IP65 vs IP67: Which Do You Really Need?
Both are dust-tight, but only one survives immersion. We compare water-jet resistance against submersion to help you decide.
IP65 and IP67 are two of the most popular outdoor ratings, and both are dust-tight (first digit 6). The critical difference is the second digit.
IP65 resists low-pressure water jets projected by a 6.3 mm nozzle at 30 kPa. This handles ordinary rain and directed splashing, but the device must not be submerged.
IP67 goes further: it withstands temporary immersion up to 1 meter for 30 minutes. This makes it suitable for devices that may be dropped in puddles, used in flooding, or rinsed in a sink.
If your device will only see rain and spray—such as a wall-mounted camera or outdoor light—IP65 is usually sufficient and more cost-effective. If it might be submerged or heavily flooded, choose IP67.
A common misconception is that IP67 is automatically better at jets. In fact, IP67's test is immersion, not jets. Some manufacturers dual-rate devices as IP66/IP67 to cover both powerful jets and immersion.