ISPM 15: wood packaging rules for Singapore imports
Wooden crates, pallets, and dunnage have to be treated and marked to an international standard before they cross borders. It is a small requirement that causes a disproportionate number of held shipments, almost always because nobody checked the stamp.
At a glance
| Applies to | Solid wood packaging: crates, pallets, dunnage, blocking and bracing |
|---|---|
| Does not apply to | Manufactured wood such as plywood, particleboard, OSB, and veneer |
| Treatment methods | Heat treatment (HT) or approved fumigation |
| Evidence | The IPPC mark stamped on the packaging itself, not a separate certificate |
What the standard is for
Untreated solid wood carries insects and pathogens that damage forests when moved between countries. ISPM 15 is the international phytosanitary measure that addresses this, requiring wood packaging to be heat treated or fumigated and marked accordingly. It applies to the packaging, not the cargo — a shipment of electronics on an untreated pallet has an ISPM 15 problem even though the goods themselves are unrelated to timber.
Reading the mark
Compliant packaging is stamped with the IPPC symbol alongside a country code, a producer or treatment provider code, and a treatment code — HT for heat treatment, MB for methyl bromide fumigation. The mark is on the wood itself, usually on at least two opposite sides. There is no accompanying certificate to check; the stamp is the evidence, which is why a photograph of the crate before it ships is a genuinely useful thing to ask a supplier for.
What is out of scope
Manufactured wood products are generally excluded because the manufacturing process already destroys pests. Plywood, particleboard, oriented strand board, veneer, and similar engineered materials do not need ISPM 15 marking. Neither does packaging made entirely of non-wood material. Some suppliers deliberately use plywood crates to sidestep the issue, which is a legitimate approach.
What happens when packaging is non-compliant
The options are all bad and all at the importer's cost: treatment on arrival where facilities permit, repackaging with compliant material, or re-export of the packaging. The cargo is held while this happens. For a time-critical shipment — an exhibition stand, an install date — this is precisely the kind of delay that cannot be absorbed.
Preventing it
Write the requirement into the purchase order and ask for a photograph of the stamped packaging before shipment. It takes one email. The suppliers who get this wrong are usually smaller manufacturers who mainly serve their domestic market and have never been asked. Once asked, most comply without difficulty — but they will not volunteer it.
Official sources
Requirements, rates, and thresholds change. These are the authorities that set them — check the current position with them before acting on anything here.
Last reviewed August 2026. This page explains how the process generally works; it is not advice on your specific shipment, and it does not replace guidance from Singapore Customs, the relevant Competent Authority, or a licensed Declaring Agent.
Questions we get asked about this
Does ISPM 15 apply to the goods or the packaging?
The packaging. Crates, pallets, dunnage, and bracing made of solid wood need treatment and marking regardless of what they contain.
What does the HT stamp mean?
Heat treated — the wood was heated to a specified core temperature for a specified time. MB indicates methyl bromide fumigation, which is being phased out in many jurisdictions. Either satisfies the standard where accepted.
Do plywood crates need the mark?
Generally no. Manufactured wood products such as plywood and particleboard are outside the scope. Using plywood crating is a practical way to avoid the issue entirely.
My supplier says their pallets are fine. How do I check?
Ask for a photograph showing the IPPC mark on the packaging. It is stamped directly on the wood. An assurance is not evidence, and this is one of the cheapest checks in the entire shipping process.
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Have a shipment that fits this?
Start the guided enquiry and describe it in plain terms. We will tell you what is involved — including if the answer is that you do not need us.