ISO/IEC 16388:2023

Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques — Code 39 bar code symbology specification

This document specifies the requirements for the bar code symbology known as Code 39. This document specifies Code 39 symbology characteristics, data character encodation, dimensions, tolerances, decoding algorithms and parameters to be defined by applications. This document specifies the symbology identifier prefix strings for Code 39 symbols.

Technologies de l'information — Techniques automatiques d'identification et de capture des données — Spécifications des symbologies des codes à barres, code 39

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 10-May-2023
• 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/WG 1 - Data carrier
• Current Stage: 6060 - International Standard published
• Start Date: 11-May-2023
• Due Date: 08-Mar-2024
• Completion Date: 11-May-2023

Relations

• Revises: ISO/IEC 16388:2007 - Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques — Code 39 bar code symbology specification
• Effective Date: 23-Apr-2020

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 16388
Third edition
2023-05
Information technology — Automatic
identification and data capture
techniques — Code 39 bar code
symbology specification
Technologies de l'information — Techniques automatiques
d'identification et de capture des données — Spécifications des
symbologies des codes à barres, code 39
Reference number
© ISO/IEC 2023
© ISO/IEC 2023
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
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Published in Switzerland
ii
© ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definition . 1
4 Requirements. 1
4.1 Symbology characteristics. 1
4.2 Symbol structure . 2
4.3 Character encodation . 3
4.3.1 Symbol character structure . 3
4.3.2 Symbol character assignments. 3
4.3.3 Start and stop characters . 4
4.3.4 Optional symbol check character . 4
4.4 Dimensions . 4
4.5 Reference decode algorithm . 5
4.6 Symbol quality . 6
4.6.1 Test specification . 6
4.6.2 Additional parameters . 6
4.7 Application-defined parameters . 7
4.7.1 Symbology and dimensional characteristics . 7
4.7.2 Optical specifications . 7
4.7.3 Test specifications . 8
Annex A (informative) Additional features . 9
Annex B (informative) Guidelines for the use of Code 39 .12
Annex C (normative) Symbology identifier .14
Annex D (informative) Example of application-defined parameters .15
Bibliography .17
iii
© ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
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 ISO documents 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).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/
or on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents) or the IEC list of patent
declarations received (see patents.iec.ch).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
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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 16388:2007), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— the grading of parameter “Inter character gap” in 4.6.2.2 has been corrected;
— a NOTE has been added below Table A.2 about possible alternate representation of a minus sign, a
period or the numbers 0 to 9 by character pairs.
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.
iv
© ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved

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. Code 39 is one such symbology. The rules defining the translation of characters into bar
and space patterns and other essential features are known as the symbology specification.
In the past, symbology specifications were developed and published by a number of organizations,
resulting in certain instances in conflicting requirements for certain symbologies.
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 application
standards.
v
© ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 16388:2023(E)
Information technology — Automatic identification and
data capture techniques — Code 39 bar code symbology
specification
1 Scope
This document specifies the requirements for the bar code symbology known as Code 39. This
document specifies Code 39 symbology characteristics, data character encodation, dimensions,
tolerances, decoding algorithms and parameters to be defined by applications. This document specifies
the symbology identifier prefix strings for Code 39 symbols.
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 15424, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques — Data
Carrier Identifiers (including Symbology Identifiers)
ISO/IEC 19762, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) techniques —
Harmonized vocabulary
3 Terms and definition
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO/IEC 19762 apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
4 Requirements
4.1 Symbology characteristics
The characteristics of Code 39 are as follows.
a) Encodable character set:
1) full alphanumeric A to Z and 0 to 9 (ASCII characters 65 to 90 and 48 to 57 inclusive, in
accordance with ISO/IEC 646 IRV);
2) special characters: space $ % + - . / (ASCII characters 32, 36, 37, 43, 45, 46 and 47, respectively,
in accordance with ISO/IEC 646 IRV);
© ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved

3) start/stop character.
b) Code type: discrete.
c) Elements per symbol character: 9, of which 3 wide and 6 narrow, comprising 5 bars and 4 spaces.
d) Character self-checking: yes.
e) Data string length encodable: variable.
f) Bidirectionally decodable: yes.
g) Symbol check character: one, optional (see Annex A).
h) Symbol character density: 13 to 16 modules per symbol character, inclusive of minimum
intercharacter gap, depending on wide/narrow ratio.
i) Non-data overhead: equivalent to 2 symbol characters.
j) Symbology identifier shall comply as described in Annex C.
NOTE Usage guidelines are given in Annex B.
4.2 Symbol structure
As illustrated in Figure 1, Code 39 symbols shall comprise:
a) leading quiet zone;
b) start character;
c) one or more symbol characters representing data (including symbol check character, if present);
d) stop character;
e) trailing quiet zone.
A space, the intercharacter gap, shall separate characters within the symbol.
Key
1 quiet zone
2 start character
3 character "1"
4 character "A"
5 stop character
Figure 1 — Code 39 symbol
© ISO/IEC 2023 – All rights reserved

4.3 Character encodation
4.3.1 Symbol character structure
Each symbol character comprises nine elements (five bars and four spaces) of which six are always
narrow (either three narrow bars and three narrow spaces, or five narrow bars and one narrow space)
and three are always wide (one wide space and two wide bars when there are three narrow bars, or
three wide spaces when there are five narrow bars). This parity feature enables character self-checking
to be carried out.
4.3.2 Symbol character assignments
Table 1 defines all the Code 39 character assignments.
Table 1 — Code 39 character assignments
ASCII
Char. Encodation pattern B S B S B S B S B
Value
(decimal)
0       0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 48
1       1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 49
2       0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 50
3       1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 51
4       0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 52
5       1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 53
6       0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 54
7       0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 55
8       1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 56
9       0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 57
A       1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 65
B       0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 66
C       1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 67
D       0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 68
E       1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0
...