Do I Need ISPM15 Pallets to Export? (UK Destination Guide)
Country-by-country answer for UK exporters. Where ISPM15 is required, where it's exempt, and the edge cases. Ship wrong and your container gets held at destination port at your cost.
The short answer
UK to EU: no, ISPM15 not required under the post-Brexit UK-EU phytosanitary agreement. UK to anywhere else: yes, you need ISPM15 heat-treated pallets. This covers the US, Canada, Australia, China, Japan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Brazil and most other non-EU destinations.
EU exports: no ISPM15 required
All 27 EU member states plus Switzerland, Norway and Liechtenstein accept UK wooden packaging without ISPM15 treatment. This was preserved under the UK-EU post-Brexit Phytosanitary Agreement and has held through 2026. You can ship untreated or reconditioned (used) UK standard or Euro pallets directly into: Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Austria, Denmark, Sweden and every other EU state.
Caveat: some individual EU buyers may contractually require HT pallets regardless. Check your customer's spec before dispatch.
Non-EU exports: ISPM15 required
Every major non-EU destination enforces ISPM15 in 2026. Key markets:
- USA, Canada, Mexico (USMCA): all three require ISPM15. USDA APHIS inspects.
- China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan: all enforce ISPM15. China (GACC) also needs a phytosanitary certificate.
- Australia, New Zealand: strictest enforcement globally. DAFF and MPI inspect every container; non-compliance usually means destruction or return.
- UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait: all require ISPM15. Arabic-language paperwork sometimes required alongside.
- India, Pakistan, Bangladesh: all require ISPM15. India also asks for certificate of origin and phyto cert.
- Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico: all require ISPM15 plus typically a phytosanitary certificate.
- South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria: all require ISPM15. Documentation sometimes inconsistent; keep treatment certificates on hand.
- Turkey, Israel: require ISPM15.
What's exempt from ISPM15 regardless of destination
- Plastic pallets, plastic crates, plastic packaging.
- Processed wood: plywood, MDF, OSB, particle board, chipboard.
- Cardboard or corrugated packaging.
- Presswood (moulded wood fibre) pallets.
- The wood product itself when it IS the shipment (timber, furniture) rather than packaging.
How to actually stay compliant
Buy ISPM15-stamped heat-treated pallets from a UK Forestry Commission-registered supplier. Our Widnes depot heat-treats in-house. See the heat-treated pallets page, the full ISPM15 guide and the pallets for export page for the full country-specific compliance package.
ISPM15 export requirements: common questions
No. The UK and EU have a mutual phytosanitary agreement in place post-Brexit that waives ISPM15 for wood packaging between member states and the UK. You can ship untreated or reconditioned pallets directly to all EU countries without heat treatment.
Australia (DAFF Biosecurity) and New Zealand (MPI) inspect every container and will destroy non-compliant shipments. China (GACC) is also strict and adds documentation requirements. US (USDA APHIS) inspects a high percentage and returns containers at shipper's expense. UAE and Saudi Arabia enforce but documentation is the main risk.
No. A single untreated pallet condemns the whole container under ISPM15 rules. If the container is heading somewhere that requires ISPM15, every wooden component must be HT: pallets, bracing, dunnage, timber packing strips. Everything. Zero tolerance.
Yes, if the destination enforces ISPM15 regardless of shipping mode. Sea, air, road and rail are all covered. Some airfreight operators prefer presswood or cardboard pallets specifically to avoid ISPM15 altogether; both are exempt.
UK Border Force can inspect and enforce ISPM15 on imports. Non-compliant pallets entering the UK from non-EU origins can be held, fumigated at cost, or returned. Report non-compliance to your supplier so they can correct it for future shipments.
At our Widnes depot, standard lead time is 2-4 working days; same-day on urgent containers when capacity allows. Most UK HT treaters operate on similar timelines. Book your pallets before your sailing date, not after.