UCC Membership / U.P.C. Information

The Universal Product Code (U.P.C.) is a system for uniquely identifying the thousands of different suppliers and millions of different items that are warehoused, sold, delivered, and billed throughout retail and commercial channels of distribution.

It provides an accurate, efficient and economical means of controlling the flow of goods through the use of an all-numeric product identification system.

In English please.

A Universal Product Code, or U.P.C., is required if you are the manufacturer of an item. It is also required if you are an allied company and private label items that are made for you.

(If you are reselling someone else's products, or function as a broker, you do not need a U.P.C.)

A different U.P.C. is required for each size, color, shape, etc. of an item.

What does it take to get one?

The process of obtaining a U.P.C. consists of four steps:

1) completion of the GS1 US (formerly the Uniform Code Council) Membership Application

2) payment of the required GS1 US Membership Fee

3) receipt from the GS1 US of your six, seven, eight, or nine digit Company Prefix

4) conversion of the Company Prefix into a 12 digit U.P.C.

The above process, from start to finish, takes five to seven business days, plus package shipping. It can be expedited for an additional fee.

So how do I do it?

Complete the On Line GS1 US Membership Application at:
https://www.gs1us.org/upcs-barcodes-prefixes/get-started-guide/get-barcodes-from-gs1-us

Wait on GS1 US for receipt of your Membership materials. In the package of information will be your six, seven, eight, or nine digit Company Prefix. Once you have that number, you can create your own U.P.C.'s.

If your Prefix is six digits, you will need to create a five digit Product Number (or SKU).

If your Prefix is seven digits, you will need to create a four digit Product Number.

If your Prefix is eight digits, you will need to create a three digit product number.

If your Prefix is nine digits, you will need to create a two digit Product Number.

[Product Numbers / SKU's are numeric only, without punctuation.]

Once you have created the above sequence of eleven numbers, you will need to calculate the twelfth or Check Digit. To do this, use the GS1 US Check Digit Calculator at: https://www.gs1us.org/tools/check-digit-calculator

You can give this number to your supplier / trading partner, or you can contact me for U.P.C. Image File Creation or U.P.C. Bar Code Label Production. If you have a large number of U.P.C.'s to create, I can assist you with a custom Excel spreadsheet.

Please call my office at 214-592-4570 for further details, or contact me via E-Mail.