What is the difference between IP67, IP68 and IP69K?

Under IEC 60529, IPX7 is temporary immersion for 30 minutes, with the lowest point of an enclosure under 850 mm tall held 1 m below the surface (or the top 0.15 m below for taller enclosures). IPX8 is continuous immersion under conditions agreed between manufacturer and user that must be more severe than IPX7. IP69K is road-vehicle notation from ISO 20653, where 9K is a high-pressure or steam-jet cleaning test; IEC 60529 has its own numeral 9 (IPX9, added by Amendment 2 in 2013) without a K. None of the three implies the others: jets and immersion are separate tests.

Is an IP rating a regulatory mark like the CE marking?

No. The IP code is a classification of enclosure performance, not a conformity mark, and IEC 60529 leaves marking rules to the product standard. In the EU, EN 60529 (with A1:2000 and A2:2013) is listed as a harmonised standard under the Low Voltage Directive in Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2723, so tests to it support presumption of conformity for the safety objectives it covers, but a product still needs the full LVD or other applicable assessment before it can carry the CE marking.

Does a higher IP number always mean better protection?

No. IEC 60529 says that up to and including numeral 6 a water digit implies all lower ones, but an enclosure marked only IPX7 or IPX8 is considered unsuitable for water jets and need not meet IPX5 or IPX6. If both matter the enclosure is dual coded, for example IPX5/IPX7 or IPX6/IPX8. ISO 20653 applies the same rule to 7, 8 and 9K, with examples such as IPX6K/IPX9K.

What does the X mean in a rating like IPX7 or IP6X?

IEC 60529 clause 4.1 says a characteristic numeral that is not required to be specified is replaced by X (XX if both are omitted). IPX7 states only the water protection; IP6X states only the solids and access protection. A real digit should only be written where the corresponding requirement has been verified.

How is an IP rating tested?

Access and solid-object probes are pushed against openings with fixed forces (50 N for the 50 mm sphere, 30 N for the 12.5 mm sphere, 10 N for the jointed finger, 3 N for the 2.5 mm rod, 1 N for the 1.0 mm wire). Digits 5 and 6 use a talcum-powder dust chamber, with an internal depression of at most 2 kPa for category 1 enclosures. Water digits use a drip box, oscillating tube or spray nozzle, 6.3 mm and 12.5 mm hose nozzles and an immersion tank, each with the flow, distance and duration fixed in Table 8 of the standard. Whether the sample is energised is set by the product standard, or by the manufacturer instructions if the product standard is silent.

What is the IK code and how does it relate to IP?

The IK code of IEC 62262 classifies protection against external mechanical impacts by impact energy, from IK01 (0.14 J) to IK10 (20 J), and since Amendment 1 of September 2021 to IK11 (50 J). IK00 means not protected according to the standard. It is a separate code from IP, but Amendment 1 links them: unless the product standard says otherwise, no impact damage may impair the specified IP code.

Do IP ratings expire or need retesting?

Neither IEC 60529 nor IEC 62262 sets an expiry date. The rating describes the type that was tested, so a design change that affects the enclosure (a new connector, a moved vent, a different gasket) means the old report no longer describes the product for that area and the change should be assessed, and retested where needed.

IP and IK ratings: ingress protection explained

Hugues Orgitelloupdated 7 Oct 202615 min read

An IP code says what an enclosure keeps out: fingers, tools, wires, dust and water. An IK code says how much impact energy it takes from outside without losing that protection. The IP code is defined by IEC 60529, still at edition 2.2 (the 1989 text with Amendment 1 of 1999 and Amendment 2 of 2013, which added IPX9). The IK code is defined by IEC 62262, whose Amendment 1 of September 2021 added IK11 at 50 joules. Road vehicles use a third text, ISO 20653, whose "K" codes such as IPX9K are not in IEC 60529. This guide gives the test parameters behind every digit as the standards state them, and lists the common readings that the texts contradict.

