# ITF-14 Barcode Generator

> ITF-14 is the barcode printed on shipping cartons and outer cases. It encodes a 14-digit GTIN - an indicator digit for the pack level, your 13-digit product number, and a check digit - in thick bars designed to survive printing directly onto corrugated cardboard.

Source: https://rankcert.com/tools/itf-14-barcode-generator
Free, no signup. Updated: 2026-09-08

## How to use it

1. Enter 13 digits and the check digit is added, or all 14 if you already have it.
2. Check the indicator digit at the front matches the pack level you are labelling.
3. Download the PNG and print it with bearer bars at 100% scale on the carton.

## The indicator digit

The leading digit of an ITF-14 says what packaging level the carton is. Using the same indicator for two different case quantities is the most common ITF-14 mistake and it breaks receiving at the warehouse.

| Indicator | Means |
| --- | --- |
| 0 | The base item itself, no grouping |
| 1-8 | Defined packaging levels - you assign which is which, consistently |
| 9 | Variable-measure trade item, such as a case sold by weight |

## Questions

### What is ITF-14 used for?

Outer cases and shipping cartons - the box the retail units travel in, not the units themselves. The individual products inside carry EAN-13 or UPC-A; the carton carries ITF-14.

### What are bearer bars and do I need them?

The thick frame around the symbol. They stop a partial scan being read as a complete one when a scanner clips the edge of the code, and on ITF-14 they are mandatory in the GS1 spec - at minimum as a bar above and below.

### Why must ITF-14 have an even number of digits?

Interleaved 2 of 5 encodes digits in pairs, one in the bars and one in the spaces. An odd count cannot be paired, which is why the format is fixed at 14 and why a short value gets zero-padded.

### Can I use the same number as my EAN-13?

Not directly. Take the 13-digit GTIN, add an indicator digit at the front for the pack level, then recalculate the check digit for the new 14-digit number - the old check digit is no longer valid.

### Why is ITF-14 printed so large?

It is printed directly onto corrugated board, where ink spreads and the surface is uneven. The wide bars and generous size are what make it survive flexographic printing on cardboard.

### Can ITF-14 encode letters?

No, digits only. If you need text on a carton label use GS1-128, which is the symbology for logistics data such as batch numbers and expiry dates.

### What size should an ITF-14 be?

Nominal width is 142.75mm at 100%, with a permitted range of 50% to 100% depending on print quality. Direct printing on corrugated needs the larger end; a printed label applied to the carton can go smaller.

### Does every carton need its own barcode?

Every distinct case configuration does. Identical cartons of the same product share one ITF-14; a 12-pack and a 24-pack of the same item need different indicator digits and therefore different codes.

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