The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is alerting importers and supply chain stakeholders that the temporary pause on enforcing the hyphen requirement in ISPM-15 markings will officially end on December 31, 2025.
ISPM-15, the international standard governing wood packaging material, requires that the two-letter country code and the facility identifier within the stamp be separated by a hyphen. Earlier this year, APHIS suspended enforcement after a notable increase in shipments arriving without the required hyphen, allowing trade partners time to correct stamping practices.
Starting January 1, 2026, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agriculture Specialists will resume full enforcement, meaning that wood packaging lacking the proper hyphenated format will be deemed non-compliant and may be subject to regulatory action.
APHIS is urging importers, manufacturers, exporters, and logistics partners to use the remaining time to verify that all wood packaging materials comply with ISPM-15 Annex 2, including the precise formatting of the mark. The agency stresses that this seemingly minor detail plays an important role in program integrity, traceability, and the prevention of fraudulent or misleading stamps.
Businesses relying on wood packaging in global trade are encouraged to audit their supply chains now to avoid delays or penalties once enforcement resumes.
