An IP code is two digits read independently: the first digit (0–6) states how well an enclosure keeps out solid objects and dust, and the second digit (0–9) states how well it keeps out water, each tested against its own pass/fail criteria under IEC 60529 . Manufacturers pick which combination to test and certify — IP20, IP54, IP65, IP67, IP68 and IP69 recur constantly on datasheets, but IP07 or IP61 are valid numbers on paper that almost nobody actually tests. This page is a lookup table for what every digit and letter means; for buying advice on which rating a specific connector, cable gland, or RJ45 jack needs, see the waterproof connector types and IP ratings guide or the heavy duty waterproof connector IP sealing guide .
Comparison of IP69 and IP69K test standards
Two-column comparison. Left column, IP69, governed by IEC 60529 clause 14.2.9 added by Amendment 2 of 2013, roughly 80 degrees Celsius water at 14 to 16 liters per minute, 8000 to 10000 kilopascals, nozzle at 100 to 150 millimeters, four fixed spray angles, 30 seconds each, judged against an impact-force criterion. Right column, IP69K, governed by ISO 20653, formerly DIN 40050-9, automotive and washdown sector standard, similar nozzle geometry, but adds an explicit water-pressure pass criterion. The two are close cousins but not identical and not interchangeable on a datasheet.
IP69 and IP69K are governed by two different standards
IP69
(no letter)
Standard body:
IEC 60529, Amendment 2 (2013)
Water:
~80 °C, 14–16 L/min
Pressure:
8,000–10,000 kPa
Test pattern:
4 fixed angles, 30 sec each
Criterion type: force-based
IP69K
(with the K)
Standard body:
ISO 20653 (was DIN 40050-9)
Sector:
Automotive / high-pressure washdown
Nozzle geometry:
Similar to IP69 (~100-150mm, 4 angles)
Pass criterion:
adds explicit 8-10 MPa pressure spec
Never part of IEC 60529
Related tests, different rulebooks — a datasheet naming one does not imply the other.
First digit — solid particle and dust protection (0–6) Digit Protects against Test object / condition 0 No protection — 1 Large body surfaces (e.g., back of a hand) Objects larger than 50 mm 2 Fingers and similar objects Objects larger than 12.5 mm 3 Tools and thick wires Objects larger than 2.5 mm 4 Most wires, slender screws, small insects Objects larger than 1 mm 5 “Dust protected” Dust may enter but not in a quantity that impairs operation or safety 6 “Dust tight” No ingress of dust at all, under vacuum-assisted test conditions
Second digit — liquid ingress protection (0–9) Digit Protects against Test condition 0 No protection — 1 Vertically dripping water Drip test, enclosure upright 2 Dripping water with tilt Enclosure tilted up to 15° from normal 3 Spraying water Sprayed up to 60° from vertical 4 Splashing water Splashed from any direction 5 Water jets 6.3 mm nozzle, roughly 12.5 L/min, any direction 6 Powerful water jets 12.5 mm nozzle, roughly 100 L/min, any direction 7 Temporary immersion Up to 1 m depth, up to 30 minutes 8 Continuous immersion Depth and duration beyond the level-7 test, set by the manufacturer’s own declared conditions 9 High-pressure, high-temperature jetting (IEC 60529 clause 14.2.9, added by Amendment 2:2013 ) 80±5 °C water, 14–16 L/min, 8,000–10,000 kPa, nozzle held 100–150 mm from the part, sprayed at 0°, 30°, 60° and 90° for 30 seconds each while the part rotates on a turntable (roughly 5 rpm); pass/fail is judged against a specified impact-force range at the nozzle
IP69K sits outside this table. It is ISO 20653’s own test, written for automotive and washdown equipment rather than general electrical enclosures. The spray geometry is close to clause 14.2.9’s (same rough nozzle distance and four-angle pattern), but the pass criterion is different: IPX9K adds an explicit water-pressure requirement (8–10 MPa) as part of what the part must withstand, where the base IEC 60529 IPX9 test is judged primarily against an impact-force figure at the nozzle. The two standards converged on very similar hardware because ISO 20653 predates and influenced IEC’s own 2013 addition, which is exactly why the two get conflated — they are close cousins, not the same clause.
Additional and supplementary letters Two more letter categories can follow the two digits. Additional letters describe protection against access to hazardous parts beyond what the first digit implies; supplementary letters describe the conditions the water test was run under, not an extra protection level.
Letter Category Meaning A Additional Protected against access with the back of a hand B Additional Protected against access with a finger C Additional Protected against access with a tool D Additional Protected against access with a wire H Supplementary High-voltage apparatus M Supplementary Water test performed while the equipment’s moving parts were in motion S Supplementary Water test performed while the equipment’s moving parts were stationary W Supplementary Tested for specified weather conditions, with additional protective measures
An IP2XB code , for example, states dust protection level 2 on the first digit and a finger-access guarantee on the second position that is stricter than digit 2 alone would imply — the letter adds information, it does not replace the missing digit.
