ISBN Agency Lookup

Find ISBN agencies around the world with complete information, including websites, contact details, ownership, and ISBN registration costs.

Global Coverage

Access important ISBN agency information from around the world, obtained from official sources.

ISBN Pricing

Learn whether the ISBN agency is government-funded or privatized, and discover how much an ISBN costs or if it's free.

ISBN Prefix

Get ISBN prefix information for each agency and learn to recognize ISBNs issued by that agency.

Stack of published books with ISBNs visible through glass windows - representing international ISBN registration

What is an ISBN Agency?

An ISBN Agency is an organization authorized to assign International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs) to publishers and authors. The International ISBN Agency is the global authority that oversees the entire ISBN system worldwide. Regional agencies are appointed to manage ISBNs for specific countries or geographic areas. For example, Bowker is the official agency for the United States, and Nielsen Book is the official agency for the United Kingdom.

The Cost of ISBN

Each country has one ISBN agency, and the cost of an ISBN depends on that agency. Government-funded ISBN agencies offer ISBNs at low cost or for free. Some countries like Canada, Brazil, and several European nations offer ISBNs through their national agencies for free, while others charge varying fees.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I get free ISBNs?

Depending on your regional ISBN agency, you may or may not have to pay for an ISBN. Some self-publishing platforms offer ISBNs for free, but free ISBNs offered by publishing platforms come with limitations.

Should I buy ISBNs in bulk?

That depends on your regional ISBN agency, how many ISBNs you can obtain at once, and how much you have to pay. Buying in bulk is recommended if you're going to publish multiple books.

Do I have to pay for an ISBN barcode?

No, you don't have to pay for an ISBN barcode. An ISBN barcode is just a machine-readable graphic. You can use ISBNBarcode.org to generate ISBN barcodes for free. Paid barcode images are no different from freely generated barcode images.

Can I obtain an ISBN from another country?

ISBNs are internationally recognized but issued locally. You can't obtain an ISBN from another country, as agencies issue ISBNs to publishers in their own country. However, you can set up a business in another country to work around this.