Ingress Protection (IP) and what it means

IP 6 8
First Second
“Ingress Digit: Digit:
Protecti Solids Liquids
on” Protecti Protecti
on on

The IP Code (or International Protection Rating, sometimes also interpreted as Ingress

Protection Rating*) consists of the letters IP followed by two digits and an optional letter. As
defined in international standard IEC 60529, it classifies the degrees of protection provided
against the intrusion of solid objects (including body parts like hands and fingers), dust,
accidental contact, and water in electrical enclosures. The standard aims to provide users more
detailed information than vague marketing terms such as waterproof.
The digits (characteristic numerals) indicate conformity with the conditions summarized in the
tables below. For example, an electrical socket rated IP22 is protected against insertion of
fingers and will not be damaged or become unsafe during a specified test in which it is exposed
to vertically or nearly vertically dripping water. IP22 or 2X are typical minimum requirements
for the design of electrical accessories for indoor use.
 First Digit: Solids
Object size
Leve
protected Effective against
l
against

0 Not protected No protection against contact and ingress of objects

1 >50mm Any large surface of the body, such as the back of the hand, but no
protection against deliberate contact with a body part.

2 >12.5mm Fingers or similar objects.

3 >2.5mm Tools, thick wires, etc.

4 >1mm Most wires, screws, etc.

5 Dust Protected Ingress of dust is not entirely prevented, but it must not enter in sufficient
quantity to interfere with the satisfactory operation of the equipment;
complete protection against contact.

6 Dust Tight No ingress of dust; complete protection against contact.

The first digit indicates the level of protection that the enclosure provides against access to
hazardous parts (e.g., electrical conductors, moving parts) and the ingress of solid foreign
objects.
 Second Digit: Liquids
Protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against harmful ingress of water.

Object size
Leve
protected Effective against
l
against

0 Not protected –

1 Dripping water Dripping water (vertically falling drops) shall have no harmfull effect.

2 Dripping water Vertically dripping water shall have no harmful effect when the enclosure is
when tilted up tilted at an angle up to 15° from its normal position.
to 15°

3 Spraying water Water falling as a spray at any angle up to 60° from the vertical shall have
no harmful effect.

4 Splashing Water splashing against the enclosure from any direction shall have no
water harmful effect.

5 Water jets Water projected by a nozzle (6.3mm) against enclosure from any direction
shall have no harmful effects.

6 Powerful water Water projected in powerful jets (12.5mm nozzle) against the enclosure
jets from any direction shall have no harmful effects.

7 Immersion up Ingress of water in harmful quantity shall not be possible when the
to 1m enclosure is immersed in water under defined conditions of pressure and
time (up to 1 m of submersion).

8 Immersion The equipment is suitable for continuous immersion in water under

beyond 1m conditions which shall be specified by the manufacturer. Normally, this will
mean that the equipment is hermetically sealed. However, with certain types
of equipment, it can mean that water can enter but only in such a manner
that it produces no harmful effects.
 IP Rating Reference Chart
Below is an easy to follow reference chart to help you decide which IP rating you need or have.

IP Number First Digit - SOLIDS Second Digit - LIQUIDS

IP00 Not protected from solids. Not protected from liquids.

IP01 Not protected from solids. Protected from condensation.

IP02 Not protected from solids. Protected from water spray less
than 15 degrees from vertical.

IP03 Not protected from solids. Protected from water spray less
than 60 degrees from vertical.

IP04 Not protected from solids. Protected from water spray from
any direction.

IP05 Not protected from solids. Protected from low pressure

water jets from any direction.

IP06 Not protected from solids. Protected from high pressure

water jets from any direction.

IP07 Not protected from solids. Protected from immersion

between 15 centimeters and 1
meter in depth.

IP08 Not protected from solids. Protected from long term

immersion up to a specified
pressure.

IP10 Protected from touch by hands Not protected from liquids.

greater than 50 millimeters.

IP11 Protected from touch by hands Protected from condensation.

greater than 50 millimeters.

IP12 Protected from touch by hands Protected from water spray less
greater than 50 millimeters. than 15 degrees from vertical.

IP13 Protected from touch by hands Protected from water spray less
 IP Number First Digit - SOLIDS Second Digit - LIQUIDS

greater than 50 millimeters. than 60 degrees from vertical.

IP14 Protected from touch by hands Protected from water spray from
greater than 50 millimeters. any direction.

IP15 Protected from touch by hands Protected from low pressure

greater than 50 millimeters. water jets from any direction.

IP16 Protected from touch by hands Protected from high pressure

greater than 50 millimeters. water jets from any direction.

IP17 Protected from touch by hands Protected from immersion

greater than 50 millimeters. between 15 centimeters and 1
meter in depth.

IP18 Protected from touch by hands Protected from long term

greater than 50 millimeters. immersion up to a specified
pressure.

