The ISPM 15 mark is the stamp on treated wood packaging, such as pallets, crates and dunnage, showing it meets the international standard against pests. Inside a border it carries the IPPC symbol, the country code (IN for India), the producer or treatment provider's number and a treatment code such as HT or MB.
Last reviewed 14 Oct 2026 · Written by Alka Rajpurohit
Reading the mark part by part
Part
What it looks like
What it tells you
IPPC symbol
The wheat-ear logo, on the left
The packaging is marked under ISPM 15
Country code
IN, followed by a hyphen
Treated in India
Producer or provider code
A number assigned under the national plant protection organization
Who treated or made the packaging; traceable to an accredited facility
Treatment code
HT, DH, MB or SF
Heat treatment, dielectric heating, methyl bromide or sulphuryl fluoride
A vertical line separates the symbol from the codes, and nothing else may appear inside the border. ISPM 15 asks for the mark to be legible, durable, not hand drawn, and visible in use, preferably on at least two opposite sides; red and orange should be avoided. ISPM 15 itself does not give the mark an expiry date.
Worked example: checking pallets at loading
A container of sideboards is loaded on 18 pallets with timber bracing. The inspector checks every pallet and brace as it goes in:
16 pallets carry a complete stamp: symbol, IN, provider number and HT, on two sides.
2 pallets carry a stencil with no provider number. The mark is incomplete.
6 braces were cut at the factory from raw timber and carry no mark at all.
The 2 pallets and 6 braces are replaced with marked or plywood parts before the doors close, and the report records the change with photos. One unmarked piece can hold up a whole container at the border.
How Clear To Load uses it
Mark checks are part of container loading supervision: the inspector photographs each type of mark, checks dunnage and bracing, and lists unmarked wood for replacement before sealing. A mark can be read on site; whether the treatment was actually done, or a provider number is genuine, is a matter for the treatment provider's records and the plant protection authority. The rules behind the mark are on our ISPM 15 page.
No. Packaging made wholly of processed wood such as plywood, particle board or OSB is exempt. Raw-wood skids or battens fixed to it still need treatment and the mark.
Does the ISPM 15 mark go on the furniture?
No. It goes on the wood packaging. Wooden furniture is a product with its own import rules, such as timber legality laws.
Know before it ships
Tell us the product, the factory's city and your ready date. We confirm the inspector, the notice time and the price before you book.