Getting a licence
EPAL's licensing stipulations say an applicant may not use the EPAL in oval mark until the licence has been granted. New producers start with a test lot that must pass inspection, and receive black control staples; once approved for self-monitoring they order yellow staples.
Ongoing control
EPAL says its licensed production and repair operations are inspected by independent inspection companies, without prior notice, against its technical regulations.
Reading licensed work
On a new pallet look for the licence number with year and month, for example 095-3-09 on EPAL's own poster, alongside the IPPC mark and a control staple. On a repaired pallet look for the repair marking nail.
In North America
We do not know how many EPAL licensees operate in the US or Canada and have not published a list. EPAL refers enquiries about suppliers to the licensee search on its own site; use it before you rely on any company's claim to be licensed.