The three texts and where they stand

Text	Current version	Key dates	What changed recently
IEC 60529 (IP code, IEC TC 70)	Edition 2.2, consolidated version	Edition 2: November 1989. Amendment 1: November 1999. Amendment 2: August 2013 (consolidated version published August 29, 2013). Last corrigendum folded in: January 2019	Amendment 2 introduced IPX9 and, in its own words, made no modifications to the existing degrees. The IEC online catalogue gives a stability date of 2027
IEC 62262 (IK code, IEC TC 70)	Edition 1.1, consolidated version	Edition 1: February 2002, based on CENELEC EN 50102. Amendment 1: September 2021 (consolidated version published September 3, 2021)	Amendment 1 added IK11 (50 J), a default acceptance criterion tied to the IP code, and replaced the dated references with undated ones to IEC 60068-1 and IEC 60068-2-75. Stability date shown: 2026
ISO 20653 (road vehicles, ISO/TC 22/SC 32)	Third edition	August 2023, replacing ISO 20653:2013	IPX9K test conditions extended, impact-force measurement method and tolerances added, test set-up details added for water degrees 3, 4 and 4K
EN 60529 in the EU	EN 60529:1991 with A1:2000 and A2:2013 and corrigenda	Listed as entry 260 in Annex I of Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2723 (OJ of December 13, 2023), still listed in the consolidated text of April 30, 2026	Harmonised under the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU. EN 62262 is not on that list

What the IP code is, and what it is not

The code letters IP stand for International Protection, the wording used in clause 4.1 of IEC 60529. The standard covers enclosures for electrical equipment with a rated voltage not exceeding 72.5 kV and classifies three things: protection of persons against access to hazardous parts, protection of the equipment against solid foreign objects (including dust), and protection of the equipment against harmful ingress of water.

A full code reads like this:

IP   2   3   C   H
│    │   │   │   └─ supplementary letter (optional: H, M, S, W)
│    │   │   └──── additional letter (optional: A, B, C, D)
│    │   └──────── second characteristic numeral (water, 0 to 9, or X)
│    └──────────── first characteristic numeral (solids and access, 0 to 6, or X)
└───────────────── code letters

Three points from the text matter before any detail:

The scope excludes impact. Clause 1 lists mechanical impacts, corrosion, solvents, fungus, vermin, solar radiation, icing, condensation and explosive atmospheres as matters for the relevant product standard. Impact is what IEC 62262 covers.
Marking is not defined in IEC 60529. Clause 10 says marking requirements belong in the relevant product standard, including how to mark different degrees on different parts, the influence of mounting position, and the maximum immersion depth and time.
It is a classification, not a mark. An IP code is not part of the CE marking. In the EU, EN 60529 is nevertheless a cited harmonised standard under the Low Voltage Directive, so tests to it support presumption of conformity for the safety objectives it covers, inside the wider LVD assessment.

The first characteristic numeral: access and solids

The first numeral runs from 0 to 6 and certifies two things at once (clause 5): the access probe keeps adequate clearance from hazardous parts, and the object probe does not get in. A numeral may only be claimed if all lower numerals are also met.

Numeral	Solid objects (Table 2)	Object probe and force (Table 7)	Access (Table 1)	Access probe and force (Table 6)
0	Not protected	No test	Not protected	No test
1	≥ 50 mm	Rigid sphere 50 mm, 50 N, must not fully pass	Back of the hand	Sphere 50 mm, 50 N
2	≥ 12.5 mm	Rigid sphere 12.5 mm, 30 N, must not fully pass	Finger	Jointed test finger 12 mm diameter, 80 mm long, 10 N
3	≥ 2.5 mm	Steel rod 2.5 mm, 3 N, must not penetrate	Tool	Rod 2.5 mm, 100 mm long, 3 N
4	≥ 1.0 mm	Steel rod 1.0 mm, 1 N, must not penetrate	Wire	Wire 1.0 mm, 100 mm long, 1 N
5	Dust-protected	Dust chamber, with or without depression	Wire	Wire 1.0 mm, 1 N
6	Dust-tight	Dust chamber, with depression	Wire	Wire 1.0 mm, 1 N

For low-voltage equipment, adequate clearance is checked with a 40 V to 50 V signal circuit and lamp between probe and hazardous parts: the lamp must not light (12.2, 12.3.1). For high-voltage equipment the probe is placed in the worst position and the equipment must pass the dielectric tests of its product standard (12.3.2).

Dust-protected (5) does not stop all dust: talcum powder must not accumulate in a quantity or place that could interfere with correct operation or impair safety, and, except where the product standard says otherwise, must not deposit where it could lead to tracking along creepage distances (13.5.2). Dust-tight (6) passes only if no deposit of dust is observable inside at the end of the test (13.6.2).

