How to read the UN plate on a tote
The UN plate on a caged tote carries the design code, the packing group, the month and year of manufacture, the stacking test load and the maximum gross mass. Read the stacking figure on the plate, not on a website.
- UN symbol and design code. 31HA1 is a composite IBC: a plastic inner receptacle in a steel outer frame. The letter after the slash is the packing group the design is rated for (X, Y or Z).
- Month and year of manufacture. The clock for the 2.5-year leakproofness test starts here, or at the last repair.
- Stacking test load. Hatched on purpose: this site states no figure. It is on the plate, in kilograms, and the plate wins over any website.
- Maximum permissible gross mass. Tote, contents and fittings together. Also left hatched here.
- Last leakproofness test and inspection. Composite and rigid plastic IBCs carry the month and year of the last test. This is the date the retest date checker asks for.
01Every mark, in order
| Mark | Example | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| UN symbol | un in a circle | The design passed United Nations tests |
| Design code | 31HA1 | A composite IBC: a plastic inner receptacle in a steel outer frame |
| Packing group | X, Y or Z | The packing groups the design is rated for |
| Manufacture date | 06 / 24 | Month and year of manufacture |
| Country and maker | a code and a name | Who built it and where |
| Stacking test load | kg, on the plate | The load it passed; read it on the plate |
| Maximum gross mass | kg, on the plate | The most the tote and contents may weigh |
| Last test and inspection | 11 / 25 | Month and year of the last leakproofness test and inspection |
Under 49 CFR 178.703, IBC markings include the UN symbol, the design code, the letter X, Y or Z, the month and year of manufacture, the country, the maker, the stacking test load in kilograms and the maximum permissible gross mass in kilograms. Composite and rigid plastic IBCs also carry the month and year of the last leakproofness test and the last inspection.
02What 31HA1 means
Under 49 CFR 178.702, the code 31HA1 is a composite IBC with a plastic inner receptacle and a steel outer packaging. The H in the code marks the plastic inner receptacle and the A marks the steel outer packaging. That is the common caged tote.
03Why the desk asks for the plate
The plate answers questions a description cannot. The date says how old the tote is. The last-test mark says whether it can carry a hazmat liquid today, and the retest date checker turns it into a due date. The stacking load says how it may be loaded for transport. A photo of the plate is what the desk asks for when a seller is unsure.
This site states no stacking load for any tote. Every figure of that kind is on the plate of the tote in front of you.
04A worn or missing plate
A plate that is unreadable, painted over or gone is a problem for a trade. A tote without a legible plate cannot be shown to be current. The ticket should say so, and the desk will ask what the seller can show. A tote like that may still suit a use that does not need the date, such as rainwater.
?Questions on this page
What does 31HA1 mean on a tote?
It is the UN code for a composite IBC, a plastic inner receptacle in a steel outer frame.
Where is the plate?
On the cage, usually riveted to the frame.
Sources
Last reviewed 2026-11-11. Rules change; read the current text before you act on it.