ISSN barcode
The magazine and journal identifier, carried in an EAN-13 with a 977 prefix and a two-digit issue add-on.
Also known as: EAN-13 with 977 prefix, serial barcode, BIPAD
What is ISSN?
An ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) is the eight-digit identifier for a periodical title, issued by a national ISSN centre. At the newsstand it is barcoded as an EAN-13 beginning with 977, followed by the first seven ISSN digits, a two-digit variant used for price changes, and a check digit, with a two-digit add-on for the issue number. The ISSN identifies the title, so every issue shares it; the add-on is what separates one week from the next.
Encodes: 977 + seven ISSN digits + two-digit sequence variant + EAN check digit, plus a two-digit add-on for the issue.
How ISSN is structured
The barcode reorganizes the ISSN so it can sit inside an EAN-13 and still leave room to signal a price change without a new ISSN.
| Part | Length | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Prefix | 3 digits | 977, the serial publication prefix. |
| ISSN body | 7 digits | The ISSN without its own check character. |
| Sequence variant | 2 digits | 00 normally; publishers increment it to signal a cover price change so registers pick up the new price. |
| EAN check digit | 1 digit | Standard EAN-13 mod 10. |
| Add-on | 2 digits | Issue number within the year or volume, so wholesalers can track sales and returns per issue. |
Specifications
- ISSN
- 8 characters: 7 digits plus a mod 11 check that can be X
- Barcode data
- 977 + first 7 ISSN digits + 2-digit variant + EAN-13 check digit
- Add-on
- 2 digits for the issue number; 5-digit price add-on in some markets
- Carrier symbology
- EAN-13 at 80% to 200% magnification
- Issued by
- National ISSN centre (Library of Congress in the United States)
- US newsstand
- Many US magazines instead carry a UPC-A with a BIPAD title code and issue digits, as the wholesaler network requires
Dimensions are GS1 General Specifications targets. Confirm against the retailer’s current routing guide before a print run.
Where it is used
- Magazines, journals, and newspapers at retail and newsstand
- Wholesaler and distributor tracking of sales and returns per issue
- Library and subscription systems, where the ISSN itself is the key
- Separate print and online editions, each with its own ISSN
Fixed per title, updated per issue
The main symbol is constant for the title and price, so it lives in the cover template. The add-on changes every issue and must be updated in the artwork each time, which is the step that gets skipped. Publishers that sell through US newsstand wholesalers also carry a UPC-A with the BIPAD code, a separate identifier the wholesaler assigns.
Mistakes that cost money
Forgetting to change the issue add-on
The wholesaler’s returns process keys on the add-on. Two issues with the same add-on cannot be reconciled.
One ISSN for print and digital
Each medium needs its own ISSN. Using the print ISSN on an online edition breaks library and indexing records.
Changing price without bumping the variant
Registers cache price by barcode. Increment the two-digit variant when the cover price changes so the new price loads.
Missing the BIPAD UPC for US newsstand
US wholesalers such as those serving supermarket racks often require a UPC-A with the BIPAD title code rather than, or alongside, the 977 EAN.
How Endless handles ISSN
Endless keeps the ISSN on the title record and treats each issue as a dated variant, so newsstand shipments, returns, and subscription inventory reconcile to the issue that actually moved.
Frequently asked questions
Is an ISSN the same as a GTIN?
Not exactly. The ISSN identifies the title, and it is issued by an ISSN centre. Wrapped in the 977 EAN-13 it becomes a scannable GTIN-13 for retail; the issue add-on tells one issue from another.
What is BIPAD?
A five-digit magazine title code used by the US newsstand wholesaler network, carried in a UPC-A along with issue digits. Publishers selling through US racks usually need it in addition to, or instead of, the ISSN barcode.
Related symbologies
- ISBN→
The book identifier, carried in an EAN-13 with a 978 or 979 prefix and an optional five-digit price add-on.
- EAN-13→
The 13-digit retail barcode scanned at point of sale everywhere outside North America, and accepted inside it.
- UPC-A→
The 12-digit retail barcode scanned at point of sale across North America.
Definitions in the glossary
- SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)→
A unique internal identifier for a distinct, sellable product variant.
- GTIN (Global Trade Item Number)→
A globally unique product identifier used across trading partners and marketplaces.
Browse the full barcode symbology guide.
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