ISSN Magazine Barcodes

International Standard Serial Numbers (ISSNs) are allocated to all periodical publications such as magazines or journals. These numbers are applied for through an international organisation that allocates all ISSN numbers. If you already have an ISSN number, you can purchase the barcode images below. If you require an ISSN Number, these can be applied for here.

Once you have your ISSN number, you can buy your corresponding barcode image from here.
The barcode images we supply are standard GS1 format barcodes used internationally.
You must provide us with your ISSN number and confirm what format you need (13-digit or 13+2), along with any preferences for the digits in the code (e.g. the price code). For more information about the 13-digit and 13+2-digit barcodes, see below.

Please watch our short video explainer.

We can supply barcode images for your ISSN number (please purchase the barcode images below).

How to Order:

When you get to the checkout page, please type your ISSN Number into the “Additional Information” section, and let us know if you want EAN-13 or EAN-13+2 format barcode images. We will use your ISSN number to create barcode images and email them to you (in 5 formats: jpeg, eps, tiff, BMP & pdf). We will send your barcode images to you in EAN-13 format (13-digit format) unless you request EAN-13+2 format (15-digit format) when you checkout (if you request EAN-13+2 format, please also specify what 2-digit supplement you need – e.g. “02 for issue 02”).

Difference between EAN-13 and EAN-13+2 format: EAN-13 magazine barcodes use the same 13-digit barcode on all magazine issues. EAN-13+2 magazine barcodes have an extra 2-digit supplement to indicate the issue number (e.g. “01” indicates issue 1). The barcode changes for each issue – e.g. a quarterly magazine would publish four issues yearly. If they wanted to use EAN-13+2 format barcodes, they needed 4 (with supplements 01, 02, 03, 04). They could re-use those four barcodes the following year. If they wanted to use EAN-13 format barcodes, they could use the same 13-digit barcode on all four magazine issues.

ISSN Barcodes come in 3 main formats:

1. The 8-digit ISSN number is converted to a 13-digit number (EAN-13) by adding a 977 to the beginning, removing the check digits, adding two numbers (00) to the end, and recalculating the check digits. The number is then created as an image using EAN-13 Symbology, which can easily be read by all barcode scanners and is essentially the same as other products with EAN-13 barcodes on them that go into stores. The same number would be printed on each magazine issue in this case.

2. Again, the 8-digit ISSN number is converted to a 13-digit number. However, the ’00’ added to the end is changed to create a different EAN-13 image each time. In this case, a separate barcode image would be created for each magazine issue.

3. The final format involves converting the ISSN number in the same way as option one. However, in this case, an additional 2-digit supplement code is added to the end, creating a 15-digit (EAN-13+2) number. The supplement changes for each issue and can be done on a monthly (01-12) or weekly (01-52) basis (or any other way you wish).

The 13+2 format (option 3) is the most common in the UK. Other countries tend more towards the 13-digit formats (options 1 and 2). It is a good idea to check the stores you hope to stock your magazine to establish which format is the most common.

It should be noted that options 2 and 3 involve creating multiple images for the ISSN number and are more expensive.

Once we receive your order, we will manually create the ISSN barcode for you and email it to you.

If you have a book and require barcodes for this, please see our book barcodes section.

If you have printed music, you’ll need to get an International Standard Music Number (ISMN) and then have that turned into barcode images. A 13-digit ISMN, e.g., 979-0-2600-0043-8, can be turned into a 13-digit EAN-13 barcode (the same way that book ISBNs are turned into barcodes). If you have an ISMN number and need the barcode images (the vertical black bars and white spaces), please purchase “ISBN Barcode Images” and enter your ISMN number into the additional information section.

Look here for CD barcodes and  DVD barcodes.

Do I need an ISSN Barcode?

You need an ISSN number (and corresponding barcode) for anything considered a “serial” – e.g. magazines, newspapers, journals, yearbooks, directories and monographs in series.

The following items are not considered a “serial”, therefore. They shouldn’t have an ISSN number: instruction manuals; one-off ‘book-a-zines’; posters; magazine or newspaper special editions; serials not intended for public circulation; diaries; calendars; mail-order catalogues; and fill-in crossword or puzzle books.

Items that aren’t eligible for an ISSN will need a standard “EAN-13 Barcode Package” instead (you can purchase this from our shop page). If the item is a book (e.g. a manual), it might be eligible for an ISBN and corresponding barcode.