What Is IP68 Protection Rating? Standards, Protection Ratings, and Applications
Learn what IP68 protection rating means under IEC 60529, how it differs from IP67, what the numbers 6 and 8 represent, and where IP68-rated equipment is commonly used in industrial and outdoor applications.
Becke Telcom
IP68 is an ingress protection rating used to describe how well an enclosure resists the entry of dust and water. It belongs to the IP Code framework defined by IEC 60529, a widely used international standard for electrical and electronic equipment enclosures. In practical terms, IP68 usually tells buyers that a product is fully protected against dust ingress and is designed to withstand continuous immersion in water under conditions specified by the manufacturer.
That last part matters. Many people read IP68 as a simple marketing badge meaning “waterproof,” but the rating is more specific than that. The first digit and the second digit each refer to a different type of protection, and the exact immersion conditions behind the “8” are not universal across all products. A field telephone, industrial intercom, sensor housing, cable enclosure, or outdoor controller may all carry an IP68 rating, yet the approved immersion depth, duration, and installation assumptions may differ from one design to another.
IP68 is commonly used to describe enclosures that must resist both fine dust ingress and continuous water immersion under defined test conditions.
What Does IP68 Mean?
The “IP” in IP68 stands for Ingress Protection. Under IEC 60529, the first digit indicates protection against access to hazardous parts and the ingress of solid foreign objects, while the second digit indicates protection against the ingress of water. In the case of IP68, the first digit is 6 and the second digit is 8.
The first digit, 6, is the highest dust protection level in the standard framework. It means the enclosure is dust-tight under the prescribed test conditions. For equipment used in tunnels, ports, mines, outdoor process plants, roadside installations, or dusty workshops, this is often one of the most important parts of the rating because fine particles can gradually damage electronics, seals, switches, connectors, and moving parts.
The second digit, 8, means the enclosure is suitable for continuous immersion in water, but not under a single universal condition that applies to every product on the market. Instead, IEC 60529 requires the exact test arrangement for IPX8 to be agreed between the manufacturer and the user or otherwise clearly specified by the manufacturer. These conditions must also be more severe than the IPX7 test level. This is why one IP68 device may be rated for 1.5 meters of immersion while another may be validated for a different depth or a different duration.
Which Standards Define IP68?
The main reference for IP68 is IEC 60529, Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code). This standard defines the overall IP Code structure and explains what each numeral means. It is the foundation behind familiar ratings such as IP54, IP65, IP66, IP67, and IP68.
In North America, ANSI/IEC 60529-2020 is an identical national adoption of IEC 60529. This means engineers, integrators, and buyers may see the IP Code discussed in either IEC or ANSI/IEC language depending on the market, documentation set, and product approval path. Even so, the technical idea is the same: the code classifies how an enclosure protects against dust and water intrusion.
It is also important to understand what IEC 60529 does not do. An IP68 marking does not automatically confirm resistance to corrosion, UV exposure, chemical attack, icing, mechanical impact, or hazardous-area ignition risks. Those performance areas often rely on separate standards, product tests, or certifications.
IP68 builds on the dust-tight protection of the first digit 6 and extends water protection beyond IP67 by covering continuous immersion under defined conditions.
How Is IP68 Different from Other IP Ratings?
IP68 vs IP65
IP65 means the enclosure is dust-tight and protected against water jets. It is a strong rating for washdown-prone or outdoor environments, but it does not indicate suitability for immersion. A product that only needs to survive rain, hose-down cleaning, or splashing water may not require IP68.
IP68 vs IP66
IP66 improves the water side of protection to powerful water jets. This is valuable for exposed industrial or transport installations, but again it is still a jet test, not an immersion test. In real projects, IP66 can be entirely sufficient for wall-mounted outdoor equipment that will never be submerged.
IP68 vs IP67
This is the comparison buyers ask about most often. IP67 typically refers to dust-tight protection plus short-term immersion, commonly described in practice as up to 1 meter for 30 minutes. IP68 goes further, but the exact “further” depends on the manufacturer’s declared conditions. So IP68 is not just “a little better than IP67.” It means the product has been designed and tested for continuous immersion at a specified level that exceeds IPX7.
What Are the Protection Ratings Behind IP68?
IP68 contains two separate protection statements in one code:
IP6X: complete protection against dust ingress under the prescribed test conditions
IPX8: protection against the effects of continuous immersion in water under manufacturer-defined or agreed conditions
This is why engineers should avoid reading IP68 as a generic “all-weather” promise. The code says a great deal about dust and water, but not everything about the actual service environment. For example, a product may be IP68 and still need separate confirmation for salt mist, detergent exposure, impact resistance, flameproof design, or long-term connector sealing after repeated opening and closing.
In real procurement work, the smarter question is not only “Is it IP68?” but also “Under what conditions was the IP68 claim tested, and does that match the site?” In offshore, marine-adjacent, underground, washdown, or flood-prone environments, that question is usually more useful than the badge alone.
How Is IP68 Tested in Practice?
The dust side of the rating is relatively straightforward: the enclosure must prevent dust ingress at the level required for numeral 6. The water side is more nuanced. For IPX8, the manufacturer must define the immersion conditions, and those conditions must be more severe than IPX7. That means the exact depth, duration, and sometimes product orientation or installation assumptions should be stated in the technical documentation.
