Wood Packaging for Furniture Shipped to Canada and Australia: What CFIA and DAFF Publish
What CFIA and DAFF publish, as read on 5 November 2026
When furniture from China is packed on wooden pallets, in crates or with wooden dunnage, the importing country regulates that wood separately from the furniture. This article reads what two authorities publish about it, as their pages stood on 5 November 2026: the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), in its directive D-98-08, and the Australian Government agriculture department (DAFF), on its ISPM 15 and bark pages. It then turns them into a short list of points to settle in the packing specification of a furniture order. It is a reading of public pages for procurement planning, not legal advice. The ISPM 15 standard itself, and the United States rule, are read in our article on ISPM 15 wood packaging marks; this article does not repeat them.
The two authorities side by side
| Canada (CFIA directive D-98-08) | Australia (DAFF pages) | |
|---|---|---|
| Document read | “Entry requirements for wood packaging material into Canada”, effective April 1, 2026 (11th version) | “ISPM 15: The international standard for solid wood packaging material” and “Bark on timber packaging and dunnage” |
| What is covered | All wood packaging material, including dunnage, pallets and crates, from all areas except the continental United States | Coniferous and non-coniferous raw wood packaging material: pallets, dunnage, crating, packing blocks, drums, cases, spools or reels, bulk heads, load boards, pallet collars and skids |
| Treatment and mark | Debarked wood, one of the approved treatments, and an IPPC mark | The ISPM 15 bark tolerance, an ISPM 15 approved treatment by a certified provider or manufacturer, and the mark; alternative treatments are set out in BICON |
| Paperwork | No permit to import for this wood (shipborne dunnage is different). A phytosanitary certificate may be used in place of the mark, but is not accepted for wood packaging originating from China | Non-commodity timber in containerised cargo must be declared and accompanied by appropriate documentation, such as an ISPM 15 compliance statement |
| Exempt articles | Includes thin wood of 6 mm or less and wood made entirely from processed wood such as plywood, particle board, OSB or veneer | The same two categories appear in its list of low-risk exempt articles |
| If it does not comply | Where CFIA finds it, may be ordered treated before disposal or removal; costs fall on the owner, importer or person in possession | Sent for treatment, export or destruction at the importer’s expense |
Canada: what CFIA directive D-98-08 says
The directive applies to wood packaging material including dunnage, pallets and crates from all areas except the continental United States. It states that, to be admissible, including when it only moves in transit through Canada, the wood must be constructed with debarked wood, be treated using one of the approved methods in its Appendix 1, and bear an IPPC mark that meets the requirements in that appendix. The approved methods listed there are heat treatment in a conventional steam or heat chamber, heat treatment using dielectric heating, fumigation using methyl bromide and fumigation using sulphuryl fluoride. A permit to import is not required, except for shipborne dunnage.
The point that matters most for a China shipment is in the paperwork rule. The directive says a phytosanitary certificate is not required but may be used in lieu of the marking system, and then adds: “By way of bilateral arrangement, a phytosanitary certificate is not accepted for the entry of wood packaging material originating from the People’s Republic of China.” For a China-packed furniture container, the mark on the wood is therefore what the directive points to.
Appendix 1 sets the mark’s minimum content and how it is applied. It must include the IPPC symbol, presented to the left of the other components, the ISO two-letter country code separated by a hyphen from the producer or treatment provider code, and the treatment code. It must be legible, durable and not transferable (tags are not allowed), rectangular or square within a border line, placed where it is visible when the packaging is in use, preferably on at least two opposite sides of the unit, and not hand drawn. The appendix says illegible marks are considered non-compliant.
Dunnage gets its own warning. The directive notes that dunnage is sometimes cut to size for the commodity it supports, so such pieces may no longer bear the mark and may not be recognised as compliant. It says an exporting-country certificate may confirm that unmarked pieces were cut from properly treated and marked ones, and that otherwise “dunnage pieces with no ISPM 15 mark may be considered non-compliant”. It does not say how that certificate route sits alongside its statement about China above. Appendix 1 asks shippers to make sure all dunnage used to secure or support commodities is treated and displays the mark, and says “Small pieces of wood that do not include all the required elements of the mark should not be used for dunnage.”
At the border, inspection may be done by the Canada Border Services Agency or by CFIA, and verifies that the required IPPC marks are applied or appropriate certification has been provided, that the wood is debarked, and that it is free from live pests or signs of live pests such as frass. The appendix adds: “Treatments cannot be inspected directly, but can be assessed by verifying the IPPC mark and if no live pests or signs of live pests (such as frass) can be detected.” Material that does not meet the entry requirements is non-compliant. Where CFIA finds it, the material may be ordered treated before disposal or removal from Canada; where the Canada Border Services Agency finds it at entry, the directive refers to sections of that agency’s own memorandum. Any costs of non-compliance fall on the owner, the importer or the person having possession, care or control. The directive says it was revised in December 2025 for terminology changes supporting the integration of its Shipborne Dunnage Program into CFIA’s digital platform, and that no other changes were made to the requirements of the program at that time. The page is CFIA directive D-98-08.
Australia: what the department publishes
The department’s ISPM 15 page says the standard’s requirements have been incorporated into the conditions for importing solid wood packaging into Australia, set out in its Biosecurity Import Conditions (BICON) under two cases. “Timber and bamboo packaging” covers packaging imported as a commodity, such as a consignment of wooden pallets. “Non-commodity” covers packaging used to support other commodities, such as wooden pallets under a consignment of other goods. A pallet under a consignment of furniture is an example of packaging that supports other goods. Australia accepts solid timber packaging that complies with ISPM 15, and also accepts consignments that meet the alternative requirements in BICON.