The dust chamber in figures

Clause 13.4 fixes the test, not the lab:

Dust: talcum powder able to pass a square-mesh sieve with 50 µm nominal wire and 75 µm nominal gap, 2 kg per cubic metre of chamber volume, used for no more than 20 tests.
Category 1 (normal working cycle lowers internal pressure, for example through thermal cycling): a vacuum pump draws 80 enclosure volumes of air through the sample, at no more than 60 volumes per hour and a depression of no more than 2 kPa (20 mbar). With 40 to 60 volumes per hour the test lasts 2 hours; below 40 volumes per hour at 2 kPa it continues until 80 volumes or 8 hours.
Category 2 (no pressure difference): no vacuum pump, drain holes left open, 8 hours.
Which category: for numeral 5 the enclosure is category 1 unless the product standard says category 2; for numeral 6 it is always category 1, whether a depression occurs in service or not.

The second characteristic numeral: water

Every water test uses fresh water. For IPX1 to IPX6 the water should be within 5 K of the sample temperature, and if it is more than 5 K colder a pressure balance must be provided. Condensation from moisture already inside must not be mistaken for ingress (14.2). The parameters below are from Table 8 and clauses 14.2.1 to 14.2.8.

Numeral	Protection	Apparatus	Flow and set-up	Duration
0	Not protected	None	None	None
1	Vertically dripping water	Drip box, sample on turntable at 1 r/min	1 mm/min (+0.5)	10 min
2	Dripping water, enclosure tilted up to 15°	Drip box, 4 fixed tilt positions	3 mm/min (+0.5)	2.5 min per position, 10 min total
3	Spraying water up to 60° from vertical	Oscillating tube (±60°) or hand-held spray nozzle with shield	Tube: 0.07 l/min per hole. Nozzle: 10 l/min, 50 to 150 kPa	Tube: 5 min, turn 90°, 5 min more. Nozzle: 1 min/m², at least 5 min
4	Splashing water from any direction	Oscillating tube (±180°) or spray nozzle without shield	As numeral 3	Tube: 10 min. Nozzle: 1 min/m², at least 5 min
5	Water jets	Hose nozzle 6.3 mm	12.5 l/min ±5 %, 2.5 m to 3 m	1 min/m², at least 3 min
6	Powerful water jets	Hose nozzle 12.5 mm	100 l/min ±5 %, 2.5 m to 3 m	1 min/m², at least 3 min
7	Temporary immersion	Immersion tank	Enclosure under 850 mm tall: lowest point 1 m below surface. 850 mm or taller: highest point 0.15 m below surface	30 min
8	Continuous immersion	Immersion tank	Agreed between manufacturer and user, more severe than numeral 7	By agreement
9	High-pressure, high-temperature water jets	Fan-jet nozzle, impact-force check, turntable rig for small enclosures	Added by Amendment 2 (2013), clause 14.2.9	See below

Two rules from clause 6 decide most specification arguments:

Up to numeral 6, a digit includes the lower ones. IPX6 implies IPX1 to IPX5.
Numerals 7 and 8 do not include jets. An enclosure designated only IPX7 or IPX8 "is considered unsuitable for exposure to water jets" and need not meet numeral 5 or 6. If it must survive both, it is dual coded: IPX5/IPX7, IPX6/IPX7, IPX5/IPX8 or IPX6/IPX8 for "versatile" application. A plain IPX7 or IPX8 is "restricted" application.

The standard also warns, in clause 6, that protection may not be satisfactory where cleaning uses high pressure or solvents. That is the gap IPX9 and the ISO 20653 K codes address.

IPX9 and IPX9K

The IEC 60529 contents list for clause 14.2.9 shows the apparatus: a fan-jet nozzle with defined dimensions, a set-up to measure the impact force of the jet, and a turntable device for small enclosures. Test laboratories summarise the IEC and ISO conditions as water at 80 °C ±5 °C, 14 to 16 l/min, about 80 to 100 bar, nozzle 100 mm to 150 mm from the surface, at 0°, 30°, 60° and 90° for 30 seconds each on a turntable at 5 r/min for small enclosures (secondary source; the full clause is not freely available). The 2023 edition of ISO 20653 states that it extended the IPX9K test conditions and added an impact-force measurement method with tolerances, so an IPX9 report to IEC 60529 and an IPX9K report to ISO 20653:2023 should not be assumed interchangeable without comparing the conditions.

