The following is intended as a helpful reference only.
NEMA Ratings
| NEMA Type | Intended use: |
| 1 | Indoor use primarily to provide a degree of protection against (hand) contact with enclosed equipment. |
| 2 | Indoor use primarily to provide a degree of pretection against limited amounts of falling dirt and water. |
| 3 | Outdoor use primarily to provide a degree of pretection against windblown dust, rain, and sleet; undamaged by ice formation on the enclosure. |
| 3R | Outdoor use primarily to provide a degree of pretection against falling rain and sleet; undamaged by ice formation on the elnclosure. |
| 4 | Indoor use primarily to provide a degree of pretection against windblown dust and rain, splashing water, and hose directed water; undamaged by ice formation on the enclosure. |
| 4X | Indoor or Outdoor use primarily to provide a degree of pretection against corrosion, windblown dust, and rain, splashing water, and hose directed water; undamaged by ice formation on the enclosure. |
| 6 | Indoor or outdoor use where occasional temporary submersion is encountered. |
| 7 | Indoor use in hazardous locations classified as Class I, Groups A, B, C, or D per NEC. |
| 9 | Indoor use in hazardous locations classified as Class II, Groups E, F, or G per NEC. |
| 12 | Indoor use to provide a degree of protection against dust, falling dirt, and dripping noncorrosive liquids. |
| 13 | Indoor use primarily to provide a degree of protection against dust, spraying water, oil, and noncorrosive coolant. |
IP Ratings
| Number | First Number – Protection against solids | Second Number – Protection against liquids |
| 0 | No Protections | No Protection |
| 1 | Protected against access with back of hand or objects over 50mm | Dripping vertically |
| 2 | Protected against access with a jointed finger or objects over 12.5mm | Water dripping, enclosure tilted up to 15° |
| 3 | Protected against access with a tool or objects of 2.5mm | Spraying water, up to 60° angle from vertical |
| 4 | Protected against access with a wire object over 1mm | Splashing water, any direction |
| 5 | Dust protected – limited ingress permitted | Jetting water, any direction |
| 6 | Dust tight | Powerful jetting water, any direction |
| 7 | Temporary immersion in water from 15cm – 1m | |
| 8 | Continuous immersion in water under pressure |
The IP Rating has three numbers. The third number is often excluded.
