§1When to buy it
Required for solid-wood packaging crossing most international borders, including shipments to countries that enforce ISPM 15 at import.
Not needed for pallets made wholly of processed wood such as presswood, plywood or OSB, which ISPM 15 exempts.
§2RFQ fields
| Footprint and style | 48 × 40 in stringer, partial 4-way (or block, if the lane asks for 4-way) |
|---|---|
| Treatment | Heat treatment to ISPM 15 Annex 1: minimum 56 °C for 30 continuous minutes throughout the wood profile, core included |
| Mark | ISPM 15 mark with IPPC symbol, country code (US), producer/treatment provider code and treatment code HT, on two opposite sides, legible and permanent |
| Agency | Name of the ALSC-accredited inspection agency the producer is enrolled with |
| Debarking | Debarked wood within the ISPM 15 bark tolerance |
| Records | Supplier keeps treatment records per lot and sends them on request |
| Volume and cadence | Pallets per month, delivery ZIP, export lanes served |
§3Acceptance and reject criteria
| Accept a pallet when… | Reject a pallet when… |
|---|---|
| Every pallet carries a complete, legible mark on two opposite sides. | Missing, partial or illegible mark, or a mark on one side only. |
| The producer code in the mark matches a producer enrolled with the named agency. | Bark beyond the tolerance, live insects, or insect holes larger than the standard allows. |
| Bark within tolerance: pieces under 3 cm wide, or wider pieces under 50 cm² each. | Repairs with untreated wood. Under ISPM 15, repaired or remanufactured wood packaging needs its components treated and re-marked. |
§4Inspecting deliveries
- Sample each delivery with an attribute sampling plan agreed in the contract (ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 general inspection level II is a common reference), and record the lot size, sample size and defects found.
- Count a pallet as defective on the first reject criterion it meets; don't add up minor faults into a reject unless the contract says so.
- Photograph every rejected pallet with the delivery's bill of lading number visible, and send the photos with the debit note within the contract's notice window.
- Keep a photo of the mark from each delivery lot with the bill of lading. If a shipment is held at a destination port, the importer will ask for it.
§5What to watch in the contract
An HT mark proves treatment, not grade. Write the grade and load requirements separately.
Heat treatment adds kiln or chamber time and cost, and supply tightens when export volumes rise. Ask for a lead time in the contract.
Grade words vary by supplier and region; confirm every field with your receivers and your own engineering.
For the engineering standards behind these fields, see palletstandards.com.