SGTIN-198
Serialized Global Trade Item Number (198-bit)
urn:epc:id:sgtinWhat is SGTIN-198?
Same as SGTIN-96 but with a 140-bit serial number field that supports alphanumeric serials (6-bit encoded). Used when the serial number contains letters or is too long for 38 bits.
Used for: Pharmaceutical serialisation (DSCSA, EU FMD) where serial numbers are alphanumeric, or any application requiring string-based serials.
Field layout
The first 8 bits are always the header (0x36 = 54 decimal), which identifies this as SGTIN-198. The partition field determines how bits are divided between the company prefix and the following reference field - see the partition table below.
Defined in GS1 EPC Tag Data Standard v2.3, Section 7.3 (Serialised Global Trade Item Number), encoding procedure in Section 14.6.1.
| Bits | Field | Description |
|---|---|---|
0–7 | Header | 0x36 (54) - identifies this encoding as SGTIN-198 |
8–10 | Filter | Packaging level indicator. Same values as SGTIN-96. |
11–13 | Partition | Same partition table as SGTIN-96. |
14–53 | Company Prefix | GS1 Company Prefix - same as SGTIN-96. |
54–57 | Item Reference | Item reference with indicator digit - same as SGTIN-96. |
58–197 | Serial Number | 140 bits, 6-bit encoded. Supports up to 20 alphanumeric characters (uppercase letters, digits, and some symbols). |
Filter values
The 3-bit filter field does not affect identity - it tells readers what packaging level or category the tag is applied to. The same item with different filter values has the same Pure Identity URI .
Source: GS1 EPC TDS v2.3, Table 10-1.
| Value | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
0 | All others | Unspecified - catch-all when packaging level does not matter |
1 | POS trade item | The thing a customer buys - a shirt on a shelf, a bottle at checkout |
2 | Full case | Shipping case - a sealed carton of products going from warehouse to store |
3 | Reserved | Not defined by GS1 - some integrators use this for individual items |
4 | Inner pack | A bundle inside a case - a 6-pack of cans inside a larger carton of 24 |
5 | Reserved | Not yet assigned |
6 | Unit load | Pallet or large container - shrink-wrapped on a dock door |
7 | Component | A part inside a product - an engine inside a car, a battery in a laptop |
Partition table
The 3-bit partition value determines how the fixed bit space is divided between the company prefix and the following reference field. GS1 company prefixes vary in length (6–12 digits), so the partition tells the decoder where one field ends and the next begins.
Source: GS1 EPC TDS v2.3, Table 14-16.
| Partition | Prefix bits | Prefix digits | Ref bits | Ref digits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 40 | 12 | 4 | 1 |
1 | 37 | 11 | 7 | 2 |
2 | 34 | 10 | 10 | 3 |
3 | 30 | 9 | 14 | 4 |
4 | 27 | 8 | 17 | 5 |
5 | 24 | 7 | 20 | 6 |
6 | 20 | 6 | 24 | 7 |
Barcode equivalents
The same identifier carried by SGTIN-198 can also be encoded in these barcode symbologies. In many supply chains, items carry both an RFID tag and a barcode so that they can be read by either technology.
| Barcode | How it relates |
|---|---|
| EAN-13 | Same GTIN, but the barcode cannot carry the alphanumeric serial |
| UPC-A | Same GTIN-12 in North America |
| GS1-128 | AI (01) + AI (21) carries the full GTIN + alphanumeric serial - the closest barcode equivalent |
| GS1 DataMatrix | Mandatory for EU FMD pharma serialisation - encodes GTIN + serial + batch + expiry |
| QR Code | GS1 Digital Link can carry the full serialised identity in a URL |
Related schemes
Source
GS1 EPC Tag Data Standard, Release 2.3, Ratified October 2025 - see Section 7.3 (Serialised Global Trade Item Number) and Section 14.6.1 for the encoding procedure . Read the EPC encoding guide for a full worked example of decoding hex to URI.