Bar Code Symbology Descriptions

1D (Linear) Barcodes / 2D Barcodes / Postal Codes

1D (Linear) Bar Code Symbologies

Bar Code	Characters	Format	Common Applications
Code 11	11 Numeric	wide/narrow	Telecommunications equipment labeling
(aka USD-8) A High-density symbology able to encode numbers 0 - 9, the dash symbol (-) and start/stop characters. Code 11 is not very secure and printing imperfections can easily convert one character into an alternate valid character. One or two check characters are used to improve data integrity.
Code 39	128 Alphanumeric	wide/narrow, checkdigit	Package Tracking, Manifests, Bills of Lading, Automotive Inventory, Vehicle ID, US DOD, Health Industry Bar Code Council (HIBCC)
(aka USS Code 39, Code 3/9, Code 3 of 9, USD-3, Alpha39) The first alpha-numeric symbology that originally encoded 39 characters (now 43) including uppercase letters (A - Z), digits (0 - 9) and a few special characters like the $ sign. The entire ASCII character set can be encoded using Code 39’s Full ASCII mode. The bar code does not contain a check digit but is considered self-checking because a single erroneously decoded bar can not generate another valid character. The code has very low data density compared to other 1D codes which does not make it feasible for small space applications.
Code 93	128 Alphanumeric	multiwidth	Canadian postal office
An alphanumeric, variable length symbology designed to provide a higher density and data security enhancement to Code 39. Every symbol includes two check characters and is capable of combining characters to unambiguously represent all 128 ASCII characters.
Code 128	128 Alphanumeric	multiwidth, checkdigit	Lotteries, Package Tracking, Manifests, Bills of Lading, Patient Bracelets, Medication, Retail, POS, Returned Goods, Inventory Control
(aka GS1-128, UCC/EAN-128) A very effective, high-density symbology capable of encoding a relatively large amount of data in a relatively small amount of space. It can encode all 128 ASCII characters and is also capable of encoding two numbers into one character width using one of the three available code sets.
Codabar	20 Numeric + punctuation	wide/narrow, checkdigit	Libraries, Blood banks, Airbills, Patient Bracelets, Medication
(aka Codeabar, Ames Code, NW-7, Monarch, Rationalized Codabar, ANSI/AIM BC3-1995, USD-4) This symbology was designed by Pitney Bowes to be accurately read even when printed on dot-matrix printers for multi-part forms such as FedEx airbills and blood bank forms.
EAN / JAN / UPC	10 Numeric	multiwidth, checkdigit	Postal, Retail, POS, Returned Goods, Inventory Control
(aka EAN-8, EAN-13, JAN,UPC-A, UPC-E) A European Article Number (EAN) is a bar coding standard which is a superset of the original 12-digit Universal Product Code (UPC) system developed in North America. The EAN-13 barcode is defined by the standards organization GS1. It is also called a Japanese Article Number (JAN) in Japan. UPC, EAN, and JAN numbers are collectively called Global Trade Item Numbers (GTIN), though they can be expressed in different kinds of bar codes. EAN-13 is a superset of UPC-A which means that any reader capable of decoding EAN-13 codes will also be able to decode UPC-A codes. EAN-8 is a 2- or 3-digit number system code followed by a 4- or 5-digit product code. The EAN-8 product codes are assigned directly by the numbering authority. This has the advantage that any company can request an EAN-8 code regardless of its EAN-13 manufacturer or product code. UPC-E is a shorter form of a UPC-A referred to as the zero suppression version. It allows customer codes with a larger numbers of zeros to be represented in a more compact version.
Hong Kong 2 of 5	10 Numeric	wide/narrow	Various
Hong Kong 2 of 5 is encoded the same as the Matrix 2 of 5 symbology with the exception that the start and stop characters are different.
Interleaved 2 of 5	10 Numeric	wide/narrow, checkdigit	Retail, POS, Returned Goods, Inventory Control
(aka I 2 of 5, I2/5) Interleaved 2 of 5 is a continuous two-width barcode symbology encoding digits. It is used on cartons of products, while the products inside are labeled with UPC or EAN. The symbology is called "interleaved" because the first numeric data is encoded in the first 5 bars while the second numeric data is encoded in the first 5 spaces that separate the first 5 bars. Thus the first 5 bars and spaces actually encode two characters. This is also why the bar code can only encode an even number of data elements.
