ISPM 15 · 7 CFR 319.40 · DAFF

ISPM 15 stamp decoder

Spot a bad pallet stamp before customs sends the container back.

Enter the country code, producer number and treatment code from the stamp to see what each part means, whether the mark meets ISPM 15 Annex 2, and the US and Australian entry rules.

Last updated 2026-09-28. Math runs in your browser, no data leaves your computer.

Look at the stamp on the pallet block or crate side and copy it exactly, including the hyphen. Paste the whole line if that is easier, and the tool splits it into parts you can correct.

Type the characters to the right of the wheat symbol, since the symbol itself is checked with the tick boxes below.

Two letters from ISO 3166-1, for the country where the packaging was treated or made.

The national plant protection organization assigns this code, so its length and format vary by country.

Copy the letters exactly, because only four codes are listed in the current Annex 2.

What you can see on the packaging

These are the physical tests an inspector runs by eye, and the bark tolerance comes from ISPM 15 Annex 1.

Processed wood and thin wood are exempt from the standard, which changes whether a stamp is needed at all.

Each country writes ISPM 15 into its own import rules, so the consequences of a bad mark differ.

Before the booking, screen the name on the invoice. Shipment pre-check is on the paid plans, from USD 59 a month.

General guidance only. Verify against the cited primary sources before you commit to a shipment, declaration, or contract.

How the stamp is checked

The rules for the mark come from Annex 2 of ISPM 15, the version adopted in 2018 and published by the IPPC in 2019. The mark must be rectangular or square inside a border, with a vertical line between the symbol and the codes, legible without a visual aid, durable, and never hand drawn. The standard asks for no other information inside the border and for red or orange to be avoided, because those colours are used on dangerous goods labels.

The country code is checked against the ISO two letter codes carried in the UN M49 table. That table leaves out a few ISO codes, so a code it lacks is flagged for checking rather than rejected. The producer code format is set by each national plant protection organization, so the tool only checks that one is present.

Treatment codes are read against Annex 1: HT at 56 °C (133 °F) for 30 continuous minutes, DH at 60 °C (140 °F) for 1 continuous minute, and MB or SF fumigation on wood no thicker than 20 cm (7.9 in) at its smallest cross section. Whatever the treatment, the wood must be debarked, with loose pieces allowed only under the bark tolerance.

For the United States the tool applies 7 CFR 319.40-3(b) and the CBP wood packaging guidance. For Australia it applies the DAFF timber and bamboo packaging pages, which point to the import conditions in BICON for the detail.

Worked example. A stamp with one letter too many

The booking. A buyer in Los Angeles books 20 pallets of drummed resin from a plant near Ningbo. The pallet photos show a wheat symbol and the characters CN-3302 HT KD in a box, and every part the buyer expected is there, which looks fine on paper.

The failure. KD is not one of the four treatment codes in ISPM 15 Annex 2, and the standard allows no other information inside the border. A mark that is not in a valid format is a risk under 7 CFR 319.40-3(b), where an inspector may order the wood packaging reexported, and CBP's checklist asks whether every stamp is in a valid ISPM 15 format. The choice is to get compliant pallets before loading or to risk the packaging being sent back at the buyer's cost.

The fix. The buyer asks the plant to repack on pallets stamped CN-3302 HT with nothing else inside the border, and to put any kiln or batch detail outside the box, which Annex 2 permits. Run through the tool again, the mark passes every format check and the only reminder left is to keep the wood free of bark.

Checking the drums on those pallets as well? The UN packaging code decoder reads the UN mark on each drum or IBC in the same way.

Frequently asked

What does the ISPM 15 stamp mean?

It certifies that the wood packaging was made of debarked wood and put through an approved treatment. ISPM 15 Annex 2 requires four parts: the IPPC symbol on the left, the two letter ISO country code, a hyphen and the producer or treatment provider code assigned by that country's plant protection organization, and the treatment code HT, DH, MB or SF.

What do HT, MB, DH and SF mean on a pallet?

HT is heat treatment in a conventional steam or dry kiln chamber to at least 56 °C (133 °F) for 30 continuous minutes through the whole profile of the wood. DH is dielectric heating by microwave or radio frequency to at least 60 °C (140 °F) for 1 continuous minute. MB is methyl bromide fumigation and SF is sulphuryl fluoride fumigation, and neither fumigant may be used on wood thicker than 20 cm (about 7.9 in) at its smallest cross section.

What wood is exempt from ISPM 15?

ISPM 15 section 2.1 exempts wood packaging made entirely of thin wood 6 mm or less, packaging made wholly of processed wood such as plywood, particle board, oriented strand board or veneer, wine and spirit barrels heated during manufacture, some gift boxes, sawdust, wood shavings and wood wool, and wood permanently attached to vehicles and containers. The US rule in 7 CFR 319.40-1 similarly leaves out manufactured wood, loose wood packing and pieces under 6 mm in any dimension.

What happens if a pallet has no ISPM 15 stamp in the US?

Under 7 CFR 319.40-3(b)(3) an inspector may order immediate reexport of wood packaging that arrives without the mark. The CBP FAQ says unmarked packaging is treated as untreated, that the US rule allows export but not fumigation as the remedy, that separation from the goods is at CBP's discretion, and that the importer carries the cost. Penalties may also be assessed.

Does Australia accept ISPM 15 stamps?

Yes, Australia accepts them. The Department of Agriculture page on ISPM 15 says Australia accepts ISPM 15 compliant solid timber packaging and also accepts alternative treatments set out in BICON. Solid timber packaging must be declared on the packing declaration, meet the bark tolerance and be treated, or it faces treatment on arrival, export or destruction at the importer's expense.

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Related tools

Sourzi shows what official files say. It is not customs or legal advice. For a binding answer, ask a licensed customs broker, a CBP ruling or an Australian Border Force Tariff Advice.

File dates and links are on Data sources.