For this reason, two products that both say IP68 are not automatically interchangeable. One may be suitable for long-term submersion in a fixed installation, while another may only be intended for accidental or limited operational immersion. The label looks the same, but the engineering assumptions may be different.
System design matters too. Even when the housing itself is IP68, the final installed assembly can fall below that level if cable glands, connectors, mounting holes, covers, or field modifications are not sealed correctly. In practice, the enclosure rating is only as reliable as the complete assembled system.
Where Is IP68 Commonly Used?
IP68 is commonly selected when equipment may face not only dust and rain but also prolonged or repeated immersion risk. Typical examples include submerged or low-mounted outdoor sensors, utility pit devices, tunnel communication equipment, underground monitoring nodes, portable field units, marine-adjacent terminals, industrial cameras, warning beacons, and ruggedized communication products installed in harsh exposed areas.
In industrial communications, an IP68 rating may be valuable for field devices placed in washdown areas, flood-prone utility corridors, docks, coastal sites, underground infrastructure, or mobile emergency deployments. For example, if an intercom station or call point is mounted where standing water or periodic immersion is possible, IP68 can offer a more suitable enclosure benchmark than IP65 or IP66.
IP68-rated products are often chosen for outdoor and industrial sites where dust ingress and prolonged water exposure are both realistic risks.
What Does IP68 Not Guarantee?
An IP68 rating does not automatically mean the product is ideal for every severe environment. It does not, by itself, certify resistance to impact, vandalism, chemicals, ultraviolet aging, salt corrosion, pressure washing with hot water, hazardous gas or dust ignition, or continuous underwater operation in every possible liquid. Those questions may call for additional ratings such as IK impact classes, corrosion-related material validation, ATEX or IECEx certification, or application-specific environmental testing.
It also does not mean every connector on the product remains IP68 in every state. Some devices achieve the rated protection only when covers are closed, plugs are tightened, and approved mating parts are installed. Others may require special cable glands or manufacturer-approved accessories to preserve the claimed enclosure performance.
IP68 and NEMA Enclosure Types
Another common mistake is to treat IP68 as directly equivalent to a NEMA enclosure type. NEMA itself explains that an IP degree rating is not equivalent to a NEMA Type designation. IP ratings focus on solid foreign object ingress and water ingress, while NEMA Type ratings can also consider other characteristics such as icing, corrosion resistance, lubricant resistance, and construction details.
That means a NEMA enclosure may meet or exceed certain IP requirements, but you should not assume a direct one-to-one conversion in the reverse direction. In projects governed by North American code and product compliance practices, that distinction matters.
How to Evaluate an IP68 Product Before Selection
Check the declared immersion conditions. Ask for the tested depth, duration, and test assumptions behind the IP68 claim.
Review the installation state. Confirm whether the rating applies only when all covers, glands, and connectors are fully assembled.
Match the environment. Determine whether the site risk is splash, jet wash, short-term flooding, or long-term immersion.
Look beyond the IP code. For harsh sites, also review corrosion resistance, impact resistance, temperature range, and any hazardous-area requirements.
Assess the weakest link. Make sure brackets, cable entries, connector seals, and field wiring do not undermine the enclosure’s stated protection.
Applications of IP68 in Different Industries
Industrial Communications
Rugged telephones, intercom stations, broadcast endpoints, alarm call points, and field terminals may use IP68 enclosures when they are exposed to heavy dust, flooding risk, or persistent moisture.
Transport and Infrastructure
Tunnels, rail corridors, roadside cabinets, bridges, and underground utility systems often place electronics in environments where water intrusion is a realistic design consideration.
Energy and Utilities
Monitoring units, junction devices, and remote field equipment may benefit from IP68 when installed in exposed, wet, or buried locations.
Marine-Adjacent and Coastal Installations
Where spray, standing water, and contamination risks overlap, IP68 may be specified together with material and corrosion requirements rather than used alone.
FAQ
Is IP68 better than IP67?
For immersion performance, yes, but only when you compare the actual declared test conditions. IP68 goes beyond IP67, yet the exact depth and duration are manufacturer-defined.
Does IP68 mean waterproof forever?
No. It means the enclosure meets a specific standard condition for dust-tightness and a declared continuous-immersion condition. It does not guarantee unlimited underwater use in every scenario.
Can IP68 replace NEMA ratings?
Not automatically. IP and NEMA are different systems, and NEMA states that IP ratings are not a substitute for enclosure Type ratings in U.S. installations.
Is IP68 enough for industrial outdoor equipment?
Sometimes, but not always. Many outdoor products also need impact resistance, UV stability, corrosion protection, temperature resilience, and reliable cable sealing.
Should I always choose IP68 over IP66?
No. If the equipment will never be immersed, IP66 may be a more practical and cost-effective choice. The best rating is the one that matches the real environment.
Conclusion
IP68 is one of the most widely recognized enclosure ratings in modern electrical and electronic equipment, but it is often oversimplified. In standard terms, it combines dust-tight protection with continuous immersion protection under specified conditions. In engineering terms, it is most useful when it is read carefully rather than romantically. The smart approach is to look beyond the badge, confirm the exact test conditions, and judge whether the complete installed system matches the real risks of the site.
