SSCC-96
Serial Shipping Container Code (96-bit)
urn:epc:id:ssccWhat is SSCC-96?
Encodes an SSCC - the 18-digit number on shipping labels that identifies a unique logistics unit (a pallet, a case, a parcel). Every SSCC in the world is unique and never reused.
Used for: Pallets, cases, and parcels in supply chain and logistics. The GS1-128 barcode on a shipping label encodes the same SSCC.
Field layout
The first 8 bits are always the header (0x31 = 49 decimal), which identifies this as SSCC-96. 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 7.4 (Serial Shipping Container Code), encoding procedure in Section 14.6.2.
| Bits | Field | Description |
|---|---|---|
0–7 | Header | 0x31 (49) - identifies this encoding as SSCC-96 |
8–10 | Filter | Distinguishes case-level (2) from pallet-level (6) logistics units. |
11–13 | Partition | Splits bits between company prefix and serial reference. |
14–53 | Company Prefix | GS1 Company Prefix of the organisation that created the SSCC. |
54–71 | Serial Reference | Serial reference assigned by the company. Combined with prefix and extension digit to form the SSCC. |
72–95 | Reserved | 24 bits reserved for future use. Must be zero. |
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 10-2.
| Value | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
0 | All others | Unspecified logistics unit |
1 | Reserved | Not yet assigned |
2 | Full case | Case-level logistics unit |
3 | Reserved | Not yet assigned |
4 | Reserved | Not yet assigned |
5 | Reserved | Not yet assigned |
6 | Unit load | Pallet with an SSCC label |
7 | Reserved | Not yet assigned |
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 14-7.
| Partition | Prefix bits | Prefix digits | Ref bits | Ref digits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | 40 | 12 | 18 | 5 |
1 | 37 | 11 | 21 | 6 |
2 | 34 | 10 | 24 | 7 |
3 | 30 | 9 | 28 | 8 |
4 | 27 | 8 | 31 | 9 |
5 | 24 | 7 | 34 | 10 |
6 | 20 | 6 | 38 | 11 |
Source
GS1 EPC Tag Data Standard, Release 2.3, Ratified October 2025 - see Section 7.4 (Serial Shipping Container Code) and Section 14.6.2 for the encoding procedure. Read the EPC encoding guide for a full worked example of decoding hex to URI.