How to Read a Pallet Stamp Without Getting Fooled

The burned mark on the side of a pallet is a compact data record: it tells you where the pallet was treated, by whom, and how. But a stamp can lie by omission, go stale after a repair, or be outright counterfeit. If you export, or buy pallets that will, learning to read the stamp critically protects you from rejected shipments and quarantined freight. Here is how to decode the mark and, just as important, how not to get fooled.

The elements of a legitimate IPPC mark

Every compliant ISPM-15 stamp contains the same core elements inside a bordered box. Learn the four and the rest is noise:

Element	What it looks like	What it tells you
IPPC symbol	Stylized wheat/leaf logo in a box on the left	Certifies the ISPM-15 standard was met
Country code	Two-letter ISO code, e.g. US, CA, MX	Where the treatment was performed
Facility number	Unique registration number, e.g. 123456	Which certified facility treated the wood
Treatment code	HT, MB, or with DB for debarked	How pests were killed

A well-formed mark reads, left to right: IPPC logo, then the country code and facility number (often stacked as "US - 123456"), then the treatment code such as HT. The core distinction to remember is HT means heat treatment, where the wood core reached 56 degrees Celsius for at least 30 minutes, while MB means methyl bromide, a fumigant now being phased out worldwide. For the full standard, see our heat-treatment guide.

What is NOT part of the certified mark

Anything decorative or promotional inside the IPPC box is a red flag. The certified mark does not contain phone numbers, marketing slogans, or elaborate company logos crammed into the symbol. A manufacturer may put its own separate branded stamp elsewhere on the pallet, but that branding must not be inside or adjacent enough to be confused with the IPPC box. When you see the certified box polluted with extra content, be suspicious.

The fastest tell for a fake or careless mark: read what is inside the bordered IPPC box. It should contain the symbol, country, facility number, and treatment code, and nothing else. Extra decoration inside the box is a warning sign.

Five ways a stamp fools you, and how to catch each

1. The stale repair. A pallet was treated and stamped, then later repaired with untreated boards. The old stamp is still there but no longer valid. Catch it by looking for fresh, unmarked replacement boards that are lighter in color or a different wood than the stamped originals.
2. The kiln-dried impostor. A stamp-like mark that says KD (kiln dried) is not the same as HT. Kiln drying reduces moisture but does not certify the pest-killing core temperature. Only HT (or HT KD) satisfies ISPM-15.
3. The illegible ghost. A worn or half-burned stamp that you cannot fully read is treated as non-compliant at the border. If you cannot read all four elements clearly, do not assume; reject or re-treat.
4. The wrong-side-only mark. A valid mark should appear on at least two opposite sides. A single-sided mark risks being hidden when the pallet is positioned, and inspectors may not accept it.
5. The counterfeit. Rare but real: a fabricated stamp on untreated wood. There is no visual certainty here, which is why sourcing from a reputable, traceable yard matters more than any inspection.

A field inspection routine

1. Locate the mark; confirm it appears on at least two opposite sides.
2. Confirm the IPPC symbol is present and the box contains only the four legitimate elements.
3. Read the treatment code; require HT for export unless the destination accepts MB.
4. Scan the deck and stringers for fresh, unmarked repair wood that would invalidate the stamp.
5. Reject anything illegible, and set aside anything marked only KD.
6. Match the facility number back to your supplier's documentation when possible.

Why domestic buyers should care too

Even if you never export, the stamp tells you something about the pallet's history. An HT mark signals the wood was heated and dried, which tends to make it lighter, more dimensionally stable, and less prone to mold than a green, untreated pallet. When you buy recycled pallets, a legible HT stamp is a small quality signal. And if you might resell or ship internationally later, buying stamped stock now saves a re-treatment cost.

The Tucson bottom line

A pallet stamp is a passport, and like any passport it can be expired, altered, or forged. Read the four core elements, distrust anything cluttering the IPPC box, watch for fresh repair wood that voids the mark, and never accept KD as a substitute for HT. When compliance matters, source from a yard that can trace treatment and repair history. We supply properly heat-treated stock, explain every mark, and answer questions in our FAQ. For a deeper element-by-element walkthrough, keep this reference bookmarked, and see our grades guide for condition sorting.

Need pallets you can trust at the border? We supply compliant, clearly stamped stock and can verify treatment history. Request a quote or contact our Tucson yard.