wooden pallets. EN 13698-1:2003 covers the 800 × 1200 mm four-way, nine-block pallet (the euro pallet footprint); EN 13698-2:2009 covers the 1000 × 1200 mm nine-block pallet with skid or perimeter base.
EN 13698 is the European standard that fixes, board by board, how the two main European wooden pallets are built. It is published by CEN (the European Committee for Standardization) and adopted by national bodies as, for example, DIN EN 13698 and BS EN 13698. It has two parts:
| Part | Title (short) | Current edition | Pallet |
|---|---|---|---|
| EN 13698-1 | Construction specification for 800 mm × 1200 mm flat wooden pallets | 2003 | Reusable, double-deck, non-reversible, four-way, nine-block pallet |
| EN 13698-2 | Construction specification for 1000 mm × 1200 mm flat wooden pallets | 2009 (replaced 2003) | Reusable, double-deck, non-reversible, four-way, nine-block pallet, skid and perimeter base |
Both are intended for pallets used in transport, storage, handling and exchange, and both include requirements for manufacture and marking and address safety.
What does EN 13698-1 specify?
EN 13698-1 is the production spec for the 800 × 1200 mm pallet, the footprint of the euro pallet. A production specification fixes the construction completely: component dimensions and positions, lumber and block requirements, fasteners and nailing pattern, manufacturing tolerances, and marking. That is what makes pallets from different producers interchangeable.
For reference, the widely published construction of this pallet, as described on EPAL's data sheet for the EPAL 1, is:
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Footprint | 800 × 1200 mm, ±3 mm |
| Height | 144 mm (+7 / −0 mm) |
| Weight | About 25 kg |
| Components | 11 boards, 9 blocks, 78 nails |
| Top deck | 5 deckboards on 3 stringerboards |
| Bottom deck | 3 boards, chamfered on both sides |
| Entry | Four-way |
The detailed dimensions, tolerances and nailing pattern are in the standard (and in EPAL's Technical Regulations for EPAL pallets).
What does EN 13698-2 specify?
EN 13698-2 does the same for the 1000 × 1200 mm pallet. It covers two base styles:
- Skid base: bottom boards run in one direction under the blocks, like runners.
- Perimeter base: bottom boards form a frame around all four sides. See perimeter-base pallet.
The 1000 × 1200 mm footprint is used widely in European industry and in chemicals, beverages and bulk goods. It is the same plan size as the 1200 × 1000 pallet and the CP1 chemical pallet, which is built differently.
How EN 13698 relates to other standards
| Standard or system | Relationship |
|---|---|
| ISO 6780 | Lists 1200 × 800 and 1200 × 1000 among the six ISO sizes; EN 13698 gives the full construction |
| EN ISO 8611 | Tests load performance; EN 13698 does not rate loads |
| EPAL Technical Regulations | EPAL's own production rules for licensed EPAL pallets, closely aligned with these footprints |
| UIC 435-2 | The railway leaflet the original EUR pallet was defined in |
| ISPM 15 | Separate requirement for heat treatment and marking for export |
| ISO 18613 | Repair of flat wooden pallets |
EN 13698 vs an EPAL pallet
A buyer who needs pallets to enter the open EPAL exchange pool must buy EPAL-licensed pallets. EN 13698 compliance alone does not give the EPAL mark or pool acceptance. EN 13698 is the right citation when:
- you run a closed loop and want a euro-footprint pallet without paying for EPAL branding,
- you need a documented construction standard for 1000 × 1200 mm pallets from several suppliers,
- your customer accepts "EN 13698-1 or equivalent" pallets.
How to reference it on a spec sheet
- "Pallet: 800 × 1200 mm, construction per EN 13698-1:2003, ISPM 15 HT marked."
- "Pallet: 1000 × 1200 mm perimeter base, construction per EN 13698-2:2009."
- "Load rating per EN ISO 8611 for [support condition]," if you need a rating.
Say which side the stringerboards run along. EPAL's own data sheet lists the euro pallet as 800 mm length by 1200 mm width, while many buyers write 1200 × 800. To start from this construction, open the EPAL 1 template in the designer.
Frequently asked questions
Is an EN 13698-1 pallet the same as an EPAL pallet?