IP20 Protected from touch by fingers Not protected from liquids.

and objects greater than 12
millimeters.

IP21 Protected from touch by fingers Protected from condensation.

and objects greater than 12
millimeters.

IP22 Protected from touch by fingers Protected from water spray less
and objects greater than 12 than 15 degrees from vertical.
millimeters.

IP23 Protected from touch by fingers Protected from water spray less
and objects greater than 12 than 60 degrees from vertical.
millimeters.

IP24 Protected from touch by fingers Protected from water spray from
and objects greater than 12 any direction.
millimeters.

IP25 Protected from touch by fingers Protected from low pressure

and objects greater than 12
 IP Number First Digit - SOLIDS Second Digit - LIQUIDS

millimeters. water jets from any direction.

IP26 Protected from touch by fingers Protected from high pressure

and objects greater than 12 water jets from any direction.
millimeters.

IP27 Protected from touch by fingers Protected from immersion

and objects greater than 12 between 15 centimeters and 1
millimeters. meter in depth.

IP28 Protected from touch by fingers Protected from long term

and objects greater than 12 immersion up to a specified
millimeters. pressure.

IP30 Protected from tools and wires Not protected from liquids.
greater than 2.5 millimeters.

IP31 Protected from tools and wires Protected from condensation.

greater than 2.5 millimeters.

IP32 Protected from tools and wires Protected from water spray less
greater than 2.5 millimeters. than 15 degrees from vertical.

IP33 Protected from tools and wires Protected from water spray less
greater than 2.5 millimeters. than 60 degrees from vertical.

IP34 Protected from tools and wires Protected from water spray from
greater than 2.5 millimeters. any direction.

IP35 Protected from tools and wires Protected from low pressure
greater than 2.5 millimeters. water jets from any direction.

IP36 Protected from tools and wires Protected from high pressure
greater than 2.5 millimeters. water jets from any direction.

IP37 Protected from tools and wires Protected from immersion

greater than 2.5 millimeters. between 15 centimeters and 1
meter in depth.

IP38 Protected from tools and wires Protected from long term
 IP Number First Digit - SOLIDS Second Digit - LIQUIDS

greater than 2.5 millimeters. immersion up to a specified

pressure.

IP40 Protected from tools and small Not protected from liquids.
wires greater than 1 millimeter.

IP41 Protected from tools and small Protected from condensation.

wires greater than 1 millimeter.

IP42 Protected from tools and small Protected from water spray less
wires greater than 1 millimeter. than 15 degrees from vertical.

IP43 Protected from tools and small Protected from water spray less
wires greater than 1 millimeter. than 60 degrees from vertical.

IP44 Protected from tools and small Protected from water spray from
wires greater than 1 millimeter. any direction.

IP45 Protected from tools and small Protected from low pressure
wires greater than 1 millimeter. water jets from any direction.

IP46 Protected from tools and small Protected from high pressure
wires greater than 1 millimeter. water jets from any direction.

IP47 Protected from tools and small Protected from immersion

wires greater than 1 millimeter. between 15 centimeters and 1
meter in depth.

IP48 Protected from tools and small Protected from long term
wires greater than 1 millimeter. immersion up to a specified
pressure.

IP50 Protected from limited dust Not protected from liquids.

ingress.

IP51 Protected from limited dust Protected from condensation.

ingress.

IP52 Protected from limited dust Protected from water spray less
 IP Number First Digit - SOLIDS Second Digit - LIQUIDS

ingress. than 15 degrees from vertical.

IP53 Protected from limited dust Protected from water spray less
ingress. than 60 degrees from vertical.

IP54 Protected from limited dust Protected from water spray from
ingress. any direction.

IP55 Protected from limited dust Protected from low pressure

ingress. water jets from any direction.

IP56 Protected from limited dust Protected from high pressure

ingress. water jets from any direction.

IP57 Protected from limited dust Protected from immersion

ingress. between 15 centimeters and 1
meter in depth.

IP58 Protected from limited dust Protected from long term

ingress. immersion up to a specified
pressure.

IP60 Protected from total dust Not protected from liquids.

ingress.

IP61 Protected from total dust Protected from condensation.

ingress.

IP62 Protected from total dust Protected from water spray less
ingress. than 15 degrees from vertical.

IP63 Protected from total dust Protected from water spray less
ingress. than 60 degrees from vertical.

IP64 Protected from total dust Protected from water spray from
ingress. any direction.

IP65 Protected from total dust Protected from low pressure

ingress. water jets from any direction.
 IP Number First Digit - SOLIDS Second Digit - LIQUIDS

IP66 Protected from total dust Protected from high pressure

ingress. water jets from any direction.

IP67 Protected from total dust Protected from immersion

ingress. between 15 centimeters and 1
meter in depth.

IP68 Protected from total dust Protected from long term

ingress. immersion up to a specified
pressure.

IP69K Protected from total dust Protected from steam-jet

ingress. cleaning.