Leitcode
Deutsche Post's 14-digit delivery-point routing barcode (postal code + street + house number + check digit), encoded in ITF.
Leitcode Specification
| Character set | Digits 0-9 (ITF carrier) |
| Data length | 14 digits (13 data + 1 Mod 10 check) |
| Check digit | Mod 10 check digit, mandatory |
| Density | Same as Interleaved 2 of 5 |
| Module width (X-dimension) | 0.34-0.5 mm typical for postal sorting |
| Print ratio | Wide:narrow ratio 2.25:1 to 3:1 |
| Magnification | Application-defined by Deutsche Post |
| Quiet zone | 10X on each side |
| Standard | Deutsche Post internal standard (ITF carrier) |
Not generated by barcodegen.net
Leitcode is documented here for completeness, but our free generator does not produce this symbology. The closest supported format is ITF (Interleaved 2 of 5).
What Is Leitcode?
The Leitcode compresses a German delivery address into 14 digits: the 5-digit Postleitzahl, a street identification code, house number, and product indicator, closed by a Mod 10 check digit. Carried as Interleaved 2 of 5, it lets Deutsche Post sorting equipment route mail to the exact delivery point without reading the printed address.
Like the Identcode, the Leitcode's number space belongs to Deutsche Post: the street codes come from postal reference data, so a valid Leitcode cannot be invented from an address alone without the carrier's assignment tables. Bulk mailers receive their Leitcodes as part of the Deutsche Post dialog Post mailing pipeline. The symbol structure itself is standard ITF.
Common Applications
- Deutsche Post delivery-point mail sorting
- Bulk mail (Dialogpost) routing
Related Barcode Types
Deutsche Post's 12-digit parcel identification barcode, encoded in Interleaved 2 of 5 with Mod 10 check digit.
A dense digits-only linear barcode that interleaves bar and space character pairs — logistics workhorse for numeric data.
The GTIN-14 carton-level barcode: ITF with thick bearer bars, printed directly on corrugated shipping cases.