They share the footprint and construction principle, but EPAL pallets are built to EPAL's own Technical Regulations by licensed producers, carry EPAL marks and are quality-inspected by EPAL's contracted inspectors. A pallet built to EN 13698-1 without an EPAL licence is not an EPAL pallet and may not be exchangeable in the EPAL pool.
What does EN 13698-2 cover?
The 1000 × 1200 mm reusable, double-deck, non-reversible, four-way, nine-block wooden pallet, in skid (runner) and perimeter-base versions.
Does EN 13698 set load capacity?
It is a production (construction) specification. Load performance is tested separately, usually to EN ISO 8611.
Sources and references
- EN 13698-1:2003, Pallet production specification: Part 1: Construction specification for 800 mm × 1200 mm flat wooden pallets (CEN)
- EN 13698-2:2009, Pallet production specification: Part 2: Construction specification for 1000 mm × 1200 mm flat wooden pallets (CEN)
- EPAL Euro pallet data sheet (European Pallet Association e.V.)
Related
- StandardsEPAL: the European pallet system, marks, licensing and exchangeEPAL (European Pallet Association e.V.) runs the open exchange pool for EPAL Euro pallets. Only licensed producers and repairers may make or repair them, and independent inspectors check quality. The EPAL 1 is 800 × 1200 × 144 mm, about 25 kg, with a 1,500 kg safe working load.
- TypesEuro pallet (EUR / EPAL 1): dimensions, weight and constructionThe Euro pallet (EUR or EPAL 1) is a licensed European block pallet measuring 1200 × 800 × 144 mm (47.2 × 31.5 × 5.7 in). It weighs about 25 kg (55 lb), has 11 boards, 9 blocks and 78 nails, and carries a safe working load of 1,500 kg (3,307 lb). Only EPAL licensees may build and mark it.
- Sizes1200 × 800 pallet (Euro pallet): dimensions, weight and specsA 1200 × 800 mm pallet (47.2 × 31.5 in) is the Euro pallet, standardized as EPAL 1 / EUR 1 and one of the six ISO 6780 sizes. The EPAL 1 is 144 mm tall, weighs about 25 kg, and has a safe working load of 1,500 kg. It is the standard pallet for European retail and food logistics.
- Sizes1200 × 1000 pallet: dimensions, weight and specsA 1200 × 1000 mm pallet (47.2 × 39.4 in) is the UK standard pallet and the industrial pallet in Europe and Asia. It is one of the six ISO 6780 sizes. EPAL makes it as the EPAL 2 (162 mm, about 35 kg) and EPAL 3 (144 mm, about 30 kg); CHEP's UK wooden pallet is 162 mm tall and 28 kg.
- SizesEuropean pallet sizes: Euro, industrial, half, quarter and CP palletsThe standard European pallet is the 1200 × 800 mm Euro pallet (EPAL 1), 144 mm tall. The 1200 × 1000 mm industrial pallet (EPAL 2 and EPAL 3) is the second standard. Retail uses the 800 × 600 half and 600 × 400 quarter pallets, and the chemical industry uses the CP1 to CP9 pallets.
- TypesBlock pallet: construction, dimensions and usesA block pallet is a wooden pallet whose deck sits on blocks, usually nine arranged 3 × 3, joined by stringerboards. The gaps between blocks give full 4-way entry for both forklifts and pallet jacks. EUR/EPAL, CP and the pooled 48 × 40 in pallets of CHEP and PECO are all block pallets.
- StandardsISO 6780: the six international pallet sizesISO 6780:2003 sets principal dimensions and tolerances of flat pallets for intercontinental handling. It recognizes six sizes: 1200 × 800, 1200 × 1000, 1219 × 1016 (48 × 40 in), 1165 × 1165, 1067 × 1067 and 1100 × 1100 mm, and covers openings, chamfers, wings, flatness and distortion.
- TypesEuro pallet (EUR / EPAL 1): dimensions, weight and constructionThe Euro pallet (EUR or EPAL 1) is a licensed European block pallet measuring 1200 × 800 × 144 mm (47.2 × 31.5 × 5.7 in). It weighs about 25 kg (55 lb), has 11 boards, 9 blocks and 78 nails, and carries a safe working load of 1,500 kg (3,307 lb). Only EPAL licensees may build and mark it.
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Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 687 words.