The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is reminding the trade community that the temporary suspension of the hyphen requirement for ISPM‑15 markings on Wood Packaging Material will end on Dec. 31, 2025.
What is the ISPM-15 hyphen requirement? It is a component of the international standard that mandates a hyphen to separate the country code from the facility code in the compliance mark.
In March, APHIS temporarily suspended enforcement of the hyphen requirement due to so many shipments arriving with no hyphen.
Commencing Jan. 1, 2026, all Wood Packaging Material (WPM) must fully comply with the ISPM-15 hyphen.
For more information: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-imports/wood-packaging-material/import