ISO/IEC PRF 15420

Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques — EAN/UPC bar code symbology specification

Manufacturers of bar code equipment and users of bar code technology require publicly available standard symbology specifications to which they can refer when developing equipment and software. ISO/IEC 15420:2009 specifies the requirements for the bar code symbology known as EAN/UPC. It specifies EAN/UPC symbology characteristics, data character encodation, dimensions, tolerances, decoding algorithms and parameters to be defined by applications. It specifies the Symbology Identifier prefix strings for EAN/UPC symbols. Data content and the rules governing the use of this symbology are outside the scope of ISO/IEC 15420:2009; they are defined in the GS1 General Specifications.

Technologies de l'information — Techniques automatiques d'identification et de capture des données — Spécification de symbologie de code à barres EAN/UPC

General Information

• Status: Not Published
• ICS: 01.080.50 - Graphical symbols for use on information technology and telecommunications technical drawings and in relevant technical product documentation
• ICS: 35.040.50 - Automatic identification and data capture techniques
• Technical Committee: ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31 - Automatic identification and data capture techniques
• Drafting Committee: ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31 - Automatic identification and data capture techniques
• Current Stage: 5020 - FDIS ballot initiated: 2 months. Proof sent to secretariat
• Start Date: 22-Aug-2025
• Completion Date: 30-Aug-2025

Relations

• Revises: ISO/IEC 15420:2009 - Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques — EAN/UPC bar code symbology specification
• Effective Date: 06-Jun-2022

Standards Content (Sample)

International
Standard
ISO/IEC 15420
Third edition
Information technology —
Automatic identification and data
capture techniques — EAN/UPC bar
code symbology specification
Technologies de l'information — Techniques automatiques
d'identification et de capture des données — Spécification de
symbologie de code à barres EAN/UPC
PROOF/ÉPREUVE
Reference number
ISO/IEC 15420:2025(en) © ISO/IEC 2025

ISO/IEC 15420:2025(en)
© ISO/IEC 2025
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
PROOF/ÉPREUVE
© ISO/IEC 2025 – All rights reserved
ii
ISO/IEC 15420:2025(en)
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Requirements . 2
4.1 Symbology characteristics.2
4.2 Symbol structure .2
4.2.1 Symbol types .2
4.2.2 Symbol encodation .2
4.2.3 Symbol formats . .4
4.3 Dimensions and tolerances . . 12
4.3.1 Measurement basis . 12
4.3.2 Width of narrow element (X) . 12
4.3.3 Bar height . 12
4.3.4 Quiet zone . 12
4.3.5 Positioning of the add-on symbol . 13
4.3.6 Element widths . 13
4.3.7 Symbol width . 13
4.3.8 Symbol size .14
4.3.9 Dimensional tolerances .14
4.4 Reference decode algorithm .14
4.5 Symbol quality .18
4.5.1 Test methodology .18
4.5.2 Decodability . .19
4.5.3 Additional criteria .19
4.6 Application-defined parameters . 20
4.7 Human-readable interpretation . . 20
4.8 Transmitted data . 20
4.9 Implementation guidelines . 20
Annex A (normative) Additional features .21
Annex B (normative) Symbology identifier .23
Annex C (informative) Overview of the GS1 system.24
Annex D (informative) Illustration of number sets A, B and C and auxiliary patterns .25
Annex E (informative) Dimensioned drawings of the nominal size symbols .28
Annex F (informative) Traditional dimensional tolerances .33
Annex G (informative) Guidelines for reading and printing .35
Bibliography .37
PROOF/ÉPREUVE
© ISO/IEC 2025 – All rights reserved
iii
ISO/IEC 15420:2025(en)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are
members of ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical
committees established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity.
ISO and IEC technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations,
governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the ISO/
IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives or www.iec.ch/members_experts/refdocs).
ISO and IEC draw attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the
use of (a) patent(s). ISO and IEC take no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any
claimed patent rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO and IEC had not
received notice of (a) patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers
are cautioned that this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent
database available at www.iso.org/patents and https://patents.iec.ch. ISO and IEC shall not be held
responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
In the IEC, see www.iec.ch/understanding-standards.
This document was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 31, Automatic identification and data capture techniques.
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO/IEC 15420:2009), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— terminology and dimensions have been updated to align with latest GS1 General Specifications;
— clarification on what is defined in this document compared to an application standard has been added;
— example barcodes have been revised to use GS1 company prefixes reserved for examples;
— verification lighting has been changed from 670 nm to 660 nm to align with GS1 General Specifications.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards
body. A complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html and
www.iec.ch/national-committees.
PROOF/ÉPREUVE
© ISO/IEC 2025 – All rights reserved
iv
ISO/IEC 15420:2025(en)
Introduction
The technology of bar coding is based on the recognition of patterns encoded in bars and spaces of defined
dimensions. There are numerous methods of encoding information in bar code form, known as symbologies.
EAN/UPC is one such symbology. The rules defining the translation of characters into bar and space patterns,
and other essential features of each symbology, are known as the symbology specification.
This document is intended to be used alongside the GS1 General Specifications. The administration of
the numbering system by GS1 ensures that identification codes assigned to particular items are unique
1)
worldwide and are defined in a consistent way. The major benefit for the users of the GS1 system is the
availability of uniquely defined identification codes for use in their trading transactions. Annex C gives an
overview of the GS1 system.
NOTE GS1 is the worldwide association encompassing the organizations formerly known as EAN International
and Uniform Code Council (UCC).
Manufacturers of bar code equipment and users of bar code technology require publicly available standard
symbology specifications to which they can refer when developing equipment and software.
1) The GS1 system are specifications, standards, and guidelines administered by GS1.
PROOF/ÉPREUVE
© ISO/IEC 2025 – All rights reserved
v
International Standard ISO/IEC 15420:2025(en)
Information technology — Automatic identification and
data capture techniques — EAN/UPC bar code symbology
specification
1 Scope
This document specifies the requirements for the bar code symbology known as EAN/UPC. This document
specifies EAN/UPC symbology characteristics, data character encodation, dimensions, tolerances, decoding
algorithms and parameters to be defined by applications. It specifies the symbology identifier prefix strings
for EAN/UPC symbols.
Data content and the rules governing the use of this symbology are outside the scope of this document; they
are defined in GS1 General Specifications.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO/IEC 646, Information technology — ISO 7-bit coded character set for information interchange
ISO/IEC 15416, Automatic identification and data capture techniques — Bar code print quality test specification
— Linear symbols
ISO/IEC 19762, Information techn
...

