The ISPM-15 exemption means a composite (presswood) pallet needs no heat treatment or fumigation for export. The exemption comes from how the product is made; you do not need to re-treat, stamp or certify it for every shipment.
What does the ISPM-15 standard require?
The standard mandates one of two routes for untreated solid wood packaging in international trade: heat treatment (HT, core temperature of at least 56 °C for 30 minutes) or fumigation — followed by the IPPC (wheat-ear) stamp. Solid wood pallets fall fully within this obligation; we cover the general framework in our ISPM-15 in Export article.
Why is a composite pallet exempt from ISPM-15?
A composite pallet is a processed wood product made by pressing wood fibre with resin above 150 °C under high pressure. Processed panel/pressed products are outside the scope of ISPM-15; the manufacturing temperature is far above the 56 °C core requirement of the standard. The exemption is therefore permanent.
No heat treatment, no fumigation, no stamp
This exemption removes the fumigation/heat-treatment fee, IPPC stamping, waiting time for treatment and the risk of customs rejection. It lowers total export cost and speeds up shipping. Find the practical detail in our ISPM-15 in Export article and the product on our export pallet page.