Disclaimer

Last updated: October 1, 2026

General information only

The guides on Plain Barcode give general information about barcode standards and practices. They are not legal, financial, tax, regulatory or other professional advice, and they don't take your particular situation into account. Where a guide touches costs, licensing of barcode numbers, contracts with retailers or regulated labeling (for example medical devices or pharmaceuticals), talk to the organization involved or a qualified professional before you act.

No guaranteed results

We can't guarantee that a barcode made with our tools or following our guides will scan on every device, pass a verification grade, or be accepted by a particular retailer, marketplace, carrier or trading partner. Print quality, materials, scanner settings and each partner's rules all matter. Test samples and confirm requirements with the people who will scan your barcodes.

Standards and policies change

GS1 standards, GS1 US membership terms, fees, and retailer and marketplace policies change. Guides show when they were last updated and link to their sources. If a source and a guide disagree, the source wins. Please tell us so we can correct the guide.

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The tools run in your browser and are provided without warranty. Check every output, including check digits, data and size, before printing in quantity. See the Terms of Use.

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Plain Barcode is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by GS1, GS1 US, DENSO WAVE, or any retailer, marketplace or equipment maker mentioned on the site. Trademarks belong to their owners and are used only to identify the standards and services discussed.