ISSN Barcodes for Magazines
If you already have an ISSN number for your magazine (or newspaper or other periodical publication), please purchase the barcode images for your ISSN number below.
If you don’t have an ISSN number, please first get your ISSN number.
How to get an ISSN Number
The ISSN is the standardised 8-digit international code that uniquely identifies a serial publication such as a newspaper, magazine or journal. The National Library is the ISSN National Centre for Singapore and issues Singapore ISSNs to serials published in Singapore. Contact them to request your ISSN.
https://www.nlb.gov.sg/main/Contact-NLB
When you have your ISSN number, you can order the barcode image for your ISSN number here.
We provide standard GS1 format barcodes that can be used worldwide.
Let us know your ISSN number, the format you want (13 digits or 13+2), and whether you have any preferences for the digits in the code (e.g. the price code). See below for information about the 13-digit and 13+2-digit barcodes for magazines.
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Buy product This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
ISSN Barcode Images
Select either a standard ISSN (for all issues) or an ISSN with a two-digit issue number (01 to 99) from the drop-down options below.
Your barcode images will be emailed to you in 3 formats (png, pdf and svg) in 5 minutes.
No Issue Number (all editions use same barcode)

Enter your 8-digit ISSN number(s) here in the format xxxx-xxxx OR as 977xxxxxxxxxx if you know the full number you want.
Examples: 1234-5670 or 9771234567003
With Issue Number (each edition has a different two-digit supplement from 01 to 99)
Enter your ISSN number(s) in the format xxxx-xxxx-yy where xxxx-xxxx is the ISSN and yy is the 2-digit supplement (01-52 for weekly, 01-12 for monthly).
Example: 1234-5678-01
Quantity Price per image 1 $ 30 SGD
2 $ 25 SGD
3 $ 20 SGD
4 + $ 15 SGD
10 + $ 8 SGD
20 + $ 5 SGD
50 + $ 2.50 SGD
ISSN Barcode Format
An 8-digit ISSN number is converted into a 13-digit EAN13 barcode in this way – the last of the eight digits is removed (this is a checksum), 977 is added to the front of the number, a nominal price code is added to the number (usually 00), and then the last digit checksum is added. For example, ISSN 1234-5678 would become 9771234567003. If the price was increased, the 2-digit price code should be changed, e.g. from 00 to 01, and a new barcode created, e.g. 9771234567010.
Some publications add a 2-digit supplement barcode after the main barcode – this can then vary with the issue, e.g. it could be 01-12 for 12 monthly issues, or 01-52 for weekly issues, or 01-04 for quarterly issues. These barcodes can be reused each year – they only need to be changed when the price changes.
How to use your ISSN barcode:

After we receive your order, we will email your barcode images to you. The images will come in several different formats (jpeg, eps, tiff, pdf, and BMP). You can choose the format you prefer & insert the barcode into the design for your magazine cover. After your magazine has been printed and distributed to your retailers, they will enter the barcode number and product information into their inventory system. After that, when your barcode is scanned, the product details will appear on the retailer’s screen.
Note: If you want us to send you a barcode with supplement digits at the end (like in the example below), please let us know when you make your order. We can give you barcode images that have either 2-digit or 5-digit supplement numbers. Supplements are used on some magazine barcodes to represent the issue number of the magazine.
- Magazine Barcode (with two supplement numbers) (jpg format)
- Magazine Barcode (with two supplement numbers) (eps format)
“Thanks Mr. David Allis , We are very happy for your kind response and service.” Green Leaf Tea
“Thanks so much, David. What an efficient service you and your team run. Will definitely be in touch if/when we need another barcode image.” Raywin
Enter your ISSN number(s) in the format xxxx-xxxx-yy where xxxx-xxxx is the ISSN and yy is the 2-digit supplement (01-52 for weekly, 01-12 for monthly).