ITF-14 Barcode Generator
This ITF-14 barcode generator makes the code for the outside of the case, not the item inside it. It is built to survive printing directly onto corrugated cardboard, which is why it looks chunky compared with a retail barcode.
On this page
Build your ITF-14 code
Size, colour and export options
Never set this to zero. A cropped quiet zone is the most common reason a printed barcode will not scan.
Preview
What was checked
Verify any code by test scanning a printed sample before a production run. Provided as is, and used at your own risk. See the terms.
What ITF-14 is
ITF-14 encodes exactly fourteen digits, which is a GTIN-14: an indicator digit describing the packaging level, the product number of the item inside, and a modulo 10 check digit.
The ITF part stands for Interleaved 2 of 5, which encodes digits in pairs, one in the bars and one in the spaces between them. That interleaving is efficient, and it is also why the digit count must always be even. Fourteen works; thirteen does not, which is why entering thirteen digits here produces the fourteenth rather than an error.
The thick frame around a printed ITF-14 is the bearer bar. It is not decoration. Printing onto corrugated board spreads ink unevenly, and the bearer bar guards against a partial scan being read as a valid short code.
ITF-14 has the tightest size rules of the common symbologies, because it has to work in a warehouse rather than at a till.
ITF-14 specification
| Character set | Digits 0 to 9 only |
|---|---|
| Length | Exactly 14 digits, always an even count |
| Check digit | Modulo 10, required |
| X-dimension | 0.495mm minimum and recommended, 1.016mm maximum |
| Symbol height | 31.75mm, fixed |
| Quiet zone | At least 10 times the X-dimension on both sides |
| Governed by | GS1 |
Fixed height is genuinely fixed
Most symbologies give you a height range. ITF-14 does not: GS1 specifies 31.75mm, full stop. Shrinking it to fit a label template is a common shortcut and it is the reason a lot of carton codes fail at goods-in.
The quiet zone is equally unforgiving at ten times the X-dimension on both sides. On a printed carton that is a real amount of blank board, and artwork encroaching on it will break the scan even though the bars themselves are perfect.
Sources
Every specification figure on this page traces to one of the following. Nothing is stated here that could not be checked against them.
- GS1 General Specifications size limits, as published by GS1
- GS1 General Specifications, ITF-14 structure and modulo 10 check digit
- bwip-js, MIT-licensed barcode encoder implementing the ISO/IEC symbologies
Last reviewed 6 September 2026
This page is maintained by Cedrick Reese at Ready Utilities. The ITF-14 digit count, even-pair requirement and modulo 10 check digit follow the Interleaved 2 of 5 encoding as applied by GS1, and encoding is performed by the MIT-licensed bwip-js library at a pinned version. The X-dimension range, the fixed 31.75mm height and the 10X quiet zone reproduce the limits published by GS1, and are rechecked against the current published specification whenever this page is updated.
Common questions
Why must ITF-14 have an even number of digits?
Interleaved 2 of 5 encodes two digits at a time, one in the bars and one in the spaces. An odd count leaves a digit with no partner, so the symbology cannot represent it. ITF-14 is fixed at 14, which is even.
What is the bearer bar around an ITF-14?
The thick frame printed around the symbol. It compensates for ink spread on corrugated board and prevents a partial scan being misread as a valid shorter code.
Can I resize an ITF-14 to fit my label?
Not freely. GS1 fixes the height at 31.75mm and sets the X-dimension between 0.495mm and 1.016mm. Shrinking beyond that is a common cause of cartons failing to scan at goods-in.
What is the difference between ITF-14 and UPC?
UPC identifies the individual item at retail checkout. ITF-14 identifies the case or carton that holds several of them, and is never scanned at a till.