The Complete Pallet Standards Guide — Regional Sizes, Wood vs. Plastic, and ISPM-15

"We lost container space because the pallet size didn't fit" comes up more often than you'd expect in export operations. Pallets rarely show up in a cargo's own CBM calculation, but they directly affect loading efficiency and customs clearance. This guide covers regional standard pallet sizes, the practical differences between wooden and plastic pallets, and ISPM-15 — the regulation every wooden pallet in international shipping must satisfy.

Standard pallet sizes by country/region

Pallet dimensions aren't globally unified — they follow regional logistics conventions:

• Korean Standard (T11): 1,100 × 1,100mm — a square format widely used across Korean and Japanese retail and logistics.
• EU EPAL: 1,200 × 800mm — the standard exchangeable wooden pallet across Europe; it must carry the EPAL certification stamp to be accepted in the official exchange pool.
• EU 1200: 1,200 × 1,000mm — wider than EPAL, often used for bulkier cargo.
• US GMA: 1,219 × 1,016mm (48" × 40") — the Grocery Manufacturers Association standard used across US retail distribution.

Loadable height is separate from the pallet's own thickness (roughly 150mm) — practice typically defaults to around 1,500mm, adjustable up to 5,000mm depending on cargo and transport conditions.

What goes wrong when sizes don't match

How many pallets fit side-by-side across a container's internal width (roughly 2,352mm for both 20ft and 40ft) depends entirely on pallet width. For example, two EU EPAL pallets (800mm width) use 1,600mm, leaving 752mm — not enough room for a third, so that space commonly becomes dead space. By contrast, the Korean standard (1,100×1,100mm) fits exactly two pallets across 2,352mm with much less waste. Matching your destination country's standard pallet size alone can change your loading efficiency.

Wooden pallets vs. plastic pallets

Broken down by category:

• Upfront cost: Wood is significantly cheaper. Plastic typically costs 3–5x more upfront.
• Hygiene: Plastic is easy to wash and disinfect, making it preferred in food and pharmaceutical industries. Wood absorbs moisture, carrying mold and pest risk.
• International shipping regulation: Wood requires ISPM-15 fumigation/heat treatment certification (see below); plastic isn't a plant material, so this regulation simply doesn't apply.
• Durability and repair: Wood can be partially repaired (replace a broken plank); cracked plastic pallets usually have to be scrapped entirely. On the other hand, plastic doesn't warp or rot from moisture, giving it a longer reuse life overall.
• Weight: Plastic is generally lighter, which can help on air and ocean freight where the pallet's own weight counts toward the shipment.

For one-off exports, wood tends to win on cost. For recurring circular logistics (pallet pools shuttling between warehouse and factory, rental pallet programs), plastic often wins on total cost of ownership.

ISPM-15 — the essential regulation for wooden pallets in international shipping

ISPM-15 (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15, set by the International Plant Protection Convention) is the global standard for preventing pests from spreading across borders via wood packaging, and most importing countries have written it into law.

• What's covered: pallets, crates, and dunnage made from raw wood that still retains bark structure (processed wood like plywood or MDF is exempt).
• Treatment methods: heat treatment (HT) is the most widely used; fumigation with methyl bromide (MB) is still permitted in some countries but is being phased out due to environmental regulation.
• Certification mark: treated wood carries the IPPC logo along with a country code, treatment facility number, and treatment code (HT/MB). Wooden pallets without this mark risk being returned, fumigated, or destroyed at customs.
• Caution: even marked pallets can trigger additional inspection if customs finds visible signs of pests (retained bark, insect holes, etc.).

Practical checklist

• Check your destination country's standard pallet size first, and repackage cargo to match it where possible — reducing dead space improves container freight efficiency.
• If using wooden pallets, always confirm ISPM-15 certification (the IPPC mark) with your supplier.
• Plan your full pallet loading layout in advance with the 3D Loading Simulator's pallet presets (Korean Standard/EU EPAL/EU 1200/US GMA).
• When calculating CBM including the pallet, add the pallet's own thickness (roughly 150mm) to cargo height so the figure matches actual loadable container height — enter cargo height plus pallet thickness together in the CBM Calculator.