What is the equivalent NEMA to IP rating or vice-versa?
There are two major electrical manufacturing organizations monitoring product enclosures and/or their degree of protection; each organization also publishes technical manufacturing standards.
A NEMA rating is a standardized classification assigned to electrical enclosures that defines the level of protection the enclosure provides against environmental conditions such as dust, water, and corrosion in non-hazardous locations. NEMA ratings are defined by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and are commonly cross-referenced with IEC IP Codes to support international comparisons.
What does NEMA Standard 250 define?
NEMA Standard 250, published by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, defines enclosure types for non-hazardous locations based on environmental performance requirements. These classifications are referred to as NEMA Types. Always refer to the current edition of NEMA 250 at www.nema.org for the latest version of this standard.
What is an IEC IP Code and how does it relate to NEMA ratings?
IEC Standard 60529, published by the International Electrotechnical Commission, describes the degree of protection an enclosure provides — not the enclosure design itself. IP Codes support and cross-reference NEMA Type designations. (www.iec.ch)
- First digit: degree of protection against the ingress of solid particles
- Second digit: degree of protection against the ingress of liquids
What are the NEMA rating types and their IP Code equivalents?
The table below matches each NEMA Type rating to its approximate IEC IP Code equivalent, with a brief description of the protection each rating provides. This information is drawn from NEMA Standard 250 and IEC Standard 60529.
Important: NEMA and IP ratings are not direct equivalencies. NEMA enclosure types address additional performance requirements — such as corrosion resistance, protection against ice formation, and gasket integrity under pressure — that are not fully covered by IP codes. An enclosure meeting a given NEMA rating may satisfy the corresponding IP code's ingress requirements, but an enclosure rated only to an IP code does not automatically meet the full requirements of its listed NEMA equivalent. Always verify compliance against the applicable standard for your specific application.
| NEMA Rating | IP Equivalent | NEMA Definition | IP Against Objects | IP Against Liquids |
| 1 | IP10 | Enclosures constructed for indoor use; to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment and to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt | 1 = Protected against solid foreign objects of 5 cm (2 in) diameter and greater | 0 = Not protected |
| 2 | IP11 | Enclosures constructed for indoor use; to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt, and to provide a degree of protection against dripping and light splashing of liquids | 1 = Protected against solid foreign objects of 5 cm (2 in) diameter and greater | 1 = Protected against vertically falling water drops |
| 3 | IP54 | Enclosures constructed for indoor or outdoor use; to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt, rain, sleet, snow and windblown dust; and that will be undamaged by external formation of ice on the enclosure | 5 = Protected against dust; limited to ingress (no harmful deposit) | 4 = Protected against water sprayed from all directions; limited to ingress permitted |
| 3R | IP14 | Enclosures constructed for indoor or outdoor use; to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt, rain, sleet and snow; and that will be undamaged by external formation of ice on the enclosure | 1 = Protected against solid foreign objects of 5 cm (2 in) diameter and greater | 4 = Protected against water sprayed from all directions; limited to ingress permitted |
| 3S | IP54 | Enclosures constructed for indoor or outdoor use; to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt, rain, sleet, snow and windblown dust; and in which the external mechanism(s) remain operable when ice laden | 5 = Protected against dust; limited to ingress (no harmful deposit) | 4 = Protected against water sprayed from all directions; limited to ingress permitted |
| 4 | IP56 | Enclosures constructed for indoor or outdoor use; to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt, rain, sleet, snow, windblown dust, splashing water and hose-directed water; and that will be undamaged by external formation of ice on the enclosure | 5 = Protected against dust; limited to ingress (no harmful deposit) | 6 = Protected against strong jets of water from all directions; limited to ingress permitted |
| 4X | IP56 | Enclosures constructed for indoor or outdoor use; to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt, rain, sleet, snow, windblown dust, splashing water and hose-directed water, and corrosion; and that will be undamaged by external formation of ice on the enclosure | 5 = Protected against dust; limited to ingress (no harmful deposit) | 6 = Protected against strong jets of water from all directions; limited to ingress permitted |
| 5 | IP52 | Enclosures constructed for indoor use; to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt; against settling airborne dust, lint, fibers and flyings: and to provide a degree of protection against dripping and light splashing of liquids | 5 = Protected against dust; limited to ingress (no harmful deposit) | 2 = Protected against direct sprays of water up to 15° from the vertical |
| 6 | IP67 | Enclosures constructed for indoor or outdoor use; to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt; against hose-directed water and the entry of water during occasional temporary submersion at a limited depth; and that will be undamaged by external formation of ice on the enclosure | 6 = Totally protected against entry of dust | 7 = Protected against effects of submersion from 15 cm (6 in) to 1 m (3 ft) |
| 6P | IP68 | Enclosures constructed for indoor or outdoor use; to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt; against hose-directed water and the entry of water during occasional prolonged submersion at a limited depth; and that will be undamaged by external formation of ice on the enclosure | 6 = Totally protected against entry of dust | 8 = Protected against the effects of occasional submersion in water, up to 10 m (33 ft) |
| 12 | IP52 | Enclosures constructed (without knockouts) for indoor use; to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt; against circulating dust, lint, fibers and flyings, and to provide a degree of protection against dripping and light splashing of liquids | 5 = Protected against dust; limited to ingress (no harmful deposit) | 2 = Protected against direct sprays of water up to 15° from the vertical |
| 12K | IP52 | Enclosures constructed with knockout(s) for indoor use; to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt; against circulating dust, lint, fibers and flyings, and to provide a degree of protection against dripping and light splashing of liquids | 5 = Protected against dust; limited to ingress (no harmful deposit) | 2 = Protected against direct sprays of water up to 15° from the vertical |
| 13 | IP54 | Enclosures constructed for indoor use; to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt; against circulating dust, lint, fibers and flyings: and against the spraying, splashing and seepage of water, oil and non-corrosive coolants. | 5 = Protected against dust; limited to ingress (no harmful deposit) | 4 = Protected against water sprayed from all directions; limited to ingress permitted |