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Who this is for: an author deciding whether to send a manuscript to the IEEE Internet of Things Journal (IoT-J), who needs to know what it publishes, how submission works and what it costs. Facts below come from the journal’s own site and IEEE’s open access pages, read on 2026-11-08.
What the IEEE Internet of Things Journal is
The IEEE Internet of Things Journal is an IEEE journal launched in 2014 that, in its own words, “publishes papers on the latest advances, as well as review articles, on the various aspects of IoT.” Issues appear in IEEE Xplore. It is a hybrid journal: authors may publish under the traditional model or pay for open access (see Hybrid Open Access Journals Explained).
Who runs it and what it covers
The journal is a joint publication of the IEEE Sensors Council, the IEEE Communications Society and the IEEE Computer Society, which are its financial cosponsors; the IEEE Signal Processing Society is a technical cosponsor. The site lists the Editor-in-Chief and editorial board on its own pages, and they change over time, so check there for the current names.
The stated scope covers IoT system architecture, enabling technologies (for example sensors, RFID and edge analytics), communication and networking protocols, services and applications, standards, test-beds, and the social implications of IoT. Example application areas named by the journal include smart cities, smart environments and smart homes. For another IEEE society’s portfolio, see IEEE EMBS: Scope, Journals, and Research Access.
What the journal accepts
The author guidelines list research articles, review articles, expanded conference papers (which the journal states it “might consider”), special-issue papers and graphical abstracts, which are peer reviewed.
How to submit: the official steps
The journal’s guidelines for authors describe this sequence. Submission goes through the IEEE Author Portal, linked from the journal’s site; reviewers and editors work in a separate system.
- Get an ORCID iD; the journal requires one.
- Prepare the manuscript in the IEEE double-column template. No maximum length is stated.
- Write a single-paragraph abstract of 150 to 250 words, with no citations or equations.
- Confirm the work is original and not under review elsewhere.
- Choose Traditional or Open Access publication.
- Select keywords from the journal’s own keyword list.
- Optionally suggest reviewers.
- Submit through the IEEE Author Portal.
The journal reports average times of 6.9 weeks from submission to first decision and 14.5 weeks from submission to electronic publication, as stated on its home page on 2026-11-08. These are journal-reported averages, not guarantees for any one paper.
Costs: article processing charge and page charges
There are two separate cost layers, and they are easy to conflate.
| Item | What the source states | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Open access article processing charge (hybrid journals) | US$2,800 for 2026; US$2,995 listed for 2027 | IEEE Open, read 2026-11-08 |
| APC discounts | 20% for members of IEEE societies or councils; 5% for IEEE members who are not society or council members; discounts do not apply to overlength or color fees | IEEE Open, read 2026-11-08 |
| Overlength page charge | US$175 per published page beyond the first 8; mandatory | IoT-J guidelines for authors, read 2026-11-08 |
The APC applies only if you choose open access. The overlength charge is described as mandatory and is separate from the APC. The journal’s author-guidelines page has shown an older open access figure (US$2,695); the IEEE Open page is IEEE’s own current statement of hybrid-journal APCs, so use it, and confirm the amount at the point of submission because fees are revised yearly.
Alternatives: comparable IEEE venues
Authors weighing IoT-J often look at other IEEE journals in adjacent areas. The table lists the publication model and charges that one such venue, the IEEE Sensors Journal, states on its own for-authors page, beside the IoT-J figures from above. It is a comparison of stated terms only, not a judgement of quality or fit; compare scope statements on each journal’s own site before choosing.
| Venue | Publication model | Open access APC | Overlength charge | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IEEE Internet of Things Journal | Hybrid | US$2,800 (2026, IEEE Open) | US$175 per page beyond the first 8 published pages; mandatory | ieee-iotj.org and IEEE Open, read 2026-11-08 |
| IEEE Sensors Journal | Hybrid; offers an open access option | US$2,800 | US$175 per page beyond the first 8 published pages for regular papers (12 for review papers); mandatory | ieee-sensors.org for-authors page, read 2026-11-08 |
The Sensors Journal page states the same member discounts (5% for IEEE members, 20% for society members, not combinable and not applicable to students). Other IEEE journals, including IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics, publish their own scope and fee terms; check each journal’s information for authors and the IEEE Author Center before submitting.
Strengths and limits
Strengths, as documented
- Broad IoT scope with explicit coverage of standards, test-beds and review articles.
- Backing from three IEEE societies and a technical cosponsor.
- Publicly reported turnaround averages and a stated route for expanded conference papers.
- Impact factors displayed on the journal’s site for the JCR 2023 and 2024 editions, plus a five-year figure. For how to verify a figure yourself, see How to Check a Journal’s Impact Factor.
Limits to plan around
- Overlength charges beyond 8 published pages are mandatory and not discountable.
- Open access adds a four-figure APC; students are not eligible for the IEEE member discount.
- Impact factor is a journal-level measure and says little about an individual paper.
FAQ
Is the IEEE Internet of Things Journal open access?
It is a hybrid journal. Authors choose Traditional publication or paid open access when they submit.
How much does it cost to publish in IEEE IoT-J?
Traditional publication carries no APC, but overlength fees of US$175 per page beyond 8 published pages are mandatory. Open access adds the hybrid-journal APC, US$2,800 for 2026 per IEEE Open, before any member discount.
What is the abstract length requirement?
One paragraph of 150 to 250 words with no citations or equations.
Can I submit an extended conference paper?
The guidelines say the journal might consider expanded conference papers. Check the guidelines for the current conditions.
Does an ORCID iD matter?
Yes. The journal requires an ORCID iD for submission.
Sources
- IEEE Internet of Things Journal home page, ieee-iotj.org, read 2026-11-08.
- IEEE IoT-J guidelines for authors, ieee-iotj.org/guidelines-for-authors, read 2026-11-08.
- IEEE Open, article processing charges, open.ieee.org, read 2026-11-08.
