Every light sold in the UK carries an IP rating, two letters and two digits that most people never look at until the moment they need a light for a bathroom, a porch or a garden wall. Then it suddenly matters, because the wrong rating means water inside a fitting.
Here is what the two digits mean, which rating each place in and around the house needs, and how to read a product page so you buy the right one first time.
On this page
- What an IP rating is
- The two digits, decoded
- The five ratings you will actually meet
- Indoors: living rooms, kitchens and bathrooms
- Outdoors: porches, walls and gardens
- Common mistakes
- In short
- Common questions
What an IP rating is
IP stands for Ingress Protection. It is an international standard (IEC 60529) that measures how well an enclosure keeps out two things: solid objects, from fingers down to dust, and water, from a few drips up to full immersion.
It says nothing about how bright, safe or well made a light is. It only answers one question: what can get inside it ?
The two digits, decoded
The first digit is protection against solids, from 0 to 6. The second digit is protection against water, from 0 to 8. The higher the number, the better the protection.
| First digit | Protected against | Second digit | Protected against |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Nothing | 0 | Nothing |
| 1 | Objects over 50mm, such as a hand | 1 | Water dripping straight down |
| 2 | Objects over 12.5mm, such as fingers | 2 | Drips when tilted up to 15° |
| 3 | Objects over 2.5mm, such as tools | 3 | Spraying water |
| 4 | Objects over 1mm, such as wires | 4 | Splashing water from any direction |
| 5 | Dust protected | 5 | Water jets from any direction |
| 6 | Dust tight | 6 | Powerful water jets |
| 7 | Temporary immersion, up to 1m | ||
| 8 | Continuous immersion beyond 1m |
You will sometimes see an X in place of a digit, as in IPX4. It simply means that part was not tested. IPX4 tells you the water protection is 4; it says nothing either way about solids.
The five ratings you will actually meet
- IP20: the standard for indoor lights in dry rooms. Safe from fingers, no protection from water. Most living room, bedroom and hallway lights are IP20.
- IP44: protected against splashes from any direction. The usual minimum for bathroom lights outside the wettest zones, and for outdoor lights in a sheltered spot such as under a porch roof.
- IP54: as IP44, with better protection against dust. Common on garden lights.
- IP65: dust tight and protected against water jets. The rating to look for on an exposed outside wall that takes the rain sideways.
- IP67 and IP68: built to be immersed. Lights set into the ground where water can pool, and lights inside ponds or fountains.
Indoors: living rooms, kitchens and bathrooms
Dry rooms
Living rooms, bedrooms, hallways and stairs need no particular rating: IP20 is normal. That is the case for the 36W Glass Flush Mount Ceiling Light, rated IP20 for indoor use, and for the great majority of our living room and bedroom lighting.
Kitchens
A kitchen is not a wet room in the regulations, so ordinary ceiling lights and pendants are fine. The exception is directly above the sink, where steam and splashes gather: a sealed fitting is the sensible choice there. Our guide to lighting a kitchen covers where each light goes.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms are divided into zones by distance from the bath and shower, and each zone has its own minimum rating. Zone 0, inside the bath or shower tray, needs IP67. Zone 1, directly above the bath or shower, needs at least IP44, and IP65 where the area is cleaned with jets of water. Zone 2, close around it, also needs at least IP44. Outside the zones there is no IP requirement, although directly above a bath most electricians will still want IP44.
The zones are explained in full, with measurements, in our guide to bathroom lighting zones. One example from our range: the 18W LED Ceiling Light is rated IP44, only 1.5cm deep and made for bathrooms and humid spaces. See our bathroom lighting.
A bathroom is a special location under the UK wiring regulations, and much of the electrical work in one must be notified to building control. Whatever the rating of the light, have it installed by a qualified electrician.
Outdoors: porches, walls and gardens
Outside, the question is not whether the light will get wet but how.
| Where | Minimum rating | Better |
|---|---|---|
| Under a porch roof or canopy | IP44 | IP54 |
| Open wall facing the weather | IP44 | IP65 |
| Garden post or bollard | IP54 | IP65 |
| Set into the ground or decking | IP67 | IP67 or IP68 |
| In or beside a pond | IP68 | IP68 |
In practice, for a UK wall that takes wind-driven rain, we would not go below IP65. Several of our outdoor lights are rated IP65 on their product page, including:
- the IP65 Aluminium Up-Down Light and the larger IP65 Up-Down Aluminium Light, which wash light both up and down the wall,
- the IP65 Garden Porch Light and the Waterproof Up-Down Surface Light,
- the Vintage Waterproof Porch Lantern, for a traditional front door,
- the Landscape Bollard Light and the Retro Lawn Lamp Post, for paths and lawns,
- the Solar Pathway Lights and the Solar Wall Lantern, which need no wiring at all.
Where to place them, and at what height, is covered in our guides to outdoor wall lights and garden lighting.
Common mistakes
Assuming "outdoor" means "any weather"
A light sold as suitable for outdoor use may only be rated for a sheltered position. Read the IP figure, not the word "outdoor".
Fitting it upside down
An IP rating is tested in the fitting's intended position. An up-down wall light mounted the wrong way round, or a lantern fitted with its drainage hole at the top, can let water in despite its rating. Follow the installation instructions.
Forgetting the cable entry
A light is only as sealed as the place where the cable goes in. An IP65 fitting with a badly sealed cable gland is not IP65 any more. This is one more reason to have outdoor lights fitted by an electrician.
Confusing IP with IK
IK is a different scale, for resistance to impact. It matters for lights at ground level or in public spaces, not for water.
In short
- First digit: solids (0 to 6). Second digit: water (0 to 8).
- IP20 for dry indoor rooms.
- IP44 for bathrooms and sheltered outdoor spots.
- IP65 for exposed walls and gardens.
- IP67 or IP68 for anything in the ground or in water.
- Bathrooms and outdoor circuits: always a qualified electrician.
Common questions
What IP rating do I need for an outdoor wall light ?
At least IP44 under a porch or canopy, and IP65 on an open wall that takes the rain. For most UK houses, IP65 is the safe choice for any outside wall.
Is IP44 waterproof ?
No. IP44 means protected against splashing water from any direction. It is fine for a bathroom away from the shower or a sheltered porch, but not for jets of water or immersion.
What IP rating do I need in a bathroom ?
IP67 inside the bath or shower tray, at least IP44 in zones 1 and 2 close to them, and IP65 where water jets are likely, such as inside a shower. Our guide to bathroom lighting zones shows where each zone begins and ends.
What does IP65 mean ?
Dust tight (6) and protected against water jets from any direction (5). It is the usual rating for good-quality outdoor wall lights and garden lights.
What is the difference between IP65 and IP67 ?
IP65 resists jets of water; IP67 survives temporary immersion up to one metre. IP67 is needed only where a light can sit in water, such as a ground light where puddles form.
Do indoor lights need an IP rating ?
They all have one, usually IP20, which protects against fingers but not water. In dry rooms that is all they need.
Can I use an indoor light in a covered porch ?
We would not. Even a covered porch gets damp air and blown rain. Choose at least IP44, and preferably IP54 or IP65.
Still unsure ?
Send us a photo of where the light will go at contact@thelightheritage.com and we will tell you which rating it needs. We answer every message ourselves.
Browse outdoor lighting and bathroom lighting, or our full range of wall lights and ceiling lights.
