ISO 6780, Flat pallets for intercontinental materials handling — Principal dimensions and tolerances, recognizes six pallet footprints: 1200 × 800 mm, 1200 × 1000 mm, 1219 × 1016 mm (48 × 40 in), 1165 × 1165 mm, 1067 × 1067 mm (42 × 42 in) and 1100 × 1100 mm. The standard does not choose a single global pallet; it limits the number of formats so that equipment, containers and packaging can be designed around a small, known set. The current edition dates from 2003.
What ISO 6780 is
ISO 6780 is maintained by ISO technical committee TC 51, "Pallets for unit load method of materials handling." The edition in force is ISO 6780:2003, published in late 2003, which replaced the 1988 edition and its 1994 amendment. It covers new single-deck and double-deck, reversible and non-reversible flat pallets of any material, and sets principal dimensions, tolerances and design features such as openings and clearances needed for handling with forklift and pallet trucks.
Two limits are worth knowing. First, the standard concerns flat pallets used in intercontinental trade, so it does not describe box pallets, post pallets or national formats such as the 800 × 600 mm half pallet. Second, it fixes dimensions, not strength. Load capacity is tested under ISO 8611; see pallet load capacity. The full text with the tolerance tables is sold by ISO and national standards bodies, and only the footprints are reproduced here.
The six sizes
| Footprint (mm) | Footprint (in) | Main regions of use | Common name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1200 × 800 | 47.2 × 31.5 | Europe | Euro pallet (EUR/EPAL 1) |
| 1200 × 1000 | 47.2 × 39.4 | Europe, Asia | Industrial or "UK" pallet, EPAL 2/3 |
| 1219 × 1016 | 48 × 40 | North America | GMA pallet |
| 1165 × 1165 | 45.9 × 45.9 | Australia | Australian standard pallet |
| 1067 × 1067 | 42 × 42 | North America, Europe, Asia | Square pallet for drums and some bulk goods |
| 1100 × 1100 | 43.3 × 43.3 | Asia | Japanese/Korean "Type 11" pallet |
The region assignments follow the UN Logistics Cluster's pallet specification table; the sizes also match the listing on the general pallet reference page of Wikipedia. By convention the first figure is the stringer or stringer-board length. Standards for the individual sizes are described in the Euro pallet, the GMA 48 × 40 pallet, the 1200 × 1000 mm industrial pallet, the Australian 1165 pallet and the Asian 1100 pallet.
Why several sizes, and why these
Pallet sizes grew out of regional industry before any international standard existed. North America standardized on 48 × 40 in for grocery distribution, Europe built its pool around the 1200 × 800 mm pallet designed by the railways, and Australia and Asia developed squarer formats. The ISO standard documents these established sizes rather than replacing them with a single format.
The sizes differ in how efficiently they fill a container. Wikipedia's summary table, which expresses the ISO sizes by wasted floor space in a standard ISO container, gives the following values:
| Footprint (mm) | Wasted container floor space |
|---|---|
| 1016 × 1219 | 3.7% |
| 1000 × 1200 | 6.7% |
| 1165 × 1165 | 8.1% |
| 1067 × 1067 | 11.5% |
| 1100 × 1100 | 14% |
| 800 × 1200 | 15.2% |
These percentages are indicative figures from a general reference and depend on the container and loading pattern used; for planning, the actual number of pallets in a given container should be calculated. Loading patterns are covered in pallets in shipping containers. As a general rule, 1200 × 800 mm pallets fit best in "pallet-wide" containers, as the Euro pallet was designed for trailers rather than for sea containers.
What this means in practice
Exporters should match the pallet to the destination's equipment. A 1200 × 800 mm pallet works with European racking and trailers; a 1219 × 1016 mm pallet is expected by North American warehouses and trucks. A product shipped on a pallet that does not fit the receiver's racking can be refused or require costly repalletizing.
Packaging designers often work backwards from the pallet, fitting cartons to a modular 600 × 400 mm grid that divides evenly into 1200 × 800 mm. Dimensions that suit one ISO footprint often do not suit another.
Pallet producers that export need to build pallets of several ISO sizes and treat them for ISPM 15; see pallet sizes by country and region for the regional picture, including the many sizes that fall outside ISO 6780.
What ISO 6780 does not cover
- Local and custom sizes. In many countries a large share of pallets are non-standard. The Virginia Tech white paper on wooden pallets cites that 48 × 40 pallets make up about 24% of US pallets and custom configurations 57%.
- Half and quarter pallets. These retail formats (800 × 600 and 600 × 400 mm) are defined by retail and pool systems; see display, half and quarter pallets.
- Construction and strength. Design specifications are national or industry-specific, such as EN 13698 in Europe.
- Treatment of wood. Phytosanitary rules fall under ISPM 15.
Frequently asked questions
How many pallet sizes does ISO 6780 define?
Six: 1200 × 800, 1200 × 1000, 1219 × 1016, 1165 × 1165, 1067 × 1067 and 1100 × 1100 mm.
Is there one global standard pallet?
No. ISO 6780 documents six formats used in different regions, and exporters must match the pallet to the destination's equipment.
Which edition of ISO 6780 is current?
ISO 6780:2003, which replaced the 1988 edition and its 1994 amendment.
Does ISO 6780 specify load capacity?
No. It specifies principal dimensions and tolerances. Load testing is the subject of ISO 8611.
Sources
- ISO 6780:2003 Flat pallets for intercontinental materials handling — Principal dimensions and tolerances — AFNOR (ISO standard listing)
- ISO 6780:2003 (standards listing) — UNE
- ISO 6780:2003-12 (standards listing) — DIN Media
- Pallet specifications — UN Logistics Cluster
- Pallet — Wikipedia
- The Basics of Wooden Pallets — Virginia Tech Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design
- ISO 8611-1:2025 Flat pallets — Test methods — International Organization for Standardization