ISSN Magazine Barcodes
International Standard Serial Numbers are assigned to all periodical publications, including magazines or journals. These numbers can be obtained through an international organization that allocates all ISSN numbers. If you already possess an ISSN number, you can buy the corresponding barcode images below. If you require an ISSN Number, these can be applied for here.
Before purchasing your ISSN barcode, you may wish to consider which format you want your ISSN Barcode to be.
ISSN Barcodes come in 3 main formats:
1. The 8-digit ISSN code changes to a 13-digit EAN-13 code. To do this, you add 977 to the start of the code, remove the check-digit, add two numbers (00) at the end, and calculate a new check-digit. Then, the code is created using EAN-13 Symbology. All barcode scanners can read this. The code is the same as other products in shops that have EAN-13 codes. Each issue of the magazine has the same code printed on it.
2. The 8-digit ISSN is changed into a 13-digit number in two ways. The first method requires the addition of ’00’ to the end of the ISSN which is changed multiple times, resulting in different EAN-13 images for each magazine issue. A separate barcode image will be generated for every issue of the magazine.
The second method also involves converting the ISSN into a 13-digit number and then adding a 2-digit supplement code at the end, creating a 15-digit (EAN-13+2) number. The addition changes with every release and can occur either once a month (01-12) or once a week (01-52), or on a different schedule of your choosing.
The most prevalent format in the UK is option 3, which consists of 13 digits. Options 1 and 2, which contain 13 digits, are more popular in other countries. It is wise to survey the stores where you aim to sell your magazine to determine the most popular format.
Please note that options 2 and 3 are more costly as they require creating multiple images for the ISSN number.
Upon receiving your order, we will manually produce the ISSN barcode and send it to you via email. This process normally takes 2-24 hours, depending on the time and day of the week that you place your order.
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 get 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 (exactly the same way that book ISBN numbers are turned into barcodes). If you have an ISMN number and you need the barcode images for it (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 must obtain an ISSN number (and matching barcode) for anything classified as a “serial,” such as magazines, newspapers, journals, yearbooks, and series monographs.
However, you should not acquire an ISSN number for the following items, as they are not classified as “serials”: 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 cannot obtain an ISSN require a regular “EAN-13 Barcode Package” instead, which can be bought from our shop page. If the item is a book (such as a manual), it may be qualified for an ISBN and corresponding barcode.