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Standard Clarity
IP67

IP67 rating explained: dust-tight with temporary immersion protection

Dust-tight plus temporary immersion under IEC 60529 numeral-7 conditions.

Maintained by Giorgi Gaprindashvili Published Updated Editorial check

6 (first digit)Dust-tight under the IEC 60529 dust test.
7 (second digit)Temporary immersion under IEC 60529 numeral-7 conditions.

Want the full system, or to decode any other code? See the IEC 60529 standard explained or the IP rating decoder.

How to read the IP67 code

6SOLIDS AND DUSTDust-tightNo ingress of dust7WATERTemporary immersionDefined numeral-7 conditionsDoes not cover: High-pressure jets (unless also tested), corrosion, impact
IP67 declares dust-tight protection plus numeral-7 temporary immersion. It does not automatically establish separate high-pressure-jet resistance.

Key facts

Standard
IEC 60529 (Ingress Protection code)
Dust
6 = dust-tight under the IEC 60529 dust test
Water
7 = temporary immersion under defined numeral-7 conditions
Immersion test
30 minutes; exact water level is set relative to enclosure dimensions
Does not cover
High-pressure jets (unless separately tested), corrosion, impact

What IP67 protects against

The first digit, 6, declares the enclosure dust-tight under the IEC 60529 dust test. The second digit, 7, declares temporary immersion under defined test conditions. “1 metre for 30 minutes” is a useful shorthand for many smaller enclosures, but the test setup specifies water level relative to enclosure dimensions.

That makes IP67 useful where dust-tightness and accidental or temporary immersion are relevant. It still describes a controlled enclosure test, not every real-world liquid, chemical, mechanical or ageing condition.

What IP67 does NOT protect against

IP67 uses an immersion water numeral. It does not automatically prove that the product passed separate water-jet tests; where jets and immersion both matter, verify the declarations for both exposures. The IP code also does not by itself address corrosion, chemicals, salt water or mechanical impact.

Numeral 8 (IP68 when paired with solids numeral 6) uses product-specific continuous-immersion conditions that must be more severe than numeral 7. Do not import another IP68 product's depth or time into a different product.

IP67 at a glance

PropertyIP67
First digit (solids)6 - dust-tight
Second digit (water)7 - temporary immersion
Immersion depthDefined by numeral-7 setup; water level depends on enclosure dimensions
Immersion time30 minutes
High-pressure jetsNot covered unless separately tested
Deeper / longer immersionNumeral 8 uses product-specific conditions more severe than numeral 7
IP67 declares dust-tightness plus numeral-7 temporary immersion. It does not automatically establish separate jet resistance.

IP65 vs IP67

This is a jets-versus-immersion comparison, not a simple quality ladder. IP65 declares dust-tightness plus numeral-5 water-jet protection. IP67 declares dust-tightness plus numeral-7 temporary immersion protection.

Because those are different water tests, one designation does not automatically prove the other. Choose or specify the exposure that actually matters, and use a dual declaration when both are required.

See the full IP65 rating page

IPX7 vs IP67: same water numeral, different solids declaration

Both use water numeral 7 and therefore declare the same water degree under IEC 60529. IP67 additionally carries solids numeral 6, meaning dust-tight under the dust test; IPX7 leaves the solids characteristic unspecified.

The X in IPX7 is not a zero. It tells you that the solids degree is not specified in that designation, so use the product documentation if dust performance matters.

See the full IPX7 rating page

Frequently asked questions

Is IP67 waterproof?
IP67 is a conditional ingress-protection designation, not an unlimited waterproof guarantee. It declares dust-tightness plus numeral-7 temporary immersion under defined test conditions; it does not automatically establish jet resistance or every real-world water exposure.
Can I take an IP67 phone swimming or in the shower?
Only if the manufacturer explicitly permits that use. IP67 is a controlled temporary-immersion result; swimming, showers, temperature, chemicals, controls and seal condition can introduce conditions outside that declaration.
What is the difference between IP67 and IP68?
Both declare solids numeral 6. IP67 uses the defined numeral-7 temporary-immersion conditions, while IP68 uses product-specific numeral-8 continuous-immersion conditions that must be more severe. The exact IP68 conditions come from the product declaration.
Does IP67 protect against high-pressure water?
Not by itself. Immersion (7) and jets (5 or 6) are separate tests. A device needs an IP66 or IP65 rating in addition to IP67 to claim jet resistance, which is why some products list a dual rating like IP66/IP67.
What is the NEMA equivalent of IP67?
There is no universal one-to-one NEMA equivalent. NEMA enclosure types and IEC IP codes cover overlapping but different environmental characteristics. Use an attributed cross-reference only as screening information and verify the product's actual declarations rather than relabeling it from one system to the other.

Related

Sources: IEC 60529 (IEC Webstore) · IEC: IP ratings. An overview for design reference - verify against the current edition before relying on it for compliance.