IP67
Dust-tight plus temporary immersion under water characteristic 7 test conditions.
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) means that characteristic is not specified by the designation; it does not by itself tell you whether separate testing was performed, and it does not mean 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 | Immersion under conditions agreed or specified for water characteristic 8 | Manufacturer-defined |
| 9 | Close-range high-pressure, high-temperature water jets | IEC 60529 IPX9 |
| 9K | High-pressure/high-temperature water-jet protection in ISO 20653 road-vehicle context | ISO 20653 IPX9K / IP69K |
Common IP ratings explained
IP68
Dust-tight plus water characteristic 8 immersion under conditions specified for the product.
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
Commercial IP69K wording is common, but IEC IP69 and ISO 20653 K-bearing designations must be checked against the product's cited standard.
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
Immersion under conditions agreed or specified for water characteristic 8, 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 IEC IP codes are not interchangeable. They cover overlapping but different environmental characteristics, and an IP degree is not permission to relabel a product with a NEMA Type or vice versa. Any cross-reference must be attributed to a specific source and edition and treated only as screening information; verify the product’s actual declarations.
| 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?
There is no single “highest” IP code for every water exposure. Immersion characteristics and high-pressure/high-temperature jet characteristics describe different tests. Verify the exact designation, cited standard and conditions declared for the product.
What does the X mean in an IP rating?
X means that characteristic is not specified in that designation; it is not a zero rating. IPX4 specifies water characteristic 4 without specifying a solids characteristic, while IP6X specifies solids characteristic 6 without specifying water.
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 universal one-to-one equivalent. NEMA enclosure Types and IEC IP codes cover overlapping but different characteristics. Use only an attributed, edition-specific cross-reference as screening information and verify the product’s actual declarations.
Related
Sources: IEC 60529 (IEC Webstore) · IEC: IP ratings. Verify against the current edition before relying on it for compliance.