Reminder: Temporary Suspension of ISPM 15 Hyphen Requirement Ends December 31, 2025

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reminds stakeholders that the temporary suspension of the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM 15) hyphen requirement will end on December 31, 2025.

Since March, APHIS and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have not taken regulatory action on shipments solely missing the hyphen after the country code. Starting January 1, 2026, APHIS and CBP will resume enforcement of this requirement. All other ISPM 15 provisions have remained in effect throughout the suspension and will continue to be enforced.

We encourage importers, trading partners, and wood packaging material manufacturers to use this time to ensure markings fully comply with ISPM 15 Annex 2, including the required hyphen separating the two-letter country code from the producer code. This detail is essential for maintaining program integrity and preventing fraudulent markings.

APHIS appreciates your continued partnership in protecting plant health and supporting safe, efficient trade.