JAN	10 Numeric	multiwidth checkdigit	Retail, POS, Returned Goods, Inventory Control
The Japanese Article Numbering (JAN) code is identical to the EAN-13 version with the flag characters set to ``49''
Matrix 2 of 5	10 Numeric	wide/narrow, checkdigit	Photofinishing, Warehousing, Airline Tickets
The word Matrix originally means glyph or mold of type and font and represents both white and black bars in this symbology. The symbology is called "2 of 5" due to the fact that digits are encoded with 5 bars, 2 of which are always wide (and the remaining three are narrow).
MSI Plessey	10 Numeric	wide/narrow, checkdigit	Retail shelf and warehouse inventory control
(aka Modified Plessey) MSI was developed by the MSI Data Corporation, based on the original Plessey Code. While the length of an MSI bar code can be of any length, a given application usually implements a fixed-length code.
NEC 2 of 5	10 Numeric	wide/narrow, checkdigit	Physical distribution
NEC 2 of 5 was adopted for management of Physical Distribution "Process 8000." It can encode 10 digits using 3 bars and 2 spaces where of the 5 runs, 2 may be wide.
Patch Code	The patch code was created by Kodak to signal document processing applications while reading large documents. The different codes will signal certain events such as a page/section break or a change from single sided to duplex scanning.
Pharmacode	10 Numeric	wide/narrow	Pharmaceutical applications
Pharmacode is a bar code standard, used in the pharmaceutical industry as a packing control system. It is designed to be readable despite printing errors. Pharmacode is a directional bar code that can only be read in one direction. It can be printed in multiple colors as a check to ensure that the remainder of the packaging (which the pharmaceutical company must print to protect itself from legal liability) is correctly printed. The correct terminology for this is actually "Pharmaceutical Binary Code"
RSS / GS1 DataBar^TM	Numeric & Alphanumeric	multiwidth checkdigit	Retail product identification, small product marking
(aka RSS-14, RSS Limited, RSS Expanded, EAN.UCC RSS, GS1 DataBar^TM) The Reduced Space Symbology (RSS) family contains three linear symbologies to be used with the EAN.UCC system. The use of the symbology is restricted and subject to compliance with the EAN International (EAN) and Uniform Code Council, Inc. (UCC) rules and registration procedures. RSS can identify small items and carry more information than the current EAN/UPC bar code. RSS enables identification for hard-to-mark products like fresh foods and can carry identifiers such as serial numbers, lot numbers, and expiration dates, which creates the opportunity for solutions supporting product authentication and traceability, product quality and effectiveness, variable measure product identification, and couponing
Straight 2 of 5	10 Numeric	wide/narrow	Various
(aka IATA 2/5, Industrial 2/5, Standard 2/5, Airline 2 of 5, Code 2 of 5, Discrete 2 of 5)
Telepen	128 Alphanumeric	wide/narrow, checkdigit	Libraries, UK applications
Telepen is a name of a bar code symbology designed in 1972 in the UK to express all 128 ASCII characters without using shift characters for code switching, unlike Code 128, while only using two different widths for bars and spaces. Unlike most linear barcodes that specify the encodings for each representable character, Telepen only defines 4 basic bar-space modules.
Trioptic	10 Numeric	wide/narrow	Typically printed on media labels
Trioptic is essentially a Code 39 with different start/stop characters.
UPC	10 Numeric	multiwidth checkdigit	Product Packaging
There are two main types of UPC codes - UPC-A and UPC-E. UPC-A is by far the most common and well-known bar code symbology. An UPC-A bar code is the bar code you will find on virtually every consumer good on the shelves of your local supermarket, as well as books, magazines, and newspapers. It is commonly called simply a "UPC bar code" or "UPC Symbol." UPC-A encodes 11 digits of numeric (0 through 9) message data along with a trailing check digit, for a total of 12 digits of bar code data. Each UPC-A code contains four sections - Number System, Manufacturer Code, Product Code and Check-Digit. UPC-E is a variation of UPC-A which allows for a more compact bar code by eliminating extra zeros to create an 8 digit code from a 12 digit UPC-A.

