IP67
Dust-tight plus temporary immersion to 1 m for 30 minutes. Common on phones and rugged gear.
IP ratings explained: the complete IP code chart
What every IP rating means, how the two digits are tested, and which code fits your application. Based on IEC 60529.
How to read an IP code
How to read an IP code
IP ratings are defined by IEC 60529. The code is written as IP followed by two characteristic positions, for example IP67. The first digit describes protection against solid objects and dust, from 0 (none) to 6 (dust-tight). The second digit describes protection against water, from 0 (none) to 9 (high-pressure, high-temperature jets). ISO 20653 uses the related 9K notation for road vehicles.
Two rules catch people out. First, an X (as in IPX4) is a placeholder meaning that test was not performed or declared, not that protection is zero. Second, the water levels are not a single cumulative ladder: jets (5 and 6) and immersion (7 and 8) are different tests, so a device rated for immersion has not necessarily passed a jet test.
First digit: protection against solids and dust
| Digit | Protects against |
|---|---|
| 0 | No protection |
| 1 | Solid objects larger than 50 mm (for example, the back of a hand) |
| 2 | Solid objects larger than 12.5 mm (a finger) |
| 3 | Solid objects larger than 2.5 mm (a tool) |
| 4 | Solid objects larger than 1 mm (a wire) |
| 5 | Dust-protected: limited ingress permitted, no harmful deposit |
| 6 | Dust-tight: no ingress of dust |
Second digit: protection against water
| Digit | Protects against | Test |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | No protection | |
| 1 | Vertically dripping water | Drip, upright |
| 2 | Dripping water when tilted up to 15 degrees | Drip at 15 degrees |
| 3 | Spraying water up to 60 degrees from vertical | Spray |
| 4 | Splashing water from any direction | Oscillating spray |
| 5 | Low-pressure water jets from any direction | 6.3 mm nozzle, 12.5 L/min |
| 6 | Powerful water jets from any direction | 12.5 mm nozzle, 100 L/min |
| 7 | Temporary immersion | 1 m depth, 30 minutes |
| 8 | Continuous immersion beyond 1 m | Manufacturer-defined |
| 9 | Close-range high-pressure, high-temperature water jets | IEC 60529 IPX9 |
| 9K | Close-range hot high-pressure jets for road vehicles | ISO 20653 IPX9K / IP69K |
Common IP ratings explained
IP68
Dust-tight plus continuous immersion beyond 1 m, depth set by the manufacturer. Most flagship phones.
IP65
Dust-tight plus low-pressure water jets. The practical minimum for outdoor enclosures and lighting.
IP66
Dust-tight plus powerful water jets. For heavy washdown, marine and industrial use.
IP69K
Dust-tight plus hot high-pressure jets (ISO 20653). Vehicles, food equipment and rugged phones.
IP54
Dust-protected plus splashing water. Water-resistant, for covered or lightly exposed locations.
IP55
Dust-protected plus low-pressure jets. General-purpose outdoor and industrial enclosures.
IPX4
Splash-resistant, dust not declared. The common rating for earbuds and fitness wearables.
IPX7
Temporary immersion to 1 m, dust not declared. Wearables and portable electronics.
IPX8
Continuous immersion beyond 1 m, dust not declared. Swim wearables and submersible sensors.
Water jets and immersion are different tests
Optional letters after the digits
Some codes add a letter after the two digits. Additional letters (A to D) describe protection against touching hazardous parts when it differs from the first digit. Supplementary letters describe the equipment or how it was tested.
| Letter | Meaning |
|---|---|
| A / B / C / D | Protection against access to hazardous parts (back of hand, finger, tool, wire) when it differs from the first digit. |
| H | High-voltage apparatus. |
| M | Tested for water while the moving parts of the equipment were in motion. |
| S | Tested for water while the moving parts of the equipment were stationary. |
| W | Suitable for use under specified weather conditions. |
| K | High-pressure, high-temperature jets, defined by ISO 20653 (for example IP69K). |
Other IP codes at a glance
| Code | Meaning | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| IP20 | Protected against fingers (2), no water protection (0) | Indoor panels, switches, terminal blocks |
| IP22 | Fingers (2) plus dripping water at a tilt (2) | Indoor equipment with light drip risk |
| IP40 | Objects over 1 mm (4), no water protection (0) | Indoor enclosures and fittings |
| IP44 | Objects over 1 mm (4) plus splashing (4) | Indoor and covered outdoor lighting and sockets |
| IP52 | Dust-protected (5) plus dripping at a tilt (2) | Light indoor or sheltered equipment |
| IP53 | Dust-protected (5) plus spraying (3) | Sheltered outdoor equipment |
| IP56 | Dust-protected (5) plus powerful jets (6) | Heavy washdown where a dust-tight seal is not required |
| IP57 | Dust-protected (5) plus temporary immersion (7) | Devices needing immersion but not a dust-tight seal |
| IP64 | Dust-tight (6) plus splashing (4) | Dust-tight fittings facing splashes, not jets |
How IP codes relate to NEMA types
NEMA enclosure types and IP codes are not interchangeable. The relationship runs one way only: a NEMA type meets or exceeds a minimum IP code, but an IP code cannot be converted back to a NEMA type, because NEMA also tests corrosion, icing, oil and gasketing that the IP system does not. The values below are from the cross-reference in NEMA 250 and should be read as meets or exceeds, never as an exact equivalent.
| NEMA type | Meets or exceeds |
|---|---|
| Type 1 | IP10 |
| Type 3 | IP54 |
| Type 3R | IP14 |
| Type 4 and 4X | IP66 |
| Type 6 and 6P | IP67 |
| Type 12 | IP52 |
| Type 13 | IP54 |
To decode any IP code or see the NEMA types in full, use the IP rating decoder and the NEMA 250 page. IP rating decoder · NEMA 250.
Frequently asked questions
What does IP rating stand for?
IP stands for Ingress Protection. An IP code, defined by IEC 60529, rates how well an enclosure resists solids and dust (first digit) and water (second digit).
What is the highest IP rating?
For standard immersion, the highest is IP68 (dust-tight plus continuous immersion beyond 1 metre). For directed water, IP69K (hot high-pressure jets, from ISO 20653) is the toughest. They test different things, so neither is simply higher than the other.
What does the X mean in an IP rating?
The X is a placeholder meaning that test was not performed or declared. IPX4 means the water test passed at level 4 but the dust rating was not stated; it does not mean zero dust protection.
Is a higher second digit always more waterproof?
Not in a simple ladder. Jets (5 and 6) and immersion (7 and 8) are different tests. A device rated IP67 for immersion has not necessarily passed the IP66 jet test, which is why some products carry a dual rating such as IP66/IP68.
What is the NEMA equivalent of an IP rating?
There is no exact equivalent. NEMA types map one way to a minimum IP code, but an IP code cannot be converted back to a NEMA type because NEMA also tests corrosion, icing and oil. See the NEMA 250 page and the decoder.
Related
Sources: IEC 60529 (IEC Webstore) · IEC: IP ratings. Verify against the current edition before relying on it for compliance.