ITF-14 (Interleaved 2 of 5) is used for carton-level packaging identification in the GS1 system. It encodes 14 digits (GTIN) in a high-density format suitable for corrugated surfaces. The "interleaved" name comes from how it encodes pairs of digits - one in bars, one in spaces.

Key Features

Character Set: 14 numeric digits (0-9)
Density: High (about 17.7 characters per inch)
Check Digit: Mandatory modulo 10 checksum
Applications: Shipping containers, wholesale packaging

Technical Specifications

ITF-14 requires bearer bars (complete rectangles around the symbol) to prevent misreads on uneven surfaces. The quiet zone should be 10X minimum. It encodes two digits per symbol character - odd positions in bars, even in spaces. The barcode often appears with the GTIN-14 number printed below in human-readable form.