READING THE SPEC SHEET

Two digits,
one promise.

"Waterproof" is a marketing word. IP67 is a test.

The IP code comes from the international standard IEC 60529, published in the UK as BS EN 60529. The first digit is about dust and fingers, the second about water, and each one stands for a defined test.

IP67 read it digit by digit

Decode a rating

A black outdoor wall lantern on a brick wall at dusk, beaded with raindrops, glowing warmly — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

First digit: solids and dust
Second digit: water
X means not tested
Specs, in plain English

THE SHORT ANSWER

Read the two digits
separately.

An IP code is not a score out of 100.
Each digit answers its own question.

FIRST DIGIT

Dust and fingers

From 0 to 6. A 5 means dust may get in but not enough to stop safe working; a 6 means dust-tight.

Try a rating

SECOND DIGIT

Water, test by test

From 0 to 9: drips, spray, splashes, jets, then immersion. IPX7 is tested at 1 metre for 30 minutes.

See the numbers

THE LETTER X

Not tested, not zero

An X means no data for that digit. IPX4 tells you about splashes and nothing about dust.

How to use it

DECODE A RATING

What does the label
promise?

Pick a rating you might see on a box. The bar shows how much water the second digit has been tested against.

Rating check

Choose a ratingIP20IP44IP65IP67IP68

IP20Indoors only

Fingers and objects over 12.5 mm are kept out, but there is no protection against water. IP22 or IP2X are typical minimums for indoor electrical accessories.

IP44Splashes

Objects over 1 mm are kept out, and water splashed from any direction must have no harmful effect.

IP65Jets

Dust-tight, and tested against water from a 6.3 mm nozzle at 12.5 litres a minute, from any direction.

IP671 m, 30 min

Dust-tight, and tested by immersion with the lowest point 1 metre down for 30 minutes. That does not mean it passed the jet tests too.

IP68Maker's terms

Dust-tight and suitable for immersion beyond 1 metre, under conditions the manufacturer must specify. Read what depth and time they state.

Source: IEC 60529 test levels as summarised in the Wikipedia article on the IP code; standard details from BSI and the IEC webstore.

Summarised from the IEC 60529 test levels. Always check the maker's instructions for the conditions that apply to a product.

TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING

One test for gadgets,
one rule for bathrooms.

The immersion test behind IPX7,
and a UK bathroom distance.

30 min

Immersion test, lowest point at 1 m

IPX7 means water must not get in in harmful quantity when the enclosure is held under water, its lowest point 1,000 mm down, for 30 minutes. The test uses fresh water.

IPX7 · IEC 60529

2.5 m

Minimum distance for a socket from a bath or shower tray

Electrical Safety First says sockets are not allowed in bathrooms, apart from shaver-supply units, unless they can be fitted at least 2.5 metres from the edge of the bath or shower tray.

BATHROOMS · ELECTRICAL SAFETY FIRST

Water ratings are not cumulative beyond IPX6: a device rated IPX7 has not necessarily passed the IPX5 or IPX6 jet tests. When it has, both are listed, as in IPX5/IPX7.

FOUR WAYS TO READ A LABEL

Check the digit
that matters.

A rating only helps if you match it to where the thing will live. These checks take a few seconds on any box or spec sheet.

Split the two digits
IP65 is 6 for dust and 5 for water. Judge each one against where the product will be used.
Treat X as unknown
IPX4 has no dust rating at all. The X means no data, not that it passed.
Look for both water tests
If you need splash and dunk protection, look for a dual rating such as IPX5/IPX7.
Read the IP68 small print
For IP68 the depth and time are set by the maker. Check what they actually promise.

A white enclosed ceiling light in a bright bathroom, above a shower screen misted with steam — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

A small submersible light glowing under the clear water of a garden pond among stones and water plants — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

AT HOME IN THE UK

Wet rooms and gardens
need the right kit.

Electrical Safety First says bathrooms are among the highest-risk rooms for electric shock because wet skin lowers the body's resistance. All circuits in or passing through a bathroom must be protected by an RCD, and an electric shower needs its own circuit, fitted by a registered electrician.

Outdoors, the charity advises choosing lights with an IP rating that suits the spot, using only fittings made for submersion in ponds and water features, and protecting outdoor equipment with an RCD. Most electrical installation work must comply with Part P of the Building Regulations.

Questions

Questions people ask

What does IP stand for?

The IEC 60529 standard explains it as "international protection". It is often called ingress protection, which describes what the code measures: how well an enclosure keeps out solid objects, dust and water.

Is IP68 better than IP67?

Not automatically. IP68 is for immersion beyond 1 metre under conditions the manufacturer specifies, and ratings above IPX6 are not cumulative, so an immersion rating says nothing about water jets unless both are listed.

Does an IP rating cover sea water or pools?

The standard tests use fresh water. Protection against salt water, oils or solvents is not guaranteed by the rating and needs separate testing.

What does the X in IPX4 mean?

X means no data is available for that digit. IPX4 says the product resists splashing water but makes no claim about dust or solid objects.

Is IPX-7 the same as IPX7?

There are no hyphens in a standard IP code, so IPX-7 is not a valid way of writing it. Look for the letters IP followed directly by the two characters.

Two digits,
one promise.