UL 2335
Also called: UL 2335 pallet, fire-rated plastic pallet, FM 4996
UL 2335 is the UL standard for fire tests of storage pallets. Plastic pallets listed to UL 2335, or approved to FM 4996, can be treated as equivalent to wood pallets when fire codes set sprinkler protection, while unlisted plastic pallets can raise the required protection.
In depth: UL 2335: fire tests of storage pallets
Plastic burns hotter than wood. Fire codes therefore treat stored plastic pallets as a bigger hazard unless testing shows they perform like wood.
How it is used
| Pallet | Typical fire code treatment |
|---|---|
| Wood pallets | Baseline for sprinkler design |
| Plastic listed to UL 2335 or approved to FM 4996 | Treated as wood for determining sprinkler protection |
| Unlisted plastic | Commodity classification raised, often by one or two classes under NFPA 13, so more sprinkler protection is needed |
UL 2335 includes tests of idle pallet storage and of pallets carrying a commodity. FM 4996 is FM Approvals' equivalent test. The adopted fire code and the authority having jurisdiction decide how a listing is applied at a site.
Why it matters
Switching a warehouse from wood to plastic pallets can change what sprinkler system the building needs. Fire-retardant (FR) plastic pallets listed to UL 2335 are more expensive, but may avoid sprinkler upgrades. Idle pallet storage is a separate fire hazard for wood and plastic pallets alike.
On a spec sheet or RFQ
For plastic pallets, state "listed to UL 2335" or "FM 4996 approved" if needed, and ask for the listing documentation. Confirm with your fire protection engineer or insurer which listing they accept. See the pallet fire safety guide.
Common confusions
UL 2335 is about fire behavior, not load capacity or food contact.
Related
- StandardsUL 2335: fire tests of storage palletsUL 2335, Fire Tests of Storage Pallets, tests how pallets contribute to fire in idle, palletized and rack storage protected by NFPA 13 sprinklers. Plastic pallets listed to UL 2335 or FM 4996 are treated like wood when sizing sprinklers; unlisted plastic raises the commodity class.
- GuidesPallet fire safety: idle pallet storage, NFPA 13, fire codes and UL 2335Stacks of idle pallets burn fast and hot, so NFPA 13 and fire codes treat them as a special hazard. Store them outdoors or in a detached building where possible; indoors they need specific sprinkler protection. Unlisted plastic pallets count as a higher hazard than wood. Confirm with your AHJ.
- TypesPlastic pallets: types, materials, load ratings and how to buy themA plastic pallet is a molded or fabricated pallet made from HDPE or polypropylene. Types range from light nestable pallets (about 14–30 lb) to reinforced rackable pallets (about 35–70 lb). They are washable, ISPM 15 exempt and long-lived, cost several times more than wood, and carry three separate load ratings.
- GlossaryAutomated storageAutomated storage, often called AS/RS (automated storage and retrieval system), stores and retrieves pallets with stacker cranes, shuttles and conveyors instead of forklift drivers. It needs pallets with tight dimensional tolerances, low deflection (often 0.5 in, 13 mm, or less) and sound bottom decks.
- GlossaryWhat is pallet racking?Pallet racking is a steel storage structure of upright frames and horizontal beams that holds loaded pallets in levels above the floor. The pallet usually spans the gap between two beams, so its racking load rating, not its floor rating, governs.
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. 238 words.