The optional letters

Additional letter (access to hazardous parts)

Clause 7 allows a letter A, B, C or D only when the actual access protection is higher than the first numeral indicates, or when only access protection is stated (first numeral replaced by X).

Letter	Access probe (Table 6)	Meaning
A	Sphere 50 mm, 50 N	Protected against access with the back of the hand
B	Jointed test finger 12 mm, 80 mm long, 10 N	Protected against access with a finger
C	Rod 2.5 mm, 100 mm long, 3 N	Protected against access with a tool
D	Wire 1.0 mm, 100 mm long, 1 N	Protected against access with a wire

For C and D the probe may penetrate to its full length, but its stop face must not pass through the opening and clearance must be kept (15.3).

Supplementary letter

Letter	Meaning in IEC 60529 clause 8
H	High-voltage apparatus
M	Tested for water ingress with movable parts (for example a motor rotor) in motion
S	Tested for water ingress with movable parts stationary
W	Suitable for use under specified weather conditions, with additional protective features or processes

Where more than one supplementary letter is used they go in alphabetical order. If neither S nor M is given, the rating must hold whether parts move or not.

The X placeholder. Clause 4.1: "Where a characteristic numeral is not required to be specified, it shall be replaced by the letter X" (XX if both are omitted). IP2X, IPX5 and IPXXC are all valid. Additional and supplementary letters can simply be omitted.

ISO 20653: the road-vehicle IP code

ISO 20653 states in its introduction that its IP codes follow IEC 60529 "except in the case of codes K", which describe road-vehicle requirements not covered by IEC 60529. Differences that show up in specifications:

Point	IEC 60529	ISO 20653:2023
Dust digits	5 and 6, talcum powder	5K and 6K, with ISO 12103-1 Arizona test dust as a normative reference
Extra water degrees	None	4K (splash with increased pressure), 6K (strong jets with increased pressure), 9K (high-pressure or steam-jet cleaning)
Highest water numeral	9 (IPX9)	9K (IPX9K)
Supplementary letters	H, M, S, W	M and S only
Immersion agreement for 8	Manufacturer and user	Supplier and vehicle manufacturer
Which degrees include lower ones	Up to 6	Up to 6K. Degrees 7, 8 and 9K do not, so dual codes such as IPX6K/IPX9K or IPX4K/IPX7 are used

The popular "IP69K" is therefore shorthand. Written to ISO 20653 it is IP6K9K, a dust-tight 6K first digit with a 9K water digit.

The IK code: resistance to mechanical impact

IEC 62262 classifies protection of the equipment inside an enclosure against harmful external mechanical impacts. Since Amendment 1 (September 2021) the characteristic group numeral runs from 00 to 11:

IK code	IK00	IK01	IK02	IK03	IK04	IK05	IK06	IK07	IK08	IK09	IK10	IK11
Impact energy (J)	Not protected	0.14	0.2	0.35	0.5	0.7	1	2	5	10	20	50

The amendment notes that IK11 can be specified on special enclosures or protection grids for extremely harsh outdoor applications, and that it does not replace the sandbag test where a product standard calls for one. The two-digit format was chosen to avoid confusion with older national schemes that used a single numeral.

What the standard fixes, and what it leaves to the product standard:

Topic	IEC 62262:2002+AMD1:2021
Test type	Type test (6.1)
Apparatus	One of the hammers in IEC 60068-2-75 (pendulum, spring or vertical hammer); the product standard chooses (5.3, 7). IEC 62262 itself gives energies only, no hammer mass or drop height
Number of impacts	Five on each exposed face unless the product standard says otherwise, evenly distributed, never more than three near the same point (6.4)
Mounting	Rigid support, displacement no more than 0.1 mm under an impact of the rated energy (6.3)
Conditions	15 °C to 35 °C, 86 kPa to 106 kPa; above 2 000 m altitude the fall height is adjusted to keep the energy (5.1)
Acceptance	Set by the product standard; failing that, since Amendment 1, "no damage is accepted that impairs the specified IP code" (6.5)
Scope	Rated voltage not greater than 72.5 kV. The 2002 sentence limiting the standard to equipment whose product standard sets impact degrees is not in the scope text that Amendment 1 substituted

The code is separate from IP and neither implies the other, but the default acceptance criterion now ties them: an IK claim on an enclosure that also has an IP code is only met if the IP code survives the impacts.