The page states the compliance rule in these words: “non-commodity timber in containerised cargo must be declared to the department and accompanied by appropriate documentation”, and adds, “This includes ISPM 15 compliance statements or evidence of alternative treatment.” The department also runs random surveillance on all types of cargo, and timber packaging found non-compliant is sent for treatment, export or destruction at the importer’s expense.
To comply with ISPM 15, the page says the packaging must meet the bark tolerance, have been treated by an approved treatment through an appropriately certified provider or manufacturer, and be marked. The mark shows the IPPC symbol, the two-letter ISO country code where the wood was treated, a unique number that traces the packaging to the treatment provider or manufacturer, and the treatment code (HT, MB, DH or SF). The page says the mark may be stamped or branded in any colour.
Bark has its own page. The department requires solid timber packaging and dunnage to meet the ISPM 15 bark requirements. Visually separate and clearly distinct small pieces of bark may remain if they are less than 3 cm in width, regardless of length, or greater than 3 cm in width with an individual surface area under 50 square cm. Over that tolerance, the page lists three options for the consignment, all at the importer’s expense: dry heat treatment, ethylene oxide fumigation or gamma irradiation; bark removal at a site operating under an approved arrangement, followed by inspection; or export or destruction. The page also states the limit of the treatment itself: “ISPM 15 treatments only control pests present at the time of treatment, they do not offer permanent protection against post-treatment re-infestation of timber packaging.” Packaging that shows signs of pest infestation will be ordered for treatment, export or destruction. The pages are ISPM 15 and Bark on timber packaging and dunnage.
Shipping a furniture package to Canada or Australia?
Send your FF&E schedule and the project location. Our team will review them and get back to you.
What to write into the packing specification of a furniture order
Neither authority tells a buyer how to write a purchase specification. The list below is ours, built from what the two pages say, and is not a requirement of either country.
- A packing materials list. State which pallets, crates, blocks and dunnage are solid wood and which are made wholly of processed wood material, the category both authorities list as exempt. Ask the packer to say so in writing before bulk packing starts.
- The mark on every solid-wood unit. Write that every pallet, crate and dunnage piece made of solid wood carries the mark with its treatment code, and that dunnage cut to length still shows a complete mark. CFIA’s Appendix 1 gives the test: legible, durable, not hand drawn, no tags, visible, preferably on two opposite sides.
- Bark. Quote the tolerance the Australian page gives, under 3 cm wide, or over 3 cm wide with each piece under 50 square cm, so the packer works to a number.
- No reliance on a certificate for Canada. For wood packaging made in China, do not plan on a phytosanitary certificate standing in for the mark.
- Australian paperwork. Ask your customs broker how the declaration and the ISPM 15 compliance statement are prepared for the container, because the page says the timber must be declared and accompanied by appropriate documentation.
- Photographs before loading. Ask for a photograph of the mark on a sample pallet and crate, and of the dunnage used to brace the load.
Packing is one of the items our own team checks against the specification you signed off, so the requirement belongs in that specification. The loading report then shows what went into each container; see what arrives with a contract furniture shipment and contract furniture inspection by product group. Our Canada compliance page and Australia and New Zealand compliance page list the other rules we check for those markets.
What we did not read
We did not read the ISPM 15 text in this article; the department’s page cites it as “Publication No. 15 (2019)” while CFIA’s directive says it reflects ISPM 15 as updated in 2018, and we have not reconciled the two labels. We did not read the BICON entries themselves, the sections of the CFIA directive on the shipborne dunnage program (section 6 and Appendices 2 to 8), the Plant Protection Act, or the Canada Border Services Agency memorandum that the directive cites for border handling. We make no statement about any supplier’s treatment or marking capability. Both authorities can change these pages; check them before you write a requirement into an order.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Canadian and Australian wood packaging rules apply to the furniture itself?
The pages read here regulate the wood the furniture is packed on and in. CFIA’s directive defines its regulated articles as wood packaging material, including dunnage, pallets, spacers, bearers, crates and wood bracing, and the Australian page describes ISPM 15 as applying to raw wood packaging material such as pallets, dunnage, crating and cases. Whether the furniture itself is subject to other import rules is a separate question; for wooden furniture entering Australia see our article on the Illegal Logging Prohibition Rules 2024.
Is a phytosanitary certificate enough for wood packaging entering Canada?
CFIA’s directive says a phytosanitary certificate is not required but may be used in place of the marking system, and then states that, by way of bilateral arrangement, a certificate is not accepted for wood packaging material originating from the People’s Republic of China. For China-origin wood packaging, the directive therefore points to the mark.
Are plywood or particle-board pallets exempt?
Both pages list wood packaging made entirely (CFIA) or wholly (the Australian page) of processed wood material, such as plywood, particle board, oriented strand board or veneer created using glue, heat or pressure, among the low-risk articles that are exempt. Neither page addresses a pallet that mixes solid wood with processed board, so check with the authority or your customs broker before relying on the exemption for such a unit.
What happens in Australia if bark on the packaging is over the tolerance?
The Australian page says one of three options is applied to the consignment: the packaging is ordered for dry heat treatment, ethylene oxide fumigation or gamma irradiation; or it is ordered to have the bark removed at a site operating under an approved arrangement and is then inspected; or it is exported or destroyed. All options are at the importer’s expense.
How does FBM Furniture handle packing on a furniture package?
Each quotation line states packing, and packing is one of the items our own team checks against the specification you signed off, so a wood-packaging requirement belongs in that specification. For suppliers you nominate, we charge a 5% commission; for products we source for you, we quote a direct price. Our own team performs one inspection after bulk production is complete and before shipment, and your team is welcome to attend.
Shipping a furniture package to Canada or Australia?
Send your FF&E schedule and the project location. Our team will review them and get back to you.