APHIS and CBP to Resume ISPM 15 Hyphen Requirement in January
USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said the temporary suspension of the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM 15) hyphen requirement will end on Dec. 31 of this year.
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Between March and Dec. 31, APHIS and CBP have not taken regulatory action on shipments solely missing the hyphen after the country code, APHIS said in a Nov. 20 notice. However, starting Jan. 1, 2026, the two agencies will resume enforcement of this requirement, APHIS said. All other ISPM 15 provisions have remained in effect throughout the suspension and will continue to be enforced, APHIS continued.
"We encourage importers, trading partners, and wood packaging material manufacturers to take this time to ensure markings are fully compliant with ISPM 15 Annex 2, including the mandated hyphen separating the two-letter country code from the producer code," APHIS said. "This detail is critical for maintaining the integrity of the program and preventing fraudulent markings."