ISBN-13 Validator

Batch by newline

Values to check

Result

ISBN-13scheme0values0valid0invalid0unreadable

A GTIN-13 in the 978 or 979 prefix range.

Open the full check digit validator with Luhn, IBAN, ISBN, GTIN, VIN, ISIN, Verhoeff, and Damm

Shareable link

Settings are written to the URL as you change them. Nothing differs from the defaults yet.

GTIN weighting

ISBN-13 dropped mod 11 in 2007 so book numbers would fit the retail barcode system. The check digit follows the GTIN rule: weight the digits alternately 1 and 3 from the left, sum, and pad up to the next multiple of 10.

Because the modulus is 10, a check digit is always a single digit. X never appears in an ISBN-13.

The 978 and 979 prefixes

978 was the original Bookland prefix. 979 was added when the first range filled, and 979-8 is the range used by several self-publishing platforms. Both prefixes validate the same way.

Adding a check digit expects the first 12 digits, prefix included. 978030640615 returns 9780306406157.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is an ISBN-13 validated?

Digits are weighted 1 and 3 alternately from the left. The sum of the weighted first 12 digits plus the check digit must be divisible by 10.

Why is the check digit different from the ISBN-10 version of the same book?

ISBN-13 uses the GTIN mod 10 rules over a 12-digit body that starts with 978 or 979. ISBN-10 uses a mod 11 weighting over 9 digits. Different inputs and different arithmetic give different results.

Is an ISBN-13 the same as an EAN-13?

Structurally yes. An ISBN-13 is an EAN-13 in the 978 and 979 prefix ranges, which is why the barcode on a book scans like any retail barcode.