2D Bar Code Symbologies

Bar Code	Characters	Error Correction	Common Applications
Aztec Code	3,832 Num 3,067 Alpha 1,914 bytes	5%-95% error correction	Various
A high-density two-dimensional matrix symbology originally created in 1995. The symbology can encode all of the characters in the ASCII character set. The symbol is built on a square grid with a bulls-eye pattern at its center which allows the code to be quickly and easily located.
Codablock	128 Alphanumeric	Continuous	Blood banks
Codablock is a stacked symbology that was originally a stack of Code 39 symbols. This version is now called Codablock A. The current version of the symbol is Codablock F which is basically a stack of Code 128 symbols. Each symbol contains between 2 and 44 rows, each up to 62 characters wide. Each row can be read by a standard 1D reader and contains additional information that allows the data output from each row to be re-assembled to form a complete message in the proper sequence.
Composite Code	Alphanumeric	block checksum	Various
(aka EAN.UCC Composite Symbol) A Composite Code consists of a linear symbol (item's primary identification) associated with an adjacent 2D Composite Component (supplementary data). The linear component allows the primary information to be read by any scanning technology while also providing a finder pattern for the accompanying 2D code. The linear component of the code is either a member of the EAN/UPC family, a member of the RSS family or a UCC/EAN-128 code. The 2D Composite Component is located above the 1D code and is always a variant of either a MicroPDF417 or PDF417 symbol.
Data Matrix	Alphanumeric	28.5% - 62.5% error correction	manufacturing part tracking, lotteries, ID cards, registrations, asset tracking, medication, patient bracelets, etc.
A Data Matrix code is a two-dimensional matrix barcode consisting of black and white square modules arranged in either a square or rectangular pattern. The information to be encoded can be text or raw data. Usual data size is from a few bytes up to 2 kilobytes. The length of the encoded data depends on the symbol dimension used. Error correction codes are added to increase symbol strength: even if they are partially damaged, they can still be read. A Data Matrix symbol can store up to 2,335 alphanumeric characters.
Maxicode	~100 Alphanumeric	25% error correction	Package Tracking, Manifests, Bills of Lading
Maxicode is a 2D Matrix code developed for UPS in 1992 to encode detailed package information on a code that could easily be read at high speeds. The symbol appears a a one inch square with a bullseye in the middle surrounded by a pattern of hexagonal dots rather than squares or bars. It can store roughly 100 ASCII characters and can be decoded even when up to twenty-five percent of the symbol has been destroyed.
Micro PDF417	366 Num 250 Alpha 150 Bytes	error correction	Manufacturing part tracking,
MicroPDF417 is derived from PDF417 and intended for applications where the symbol must be smaller than what PDF417 will allow. The code has a limited set of symbol sizes and a fixed level of error correction. One of three compaction modes can be specified: data, text or numeric. Text Compaction mode permits all printable ASCII characters to be encoded (values 32 to 126 inclusive) as well as selected control characters. Byte Compaction mode permits all 256 possible 8-bit byte values to be encoded. This includes all ASCII characters value 0 to 127 inclusive and provides for international character set support. Numeric compaction mode encodes only numbers 0-9.
Micro QR Code	35 Numeric	error correction	Various
Micro QR Code is a smaller version of the QR Code that is used in applications that need higher data density than stand QR code provides. It consists of 4 different symbol sizes with the largest symbol capable of encoding 35 numeric digits.
PDF417	2710 characters	error correction	Manufacturing part tracking, Postal, Lotteries, Package Tracking, Manifests, Bills of Lading, ID Cards, Registrations, Asset Tracking, Patient Bracelets, Medication, Tradeshow Lead Tracking, Automotive Inventory, Vehicle ID
PDF417 is a 2-dimensional stacked bar code created by Symbol Technologies in 1991. It is one of the most popular 2D codes because of its ability to be read with slightly modified handheld laser or linear CCD scanners. PDF stands for Portable Data File and 417 represents the 17 modules of 4 bars and spaces that make up each code. Each symbol also has start and stop bar groups that allow the code to be easily identified.
QR Code	7,089 Num 4,296 Alpha 2,953 Bytes	error correction	Automotive Inventory, Vehicle ID, URLs for Mobile Phones
A QR Code is a 2D matrix code created by the Japanese corporation Denso-Wave in 1994. The "QR" is derived from "Quick Response", as the creator intended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed. QR Codes are currently the most popular type of two dimensional code in Japan. Their popularity is increasing with applications like storing addresses, URLs and business card contact information that can be captured and utilized by mobile phones equipped with a camera.

