How to get official UPC and EAN barcodes (and when you don't need them)

The short answer

An official UPC or EAN, meaning one that is unique worldwide, can only be assigned by GS1, the organization that runs the barcode system. It has a member organization in each country (for example GS1 US in the United States, GS1 UK in the United Kingdom, AECOC in Spain). No free website can give you a number that is “yours”: a generator, ours included, draws the bars of a number but cannot make it unique.

What decides your case is whether you need one at all. Many small businesses pay for something they do not need, and others find out too late that their marketplace does require it.

When you DO need an official code

• You sell through big retailers, chains or distributors. Their systems identify your product by that number and do not accept made-up codes.
• You sell on marketplaces such as Amazon, which in most categories ask for a verifiable GTIN tied to your brand. Some let you request an exemption in specific categories (private label, handmade…), but it is an exception with requirements that change: check the marketplace's current help pages before deciding.
• You need a GTIN-14 for cases shipped into another company's logistics. It is built from your own UPC or EAN, as explained in the guide to GTIN-14 and ITF-14.
• You want your product to be identifiable in product databases, comparison sites or third-party catalogs.

When you DON'T need one

• You only sell in your own shop, market stall or website. A code of your own is enough for fast checkout.
• Internal inventory and warehouse. A Code 128 with your own references is more flexible than a UPC: it accepts letters, has the length you decide and depends on no registry.
• Custom jobs and gifts, file labels, events. They do not need a standard code.

If you only need a code for your own shop, there is a middle option: GS1 reserves some number ranges for in-store use (in EAN-13 terms, prefixes 20 to 29). They scan at any checkout, but they must not leave your premises because another store could use the same number for something else.

What a UPC or EAN number contains

A UPC-A (12 digits) or EAN-13 (13 digits) has three parts, plus the check digit:

In EAN-13, the first two or three digits are a GS1 prefix that indicates the member organization where the company registered (for example 840 to 849 for Spain), not where the product is made. A UPC-A is, in practice, an EAN-13 with a leading zero, which is why US codes are read at checkouts worldwide.

The process, step by step

1. Decide how many products you will code. Every variant sold separately (another size, flavor or color) needs its own number. If you plan more items, consider licensing a bigger range from the start.
2. Apply to your GS1 member organization through its official website, which explains the requirements and forms. Joining gives you your company prefix and the right to generate your own numbers.
3. Pay the fees. The service has a joining fee and a recurring annual fee; the amounts and conditions are set by each GS1 organization and change, so check them on its website instead of trusting old blog figures.
4. Assign a number to each product. A spreadsheet with the reference, name and code of each item is enough. Never reuse the number of a discontinued product.
5. Generate the labels with your tool of choice, check that the check digit is correct and print them.

A warning about code resellers

Some websites sell individual “UPC codes” cheaply. Be careful: those numbers usually belong to someone else's range, and not every marketplace accepts them, or they may flag them if the registered owner is not you. If your business depends on the code, the safe route is to have it assigned to your company directly by GS1. This is a general recommendation, not legal advice: always check the terms of the channel where you sell.

Common mistakes when starting out

• Reselling other people's products under your own label. If you sell a product that already carries its manufacturer's code, that is the number it must keep. Putting a code of your own on top only makes sense if you really change the product or present it as an item of your own (private label, a bundle you assemble).
• Changing the product but keeping the number. As a general rule, a significant change (another size, another formulation, another sales format) calls for a new number; a minor package-design change normally does not. If in doubt, ask your GS1 member organization or the customer buying it.
• Not keeping a register. Record each assigned number with its product, date and status. Reusing the number of a discontinued item is the surest way for your distributor to confuse two products.
• Printing with the sample number. The examples on this site (like 036000291452) are meant for testing. Replace them with your own before printing anything that will leave your business.

If you want to know who a specific code belongs to, your country's GS1 member organization offers lookup services. It is the only reliable source: a random website cannot tell you.

Once you have the numbers: how to print them

With the list of codes in a spreadsheet, the next step is to draw them and put them on paper:

• Generate them all at once by pasting the list in “Many labels” mode. The steps and tricks to keep leading zeros are in barcodes from Excel.
• Mind the size. A UPC-A needs about 37 mm (1.5 in) of width including margins. The minimum size and contrast guide explains the limits.
• Calibrate your printer before printing hundreds of labels: calibrate your printer for label sheets.
• Pick the right code type. If you doubt between UPC/EAN, Code 128 or QR, which barcode type to use compares them all.

And remember what the frequently asked question on the home page says: GeneraEtiquetas validates the format and the check digit and draws the bars, but it cannot guarantee that the number is yours. Only GS1 does that.