US IP67 means an enclosure is dust-tight (the first digit, “6” — no ingress of dust at all) and protected against temporary submersion (the second digit, “7” — fully submerged in water with no ingress that would compromise function, under specified conditions). It is the standard rating for field-deployed industrial computers that might face brief submersion in normal use: agricultural equipment, military field hardware, marine bilge installations, and outdoor sensor platforms.
The North American equivalent is NEMA 6 under the NEMA 250 enclosure type system — also covering occasional submersion at limited depth, and widely used alongside IP67 in dual-marked specifications.
How IP67 is tested
The IP67 test method is specified in IEC 60529 (adopted in the United Kingdom as BS EN 60529 and in the United States as ANSI/IEC 60529). The test conditions are identical across all three. The enclosure is fully submerged in water at a depth such that the top of the device is at least 150 mm below the water surface — or, for larger enclosures, the bottom of the device is at 1 meter below the surface. The submersion duration is 30 minutes. The water is at ambient temperature. After the test the enclosure is removed, dried externally, and opened for inspection. Any water ingress that could compromise safe operation fails the test.
The dust-tightness portion of the test (the “6” digit) is identical to IP65 and IP66 — partial-vacuum talcum-powder chamber for 8 hours, with any dust ingress failing the rating.
The 1-metre / 30-minute envelope is the standard. For the full IP rating structure and how IP67 fits within the IP65-to-IP69K range, see our overview of ingress protection ratings. For deeper or longer submersion than IP67 covers, specify IP68 — which has manufacturer-specified test conditions beyond the IP67 baseline.
When IP67 is the right specification
IP67 is appropriate for industrial computing deployments where the equipment is field-deployed and might face brief, accidental, or routine submersion in normal operation:
For equipment that will be permanently or repeatedly submerged for longer than 30 minutes, IP67 is not sufficient — specify IP68.
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Agricultural equipment. sensor platforms, in-vehicle computers on tractors or harvesters (operating to USA / EU machinery directives or US ASABE standards), irrigation control systems that might face standing water, equipment that could ford a stream during normal use.
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Military and defense field deployments. vehicle-mounted computers, soldier-portable equipment, field communications that must survive immersion during fording or weather extremes. USA DEF STAN and US MIL-STD-810G water immersion tests both align with the IP67 envelope.
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Marine bilge and below-deck installations. equipment in spaces that might briefly flood or routinely see standing water during heavy seas. USA MCA / Lloyd's Register and US USCG / ABS marine approvals layer on top of IP67 for vessels under their jurisdiction.
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Outdoor sensor platforms. environmental monitoring, infrastructure sensors (UK Highways England, US DOT installations), equipment in flood-prone locations.
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Outdoor unattended equipment. kiosks, telematics, smart-city installations where rain accumulation or temporary submersion is a real failure mode.
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Logistics and warehousing. forklift-mounted computers and vehicle-mount terminals that might be exposed to wash-down or brief immersion during cleaning.
IP67 vs IP65/IP66 — when submersion matters
The fundamental difference between IP67 and the IPx5/IPx6 ratings is the type of water exposure:
A device rated IP66 will survive driving rain and cleaning jets but may fail when fully submerged, because submersion creates static water pressure that water jets do not. Conversely, a device rated IP67 has been tested for submersion but not for high-pressure jets — though in practice, most IP67-rated industrial computers also meet IP66’s jet test, since the construction needed for submersion protection generally exceeds the construction needed for jet protection.
For deployments where both daily cleaning and occasional submersion are realistic — agricultural equipment cleaned with pressure washers and occasionally fording streams — look for combined ratings like IP66/IP67 or IP67/IP69K.
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IPx5 / IPx6. water jets at the surface. The enclosure is sprayed from outside; the test simulates rain, splashes, or cleaning.
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IPx7. full submersion. The enclosure is immersed; the test simulates being dropped in water or rolled over in a stream.
NEMA equivalent
IP67 corresponds approximately to NEMA 6 in the North American enclosure type system. NEMA 6 covers occasional submersion at limited depth, similar to IP67’s 1-metre / 30-minute envelope. NEMA 6P covers prolonged submersion, which corresponds more closely to IP68.
For equipment supplied into both USA and US markets, dual specification — “IP67 / NEMA 6” — clearly satisfies both specification frameworks.
Common misunderstandings
A few points where IP67 specification commonly goes wrong:
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IP67 is not "submersible for an hour" or "submersible at 2 metres". The IEC 60529 IP67 specification covers exactly 1 meter depth for exactly 30 minutes. Deeper or longer submersion requires IP68 with manufacturer-specified conditions.
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IP67 does not guarantee performance during submersion. only after. Some IP67-rated equipment will fail when operated underwater (touchscreens may not respond, displays may not be readable), but the rating only requires that the device function correctly after the submersion test ends.
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IP67 is not the same as "waterproof to 1 m". The IP67 test is performed in still, ambient-temperature water. Flowing water, agitated water, hot water, or chemically-active water can defeat the seal even at less than 1 m depth.
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Higher number ≠ broader protection. IP69K is more demanding than IP67 in pressure and temperature, but does NOT cover submersion. The two ratings address different scenarios — they are not on a single linear scale.
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IP67 seal performance degrades with age and abuse. Gaskets harden, threaded enclosures loosen, panel cut-outs work against panel-mount seals. IP67-rated equipment in continuous outdoor service should be inspected per the manufacturer's service schedule.
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IP67 alone does not satisfy MIL-STD-810G or DEF STAN. Defense procurement under USA DEF STAN or US MIL-STD-810G specifies water immersion as one of many environmental tests — IP67 covers the immersion envelope but does not address vibration, shock, temperature cycling, or salt fog. Those are separate test methods that layer on top.
Things Embedded IP67 equipment
Things Embedded supplies IP67-rated industrial computers, in-vehicle systems, marine equipment, and outdoor sensor platforms across agricultural, defense, marine and outdoor industrial deployments — in USA and US markets. IP67 equipment typically comes with M12 connectors for waterproof I/O, dual IP67 / NEMA 6 specification for North American buyers, and combined ratings (IP67/IP69K or IP66/IP67) where the deployment demands it.
If you would like help specifying the right IP67 build for your deployment, send us:
…and we will shortlist practical options. Call +1 407 214 9446 or email sales@things-embedded.com.
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Submersion scenario. accidental fording, routine submersion during cleaning, or permanent partial immersion.
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Mounting and orientation. vehicle, fixed outdoor, marine bilge, agricultural implement.
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I/O list. and connector tolerance (M12 is standard for IP67 build).
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Approval requirements. MIL-STD-810G / DEF STAN for defense, MCA / USCG for marine.
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Lifecycle expectations. years in service, gasket-replacement schedule tolerance.