Postal Bar Code Symbologies

Bar Code	Characters/ Format	Error Checking	Common Applications
Australia Post	Numeric 4-State	Reed Solomon Correction	Australian Postal sortation, auditing, certified mail, registered mail, metered mail, POS, etc.
Australia Post is a type of 4-State bar code. Each symbol comprises four types of bars ('states') each of which is identified by both a name and a value. Each bar comprises a 'tracker' (middle section), to which an 'ascender'(top section) and/or 'descender' (bottom section) may be added. Using this 4-State format allows the code to contan more information in a set length than other postal codes while making the symbol easier to decode. It also allows the codes to be reliably printed using simple printing techniques such as dot matrix, bubble/ink jet and laser.
Intelligent Mail	31 Numeric 4-State	CRC frame check sequence	(USPS) Postal sortation, auditing, certified mail, registered mail, metered mail, POS, etc.
(aka USPS 4CB, OneCode Solution Barcode, OneCode ACS) The Intelligent Mail® barcode (formally known as the 4-State Customer Barcode) is the next generation of USPS® bar code technology used to sort and track letters and flats. Intelligent Mail® bar code technology, among other things, combines the capabilities of the POSTNET barcode and the Planet Code® bar code into one unique bar code. The 31-digit Intelligent Mail barcode (65 bars) is slightly longer than the 11-digit POSTNET barcode (62 bars), and it offers mailers certain flexibility in choosing the height and width of the bar code.
Japanese Post	Numeric 4-State	self checking	Japanese Postal sortation, auditing, certified mail, registered mail, metered mail, POS, etc.
A type of 4-State Postal Bar Code used for Japanese mail.
KIX Code	Alphanumeric 4-State	self checking	Netherlands Postal sortation, auditing, certified mail, registered mail, metered mail, POS, etc.
The KIX-code was created in 1999 for sorting letters in the Netherlands. It is another type of 4-State bar code and is an abbreviation for Klant IndeX (Client Index). The KIX is a simple bar code where each letter or number is represented by four bars.
PLANET	12 - 14 Numeric 2-State	checksum error detection	(USPS) Postal sortation, auditing, certified mail, registered mail, metered mail, POS, etc.
The PostaL Alpha Numeric Encoding Technique (PLANET) barcode is used by the United States Postal Service to identify and track pieces of mail during delivery. Each code is either 12 or 14 digits long and encodes data in half and full-height bars similar to the POSTNET symbology. The code always starts and ends with a full bar (often called a guard rail) and each individual digit is represented by a set of five bars using a two-out-of-five code where two of the bars are always short.
POSTNET	5 - 11 Numeric 2-State	checksum error detection	(USPS) Postal sortation, auditing, certified mail, registered mail, metered mail, POS, etc.
POSTNET is a barcode symbology that is used by the United States Postal Service to assist in directing mail. The ZIP Code or ZIP+4 code is encoded in this unique symbology that encodes data in half- and full-height bars. Most often, the delivery point is added, usually being the last two digits of the address or PO box number. The symbol is encoded very similar to the PLANET code except that each set of five bars has two large bars out of five.
Royal Mail RM4SCC	Alphanumeric 4-State	checksum error detection	UK Postal sortation, auditing, certified mail, registered mail, metered mail, POS, etc.
RM4SCC is the bar code symbology used by the Royal Mail for its Cleanmail service. It is a type of 4-State Bar Code that enables UK postcodes to easily be read by a machine at high speed. The bar code encodes the postcode as well as the delivery point suffix and a checksum character. There are strict guidelines governing usage of these bar codes, which allow for maximum readability by machines. They are used with Royal Mail's Cleanmail system to allow businesses to easily and cheaply send large quantities of letters.
UPU	Alphanumeric 4-State	Reed Solomon Correction	Postal sortation, auditing, certified mail, registered mail, metered mail, POS, etc.
UPU is a 4-State Postal Code used by the Universal Postal Union which is a specialized agency of the United Nations. There are roughly 190 member countries of the Universal Postal Union.

top