IP codes are widely used to indicate the degree of water-proof and dustproof properties of electric equipment. IP is an abbreviation for International Protection. Electrical and mechanical products for outdoors use as well as portable equipment for industrial, office, and home use benefits greatly from evaluating its protection against foreign matter and water intrusion. The IP codes defined in IEC 60529 classifies the degree of protection against the ingress of foreign material (including steel balls, copper wire, dirt and dust, water) into the enclosure of electrical and mechanical products. The first digit (0 to 6) indicates the level of protection that the enclosure provides against the ingress of solid objects such as tools, wires, hands, fingers or dust and the second digit (0 to 8) indicates the level of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against the ingress of water. For example, IP54 means that the level of protection against the ingress of solid objects is 5 and the level of protection against the ingress of liquid is 4.
| 0 | No special protection |
| 1 | Protected against solid objects 50 mm or larger, for example, accidental contact by a hand |
| 2 | Protected against solid objects 12.5 mm or larger, for example, fingers. |
| 3 | Protected against solid objects 2.5 mm or larger (tools and wires). |
| 4 | Protected against solid objects 1 mm or larger (tools, wires, and small wires). |
| 5 | Protected against the ingress of harmful dust. |
| 6 | Totally protected against dust. |
| 0 | No special protection |
| 1 | Protected against vertically falling drops of water. |
| 2 | Protected against vertically dripping water at an angle of up to 15° from the vertical. |
| 3 | Protected against water falling as a spray at an angle of up to 60° from the vertical. |
| 4 | Protected against splashing water from all directions. |
| 5 | Protected against a low pressure jet of water (12.5L/min) from all directions. |
| 6 | Protected against temporary flooding with water (100L/min), for example, for use on ship decks. |
| 7 | Protected against the effects of immersion 1 m. |
| 8 | Shall be more severe than those prescribed in IPX7. (e.g. Protection from more than depth of the water 1.5m or 1 hour) |
| 9 | Protected against hot water (80° C) jets at a rate of 15 liters per minute for 30 seconds from four directions through a specified rotating nozzle. |