HIBC Code 128
Code 128 formatted to the Health Industry Bar Code supplier labeling standard for medical products.
HIBC Code 128 Specification
| Character set | Full ASCII via Code 128; HIBC primary structure uses A-Z, 0-9, - . $ / + % space |
| Data length | Variable; LIC (4 chars) + item (1-13 chars) + optional lot/serial fields, per HIBC rules |
| Check digit | Mod 103 (Code 128) plus a mandatory HIBC Mod 43 check character appended to the data |
| Density | Same as Code 128 at the chosen X-dimension |
| Module width (X-dimension) | 0.25-0.40 mm typical on medical labels |
| Print ratio | Variable-width bars and spaces |
| Magnification | Scales with X-dimension; small-item medical labels often run 0.25 mm X |
| Quiet zone | 10X on each side |
| Standard | ANSI/HIBC Supplier Labeling Standard (HIBCC); symbology basis ISO/IEC 15417 |
| Origin | Health Industry Business Communications Council (HIBCC), 1986 |
| Sample data | A999BJC5D6E71 |
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What Is HIBC Code 128?
HIBC Code 128 is Code 128 carrying a Health Industry Bar Code (HIBC) data structure, defined by the ANSI/HIBC Supplier Labeling standard maintained by HIBCC. The primary data structure starts with a plus character (+), followed by the labeler identification code (LIC), an item reference, and optionally a lot or serial number and related data. The string ends with a Mod 43 check character computed over the whole payload.
Healthcare adopted HIBC because medical products need globally unique, mixed alphanumeric identification — lot numbers, expiry, and serials — within tight label space. HIBC Code 128 is one of the accepted data carriers for US FDA Unique Device Identification (UDI) on medical devices and is widely used in hospital supply chains across Europe and Japan for item, lot, and serial level tracking.
Common Applications
- Medical device UDI labeling (US FDA, EU MDR ecosystems)
- Pharmaceutical and hospital supply item and lot tracking
- Surgical instrument and implant traceability
Related Barcode Types
A high-density, variable-length linear barcode that encodes all 128 ASCII characters, and the backbone symbology of modern logistics.
Code 39 carrying the Health Industry Bar Code supplier labeling structure — the legacy healthcare marking standard.
Code 128 carrying GS1 Application Identifier element strings — the standard barcode of global logistics.
HIBC Code 128 FAQ
What does the leading "+" in HIBC data mean?
The plus sign is the HIBC primary data structure flag. It tells the scanner the following bytes are a HIBC payload — labeler ID, item code, and so on — rather than a raw GS1 or proprietary string. The + is an encoded data character, unlike GS1 parentheses which are purely visual.
How is the HIBC check character different from the Code 128 check character?
They are two independent checks. The HIBC Mod 43 check character is part of your data — computed over the HIBC payload and transmitted to the host system. The Code 128 Mod 103 check character is part of the symbol structure, verified silently by the scanner and never transmitted. Both appear in every HIBC Code 128 barcode.