Matrix 2 of 5
A compact two-of-five variant using a three-bar character with two wide elements, occasionally seen in barcode font applications.
Matrix 2 of 5 Specification
| Character set | Digits 0-9 only |
| Data length | Variable |
| Check digit | None standard (optional Mod 10) |
| Density | Moderate — three bars per digit |
| Module width (X-dimension) | 0.19-0.50 mm typical |
| Print ratio | Wide:narrow ratio 1:2 to 1:3 |
| Magnification | Not fixed; scales with X-dimension |
| Quiet zone | 10X on each side |
| Standard | No active ISO/AIM standard (vendor legacy) |
Not generated by barcodegen.net
Matrix 2 of 5 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 Matrix 2 of 5?
Matrix 2 of 5 (also "Code 2 of 5 Matrix") encodes each digit with three bars — two wide, one narrow — separated by narrow spaces, making it narrower than Standard 2 of 5 at the cost of an unusual structure. It appeared mostly in warehouse and order-picking systems in continental Europe and in some barcode font packages, where its simple geometry suited dot-matrix printing.
It carries no check digit in common practice and enjoys little scanner support outside explicitly configured industrial readers. Like the other two-of-five variants, it is a legacy choice: any new numeric application is better served by Interleaved 2 of 5 with a check digit, or Code 128C.
Common Applications
- Legacy European warehouse order picking
- Dot-matrix printed inventory tags (historical)
Related Barcode Types
A dense digits-only linear barcode that interleaves bar and space character pairs — logistics workhorse for numeric data.
The original 1960s two-of-five numeric symbology encoding one digit per five bars — the direct ancestor of Interleaved 2 of 5.
A variant of Standard 2 of 5 standardized for airline baggage handling, where only the bar widths encode digits.