Claims the texts contradict

Common claim (including on earlier versions of this page)	What the text says
The IK scale ends at IK10 (20 J)	Amendment 1 to IEC 62262 (September 2021) added IK11 at 50 J
IEC 62262 specifies a polyamide hammer and a mass and drop height per IK level	IEC 62262 fixes the energy. The apparatus comes from IEC 60068-2-75 and the product standard selects it
IPX9K is an IEC 60529 rating	IEC 60529 has numeral 9 with no K (Amendment 2, 2013). K codes (5K and 6K for dust, 4K, 6K and 9K for water) belong to ISO 20653
IPX9 and IPX9K are the same test	ISO 20653:2023 extended the IPX9K conditions and added impact-force measurement with tolerances. Compare the conditions before reusing a report
IPX7 or IPX8 covers jets as well	Clause 6: an enclosure marked only 7 or 8 is unsuitable for jets and need not meet 5 or 6. Dual code it (IPX6/IPX7) if both apply
IPX7 means 1 m for 30 minutes, full stop	1 m to the lowest point applies to enclosures under 850 mm tall; taller ones have the top 0.15 m below the surface; water within 5 K of the equipment
X means "tested and failed" or "not tested"	X replaces a numeral that is "not required to be specified" (4.1)
Water tests are always done with the product switched off	The product standard specifies whether the sample is energised; without it, the manufacturer instructions apply (11.2)
The dust test is the same in IEC 60529 and ISO 20653	IEC uses talcum powder; ISO 20653:2023 lists ISO 12103-1 Arizona test dust as a normative reference for its 5K and 6K degrees
IP has no status in EU law	EN 60529:1991 with A1 and A2 is a cited harmonised standard under the LVD (Decision (EU) 2023/2723, entry 260). It is still not a mark and not an assessment on its own
IEC 60529 covers impact and condensation	Clause 1 leaves mechanical impact, condensation, corrosion, icing and solar radiation to the product standard

How to specify, test and legitimately claim a rating

Specify from the environment and the cleaning regime

Start from the service conditions, then translate them into digits:

Dust: decide whether limited dust ingress is tolerable (5) or not (6). Numeral 6 is always tested as category 1, with depression.
Rain and hosing: jets mean 5 or 6. Immersion means 7 or 8, and adding 7 or 8 does not remove the need to state 5 or 6.
High-pressure or hot cleaning: IPX9 under IEC 60529, or IPX9K under ISO 20653 for road vehicles, usually alongside a jet or immersion code.
Impact: choose an IK energy and check whether the product standard sets the hammer, points of impact and acceptance criteria.
IPX8: write down depth and time, because the standard only says "by agreement, more severe than 7".

Test the assembled product

The tests are type tests on samples in clean, new condition, with all parts in place and mounted as the manufacturer states (11.2). Where an empty enclosure was tested, the manufacturer of the final assembly must make sure the finished product still meets the declared degree (11.5). Component ratings on glands, connectors and membranes are inputs, not the answer. The equipment under test mounting, energised state and moving parts should follow the product standard. A laboratory accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 for the method gives the report weight in a technical file or a customer audit, although neither IEC 60529 nor IEC 62262 requires accreditation.

Claim only what was demonstrated

Record the digits actually verified, use X where a numeral is not specified, state immersion depth and time for IPX8, use a dual code where jets and immersion both apply, and keep the report with the product documentation. Where a product standard makes a minimum rating mandatory, the same evidence feeds the safety assessment and the Declaration of Conformity.

Where IP and IK fit in product standards

Both standards leave the extent of use, the definition of "enclosure", marking and acceptance details to product committees, and allow a product committee to set different requirements if at least the same level of safety is ensured. In practice the IP or IK claim is verified inside the product safety assessment rather than standing alone.

For appliances, wet-location requirements sit inside the appliance safety standard: see EN 60335 household appliance safety.
For lighting, the IP rating drives where a luminaire may be installed: see EN 60598 luminaires and LED safety.
For shipboard and exposed-deck electronics: see IEC 60945 maritime equipment.
For ITE and audio/video equipment: see IEC 62368-1 safety engineering.