IEC 60529 IP code matrix: first digit (dust) versus second digit (liquid)
A 7-row by 10-column grid crossing first digit values 0 through 6 against second digit values 0 through 9. Cells for common real-world combinations IP20, IP40, IP44, IP54, IP55, IP65, IP66, IP67, IP68, and IP69 are shaded green as commonly tested. All other mathematically valid combinations are shaded light gray as rarely tested. The chart illustrates that not every combination on paper is a rating manufacturers actually certify.
IP code matrix — defined vs. commonly tested combinations
Rows = first digit (dust, 0-6). Columns = second digit (liquid, 0-9). Green = recurs on real datasheets.
0 1 2
3 4 5
6 7 8 9
second digit (liquid)
0 1 2
3 4 5 6
first digit (dust)
■ green = recurs constantly on real datasheets (IP20/IP40/IP44/IP54/IP55/IP65/IP66/IP67/IP68/IP69)
■ gray = mathematically valid, rarely manufacturer-tested — do not assume a real product exists at that combination The rule that catches most buyers: immersion does not imply jet resistance Up through second digit 6, the scale is genuinely cumulative — a connector rated IP66 has, by definition, also met the requirements for IP65, IP64, and every lower second digit, because each step up the 0–6 scale is a strictly harder version of the same water-jet test family. The rule changes exactly at digits 7 and 8: IEC 60529 states explicitly that an enclosure rated only second digit 7 or 8 is considered unsuitable for water jets (digit 5 or 6) and does not need to meet that requirement unless the datasheet dual-codes it. The standard’s own dual-coding table only recognizes four “versatile” combinations — IPX5/IPX7, IPX6/IPX7, IPX5/IPX8, IPX6/IPX8 — each meaning the part was tested against both the jet test and the immersion test independently. A part marked IPX7 or IPX8 alone is labeled “restricted”: suitable for immersion, not certified for jets, full stop. So a connector rated IP68 with no companion IPX5/6 mark tells you nothing about washdown or hose-spray survival — that is a separate, untested claim until the manufacturer states it. This is the same gap covered as “the IP rating trap” in our waterproof connector types guide : match the digit to the actual hazard, and treat immersion and jet resistance as two different questions unless the label answers both.
Where these digits show up on real hardware A chart is easier to hold onto with a concrete part attached to each number. On Verchil’s own line, an IP65 waterproof RJ45 connector is built to second-digit 5 — powerful water jets, not immersion — while an IP68 waterproof aviation connector is rated for the continuous-immersion end of the scale at digit 8. For the cable-gland side of a sealed panel, where IP68 and IP69K get confused most often in procurement conversations, see the IP69K versus IP68 explainer .
One more distinction worth making explicit: an IP digit measures ingress against dust and water, not resistance to salt fog or chemical attack on the metal itself. A connector can carry a high IP rating and still corrode in a coastal or de-icing-salt environment if its plating or base material is not suited to that exposure — that is a separate test family, covered in the salt spray resistance guide , not something the IP code speaks to at all.
Need a fast spec check before committing to a design? WhatsApp Verchil’s engineering team directly with your IP requirement, or request a quote through the contact page .
Frequently Asked Questions Is IP69K higher than IP68? They are not on the same scale, so “higher” does not quite apply. IP68 (IEC 60529) measures continuous immersion at a depth the manufacturer sets; IP69K (ISO 20653) measures a close-range, high-pressure, high-temperature spray. A connector can pass IP68 and fail an IP69K spray test, or the reverse, because the two tests stress different failure modes — depth and dwell time versus jet force and heat.
What does the second digit mean if it just says “8”? IEC 60529 leaves the exact depth and duration of an IP68 test to the manufacturer to declare — the standard does not fix a single depth for every IP68 product. Always check the datasheet’s stated depth and duration rather than assuming IP68 means the same thing across brands.
Can a connector be IP20 and still be sold for outdoor use? On paper, yes — IP20 only certifies finger-access dust protection with zero water protection, and nothing in the code itself restricts where a product can be marketed. Whether that is appropriate is a buying decision, not a labeling rule; see our heavy duty waterproof connector guide for how to match a rating to an actual outdoor environment.
Why do some datasheets write “IP67 / IP69K” as one rating? That format states two separate, independently passed tests on the same part, not a single combined test. A dual-coded datasheet means the manufacturer ran both the IEC 60529 immersion test and the ISO 20653 high-pressure jet test and the part passed both — it is shorthand for two certificates, not one.
Does a higher first digit always mean better protection than a lower one? Within the first digit’s own 0–6 scale, yes — each step is a strictly higher bar for excluding solid objects, ending at digit 6’s fully dust-tight test. It does not carry over to the second digit; a IP6X-rated enclosure says nothing about its water resistance until the second digit is specified.
