IPPC mark
Also called: ISPM 15 stamp, HT stamp, wheat stamp, pallet stamp
The IPPC mark is the stamp that shows wood packaging was treated under ISPM 15. It contains the IPPC symbol, a two-letter ISO country code, a producer or treatment provider code assigned by the national plant protection organization, and a treatment code (HT, DH, MB or SF), inside a border.
In depth: Pallet stamps and markings: HT, MB, DB, KD and what they mean
Inspectors at the border read the mark, not paperwork. A correct mark is what makes a treated pallet usable for export.
Elements of the mark (ISPM 15 Annex 2, 2018)
| Element | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| IPPC symbol | Wheat-ear logo | Always on the left |
| Country code | US | ISO two-letter code, then a hyphen |
| Producer or treatment provider code | 0000 | Assigned by the national plant protection organization |
| Treatment code | HT | HT, DH, MB or SF; on a separate line or after a hyphen |
Rules for applying it:
- Rectangular or square, inside a border, with a vertical line separating the symbol from the codes.
- Legible without a visual aid, durable, not transferable, not hand drawn.
- Visible in use, preferably on at least two opposite sides.
- Red and orange should be avoided (they are used for dangerous goods labels).
- No other information inside the border. Logos of the certifying agency or producer go outside it.
DB and older marks
Earlier versions of the mark could include DB (debarked). The 2018 Annex 2 lists only the four required elements, since debarking is required for all treated wood anyway. ISPM 15 says countries should accept marks made to earlier versions.
On a spec sheet or RFQ
State the treatment code and where the marks go (two opposite sides, or all four if the customer asks). Some buyers specify both long sides.
Common confusions
The US heat-treatment agency's logo often appears next to the mark; it is not part of the IPPC mark itself. KD next to the mark is not an ISPM 15 code; see KD-HT.
Related
- GuidesPallet stamps and markings: HT, MB, DB, KD and what they meanMost wood pallet stamps are the ISPM 15 mark: IPPC wheat symbol, country code, facility number and treatment code. HT means heat-treated, DH dielectric heating, MB methyl bromide, SF sulfuryl fluoride. DB (debarked) and KD (kiln-dried) are older or separate marks. For reuse, pick HT and avoid MB.
- GlossaryWhat is ISPM 15?ISPM 15 is the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) standard for wood packaging material in international trade. It requires pallets, crates and dunnage made of solid wood to be debarked, treated by an approved method such as heat treatment (56 °C core for 30 minutes), and marked with the IPPC mark.
- GlossaryWhat is heat treatment (HT) for pallets?Heat treatment (HT) is the ISPM 15 method of heating wood packaging until the whole profile of the wood, including its core, reaches at least 56 °C for 30 continuous minutes. Treated pallets carry the IPPC mark with the code HT.
- GlossaryKD-HTKD-HT indicates wood that is both kiln dried (KD), dried to a target moisture content, and heat treated (HT) to ISPM 15. Only HT is an ISPM 15 treatment code; KD describes moisture and does not by itself make a pallet export compliant.
- StandardsISPM 15: the wood packaging standard for international shippingISPM 15 is the IPPC standard requiring solid-wood packaging, including pallets and dunnage, to be debarked, treated (HT, DH, MB or SF) and marked before crossing a border. Plywood, OSB, presswood, wood 6 mm thick or less, and plastic, metal and paper pallets are exempt.
More in Standards and compliance
- GlossaryCP palletCP pallets (chemical pallets) are a family of nine standardized wood block pallets, CP1 to CP9, developed for the European chemical and plastics industries. Each type has a defined size and construction for loads such as bagged polymer, drums and bulk containers.
- GlossaryDebarked lumberDebarked lumber is wood from which the bark has been removed. ISPM 15 requires all treated wood packaging to be made of debarked wood, allowing only small pieces of bark: under 3 cm wide of any length, or wider pieces with a surface area under 50 cm² each.
- GlossaryDielectric heating (DH)Dielectric heating (DH) is an ISPM 15 treatment that heats wood packaging with microwaves or radio waves until the entire profile of the wood, including its surface, reaches at least 60 °C for 1 continuous minute. Treated wood is marked with the code DH.
- GlossaryEPALEPAL (European Pallet Association e.V.) is the organization that licenses manufacturers and repairers of EPAL Euro pallets and other EPAL load carriers and controls their quality. The EPAL 1 Euro pallet is a 1200 × 800 × 144 mm block pallet used in open pallet exchange across Europe.
- GlossaryFSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act)FSMA is the US Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011. Under its Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food rule (21 CFR Part 1, Subpart O), pallets are transportation equipment and must be designed and maintained so they are suitable and adequately cleanable, and do not make food unsafe.
- GlossaryGMAGMA stands for the Grocery Manufacturers Association (now the Consumer Brands Association), whose name became attached to the standard 48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm) US grocery pallet: a partial four-way wood stringer pallet with three notched stringers, seven top and five bottom deckboards.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 288 words.