ISO/IEC DISPRF 15420:2024(E)
ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31
Secretariat: ANSI
Date: 2025-08-22
Information technology — Automatic identification and data
capture techniques — EAN/UPC bar code symbology specification
Technologies de l'information — Techniques automatiques d'identification et de capture des
donnnéesdonnées — Spécification de symbologie de code à barrebarres EAN/UPC
Third edition
Date: 2024-05-14
FDIS stage
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication
may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO
at the address below or ISO'sISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO Copyright Office copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: + 41 22 749 01 11
Email: E-mail: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland.
© ISO/IEC 2025 – All rights reserved
iv
Contents Page
Foreword .vii
Introduction . viii
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Requirements. 2
4.1 Symbology characteristics . 2
4.2 Symbol structure . 2
4.3 Dimensions and tolerances . 13
4.4 Reference decode algorithm . 16
4.5 Symbol quality . 21
4.6 Application‑defined parameters . 23
4.7 Human-readable interpretation . 23
4.8 Transmitted data . 23
4.9 Implementation guidelines . 23
Annex A (normative) Additional features . 24
Annex B (normative) Symbology identifier . 26
Annex C (informative) Overview of the GS1 system . 27
Annex D (informative) Illustration of number sets A, B and C and auxiliary patterns . 28
Annex E (informative) Dimensioned drawings of the nominal size symbols . 31
Annex F (informative) Traditional dimensional tolerances . 37
Annex G (informative) Guidelines for reading and printing . 39
Bibliography . 41

Foreword . iv
Introduction . v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms, definitions, symbols and functions . 1
4 Requirements. 2
4.1 Symbology characteristics . 2
4.2 Symbol structure . 3
4.2.1 Symbol types . 3
4.2.2 Symbol encodation . 3
4.2.3 Symbol formats . 4
4.3 Dimensions and tolerances . 14
4.3.1 Measurement basis. 14
4.3.2 Width of narrow element (X) . 14
© ISO/IEC 2025 – All rights reserved
v
4.3.3 Bar height . 14
4.3.4 Quiet zone . 14
4.3.5 Positioning of the add-on symbol . 15
4.3.6 Element widths . 15
4.3.7 Symbol width. 15
4.3.8 Symbol size . 16
4.3.9 Dimensional Tolerances . 16
4.4 Reference decode algorithm . 16
4.5 Symbol quality . 20
4.5.1 Test methodology . 20
4.5.2 Decodability . 21
4.5.3 Additional Criteria . 22
4.6 Application-defined parameters . 22
4.7 Human-readable interpretation . 22
4.8 Transmitted data . 22
4.9 Implementation guidelines . 22
Annex A (normative) Additional features . 23
Annex B (normative) Symbology identifier . 25
Annex C (informative) Overview of the GS1 system . 26
Annex D (informative) Illustration of number sets A, B and C and auxiliary patterns . 27
Annex E (informative) Dimensioned drawings of the nominal size symbols . 29
Annex F (informative) Traditional Dimensional Tolerances . 34
Annex G (informative) Guidelines for reading and printing . 36
Bibliography . 38
© ISO/IEC 2025 – All rights reserved
vi
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members
of ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees
established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC
technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental
and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types of
document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the ISO/IEC
Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives or www.iec.ch/members_experts/refdocs).
ISO and IEC draw attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of
(a) patent(s). ISO and IEC take no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed
patent rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO and IEC had not received
notice of (a) patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are
cautioned that this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent database
available at www.iso.org/patents and https://patents.iec.ch. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for
identifying any or all such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions
related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World Trade
Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
In the IEC, see www.iec.ch/understanding-standards.
Field Code Changed
This document was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 31, Automatic identification and data capture techniques.
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO/IEC 15420:2009), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— — Updating terminology and dimensions have been updated to align with latest GS1 General
Specifications;
— Some clarification on what is defined in this document compared to an application standard has been
added;
— Exampleexample barcodes nowhave been revised to use GS1 company prefixes reserved for examples;
— Verificationverification lighting washas been changed from 670 nm to 660 nm to align with the GS1
General Specifications.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html and www.iec.ch/national-
committees.
© ISO/IEC 2025 – All rights reserved
vii
Introduction
The technology of bar coding is based on the recognition of patterns encoded in bars and spaces of defined
dimensions. There are numerous methods of encoding information in bar code form, known as symbologies.
EAN/UPC is one such symbology. The rules defining the translation of characters into bar and space patterns,
and other essential features of each symbology, are known as the symbology specification.
This document serves as a normative reference inis intended to be used alongside the “GS1 General
Specifications”. The administration of the numbering system by GS1 ensures that identification codes
assigned to particular items are unique world-wideworldwide and are defined in a consistent way. The major
1)
benefit for the users of the GS1 system is
...