ISBN barcode generator & validator

Where do I get an ISBN?

An ISBN is assigned by an official agency, not generated — it names you as the publisher of record, and every ISBN is unique to one title in one format.

• United States — Bowker is the only official source. Single ISBNs are pricey; blocks of 10 or 100 are far cheaper per unit. myidentifiers.com
• UK & Ireland — Nielsen. nielsenisbnstore.com
• Canada, Australia, New Zealand & many more — ISBNs are free from the national library or agency.

Common questions

Can I generate my own ISBN?

No. An ISBN is assigned by an official agency and registers you as the publisher of record — it cannot be invented or self-issued. This tool works with an ISBN you already own: it checks it, converts between the 10- and 13-digit forms, and produces the scannable barcode your printer needs.

Do I need a separate ISBN for each format?

Yes. The paperback, hardcover, ebook and audiobook each need their own ISBN. A new edition with substantial changes needs one too, but a reprint or a new cover does not.

Is the free ISBN from Amazon KDP good enough?

It works, but KDP, Draft2Digital and IngramSpark become the listed publisher of record when they assign you a free ISBN, and the identifier is not portable to other retailers. Buy your own if you want your imprint on the book and full freedom to distribute it anywhere.

What is the 5-digit code next to the barcode?

It is the price add-on supplement. The first digit indicates the currency (5 for USD, 1 for GBP) and the remaining four encode the price in cents — so 51299 means $12.99. It is optional; many print-on-demand services prefer 90000, which means "no price encoded".

What is the difference between ISBN-10 and ISBN-13?

ISBN-13 has been the standard since 2007 and is what retailers and printers expect. ISBN-10 is the older form, still used in some legacy catalogues and by Amazon as the ASIN for print books. Any 978-prefixed ISBN-13 converts cleanly to ISBN-10; 979-prefixed ones have no ISBN-10 equivalent.