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ITF-14 Barcode Generator

ITF-14 identifies cases and cartons in the supply chain. Enter 13 digits to have the check digit added, or 14 to verify a number you have.

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ITF-14 is numeric only. Enter 13 digits to calculate the check digit, or 14 digits to validate a complete code.

Read the ITF-14 guide for data rules, common mistakes and printing advice.

Checking an existing number? ITF-14 Validator · Check Digit Calculator

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How to use it

  1. Enter the 13 digits of your GTIN-14 (indicator digit plus 12 digits) to calculate the check digit, or all 14 to verify it.
  2. Keep the recommended size: ITF-14 is meant to be printed large on cartons.
  3. Download SVG or PDF for carton artwork and check the bearer border is printed in full.

What the 14 digits mean

ITF-14 carries a GTIN-14, the number for a trade unit (a case, carton or pack of several items) rather than a single product sold at a till. The first digit is the packaging indicator: 1 to 8 distinguish different pack configurations of the same product (say, a case of 6 and a case of 24), 9 is used for variable-measure items, and 0 means the carton shares the GTIN of the item inside.

The next 12 digits are usually the product's own GTIN without its check digit, and the final digit is a new check digit calculated over all 13 preceding digits. That's why you can't just put an extra digit in front of an EAN-13.

Different from retail barcodes

EAN-13 and UPC-A are scanned at the checkout; ITF-14 is scanned in warehouses and at goods-in, often from a distance or on a conveyor. It uses the Interleaved 2 of 5 symbology, which prints well on corrugated cardboard, and is framed by thick bearer bars that protect it from partial reads when the printing plate presses unevenly.

Printing on cartons

  • Print it large: GS1 recommends narrow bars between roughly 0.5 mm and 1 mm, and bars around 32 mm tall.
  • Keep the full bearer border and at least 10 bar widths of blank space inside it at each end.
  • Place it on at least two adjacent sides of the carton, where warehouse scanners can see it.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my product's EAN-13 on the carton?

Only if the carton is itself a retail unit. Cases of several items usually need their own GTIN-14 with an indicator digit, which your GS1 membership lets you assign.

What does the first digit mean?

It's the packaging indicator: 1–8 for different pack sizes of the same product, 9 for variable-measure items, and 0 when the carton uses the inner item's number.

Why is there a thick frame around the barcode?

Those are bearer bars. They stop scanners reading a partial code and help the printing plate press evenly on cardboard.

Related formats

Further reading

Need another format? The full Barcode Generator supports 15 barcode and 2D code types.

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