A worked example

Case: outdoor connected sensor on a factory yard, occasionally hosed down.

Environment: rain, dust, periodic cleaning with a hose, mounted at hand height where it could be knocked.

Solids: the electronics cannot tolerate dust, so IP6X, tested as category 1 with a vacuum pump.
Water: hose cleaning means jets, so IPX6, which also covers IPX1 to IPX5. The unit is not submerged, so no 7 or 8 is claimed.
Impact: a chosen energy, for example IK08 (5 J), with the hammer type and impact points taken from the product standard, and the IP code rechecked after the impacts.

Result: a target of IP66 IK08, tested on the assembled product at an ISO/IEC 17025 laboratory, with the report filed against the product safety assessment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between IP67, IP68 and IP69K?: Under IEC 60529, IPX7 is temporary immersion for 30 minutes, with the lowest point of an enclosure under 850 mm tall held 1 m below the surface (or the top 0.15 m below for taller enclosures). IPX8 is continuous immersion under conditions agreed between manufacturer and user that must be more severe than IPX7. IP69K is road-vehicle notation from ISO 20653, where 9K is a high-pressure or steam-jet cleaning test; IEC 60529 has its own numeral 9 (IPX9, added by Amendment 2 in 2013) without a K. None of the three implies the others: jets and immersion are separate tests.
Is an IP rating a regulatory mark like the CE marking?: No. The IP code is a classification of enclosure performance, not a conformity mark, and IEC 60529 leaves marking rules to the product standard. In the EU, EN 60529 (with A1:2000 and A2:2013) is listed as a harmonised standard under the Low Voltage Directive in Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2723, so tests to it support presumption of conformity for the safety objectives it covers, but a product still needs the full LVD or other applicable assessment before it can carry the CE marking.
Does a higher IP number always mean better protection?: No. IEC 60529 says that up to and including numeral 6 a water digit implies all lower ones, but an enclosure marked only IPX7 or IPX8 is considered unsuitable for water jets and need not meet IPX5 or IPX6. If both matter the enclosure is dual coded, for example IPX5/IPX7 or IPX6/IPX8. ISO 20653 applies the same rule to 7, 8 and 9K, with examples such as IPX6K/IPX9K.
What does the X mean in a rating like IPX7 or IP6X?: IEC 60529 clause 4.1 says a characteristic numeral that is not required to be specified is replaced by X (XX if both are omitted). IPX7 states only the water protection; IP6X states only the solids and access protection. A real digit should only be written where the corresponding requirement has been verified.
How is an IP rating tested?: Access and solid-object probes are pushed against openings with fixed forces (50 N for the 50 mm sphere, 30 N for the 12.5 mm sphere, 10 N for the jointed finger, 3 N for the 2.5 mm rod, 1 N for the 1.0 mm wire). Digits 5 and 6 use a talcum-powder dust chamber, with an internal depression of at most 2 kPa for category 1 enclosures. Water digits use a drip box, oscillating tube or spray nozzle, 6.3 mm and 12.5 mm hose nozzles and an immersion tank, each with the flow, distance and duration fixed in Table 8 of the standard. Whether the sample is energised is set by the product standard, or by the manufacturer instructions if the product standard is silent.
What is the IK code and how does it relate to IP?: The IK code of IEC 62262 classifies protection against external mechanical impacts by impact energy, from IK01 (0.14 J) to IK10 (20 J), and since Amendment 1 of September 2021 to IK11 (50 J). IK00 means not protected according to the standard. It is a separate code from IP, but Amendment 1 links them: unless the product standard says otherwise, no impact damage may impair the specified IP code.
Can I claim IP67 just because my enclosure uses a gasket rated for it?: No. IEC 60529 tests are type tests on samples mounted as stated by the manufacturer, and where an empty enclosure was tested, the manufacturer of the final assembly must ensure the finished product still meets the declared degree of protection (clause 11.5). Glands, connectors and seals have their own ratings, but openings, fasteners, membranes and cable entries in the assembled product decide the result.
Do IP ratings expire or need retesting?: Neither IEC 60529 nor IEC 62262 sets an expiry date. The rating describes the type that was tested, so a design change that affects the enclosure (a new connector, a moved vent, a different gasket) means the old report no longer describes the product for that area and the change should be assessed, and retested where needed.