To get an ISBN, buy it from the official ISBN agency in the country where you, as the publisher, are based, or accept a free one from a publishing platform such as KDP for print editions. In the United States the agency is Bowker; in the UK and Ireland it is Nielsen; in Australia it is Thorpe-Bowker; in Canada and New Zealand ISBNs are free from national agencies. You then assign one ISBN to each format of your book and enter it, with matching publisher details, wherever the book is sold.

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This guide is the practical “how to” for getting and using ISBNs: where to buy them in different countries, what they cost at the time of writing, how to assign and register them, barcodes, and the other identifiers you may meet along the way. If you are still deciding whether you need an ISBN at all, start with ISBN explained: do you really need one?, which covers that decision in depth.

At a glance

• Buy from your own country’s agency. ISBNs are sold to publishers based in that agency’s country or region. An ISBN works worldwide once you have it.
• One ISBN per format. The paperback, hardcover, ebook and audiobook each need their own. A free KDP ISBN covers only that KDP print edition.
• Blocks are cheaper per ISBN in most countries, so if you will publish several books or formats, compare pack prices before buying single numbers.
• Your imprint name must match. Platforms check the publisher name you enter against the agency’s records, and a mismatch can block publication.
• Avoid resellers. An ISBN bought from a third party can list that company, not you, as the publisher.

What an ISBN is, in practical terms

An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a 13-digit number that identifies one specific edition and format of a book. Booksellers, distributors, libraries and data services use it to find, order and track that exact product. It identifies the product, not the copyright: the ISBN you use affects who appears as publisher of record, not who owns the book. Ownership is covered in the guide to publishing rights.

The 13 digits have a structure. They start with a prefix (978 or 979), followed by a registration group (identifying a country, region or language area), a registrant element (the publisher), a publication element (the specific title and format) and a final check digit that validates the number. When you buy a block of ISBNs, the agency assigns you a registrant element, which is why your numbers run in sequence.

Where to buy ISBNs and what they cost

Each country or region has one official agency, appointed through the International ISBN Agency. Prices below are as published by each agency at the time of writing (October 2026). Prices change, sometimes with temporary offers, so always check the agency’s own site before buying.

Where the publisher is based	Official agency	1 ISBN	10 ISBNs	100 ISBNs	Notes
United States	Bowker	US$125	US$295	US$575	1,000 for US$1,500; barcodes sold separately or in bundles
UK and Ireland	Nielsen ISBN Agency	£93	£174	£387	Prices include UK VAT; 1,000 for £994
Australia	Thorpe-Bowker	A$44	A$88	A$480	One-off A$55 set-up fee for new publishers
Canada	ISBN Canada (Library and Archives Canada)	Free	Free	Free	For publishers located in Canada; allow time for account approval
New Zealand	National Library of New Zealand	Free	Free	Free	For publishers located in New Zealand
Other countries	Your national agency	Varies from free to paid			Find yours through the International ISBN Agency directory

The pattern is clear: in countries that charge, a block of ten costs far less per number than buying singles. A typical author who publishes an ebook and a paperback of each title needs two ISBNs per book, plus more for a hardcover, large print or audiobook. For a full budget across editing, covers and identifiers, see how much it costs to self-publish a book. If you are working through your first release, the complete guide to self-publishing your first book shows where ISBNs fit in the wider process.

Free platform ISBN or your own: the trade-off

	Free platform ISBN (for example, KDP print)	Your own ISBN
Cost	Free	Free to paid, depending on your country
Publisher shown	On KDP, “Independently published”	Your own imprint name
Where it works	Only for that platform’s edition	Any retailer, printer or distributor
Changing printer later	Needs a new ISBN and a new edition	Keep the same ISBN
Ebooks	KDP does not issue ISBNs for Kindle ebooks; Amazon uses its own ASIN	Optional on most stores; useful for wide and library distribution
Best for	Amazon-only print, testing, low budgets	Wide distribution, bookshops, libraries, a publishing brand

According to KDP’s help pages, free KDP ISBNs are available for paperbacks and hardcovers only, and can only be used to publish on KDP. Some aggregators, such as Draft2Digital, also offer free ISBNs for books distributed through them, with similar limits. How the main aggregators compare is covered in Draft2Digital vs PublishDrive. If you plan to print through IngramSpark as well as KDP, KDP vs IngramSpark explains why many authors use their own ISBN for print.

How to get and set up your ISBNs: step by step

1. Count the formats you need. List every edition you plan for each book: ebook, paperback, hardcover, large print, audiobook. Each needs its own ISBN if you assign them.
2. Choose your publisher (imprint) name. This is the name that will appear as publisher. It can be a simple business name. Check that it is not already used by another publisher, and use it consistently everywhere.
3. Find your official agency. Use the agency for the country where you, as publisher, are located. Avoid third-party sites that resell single ISBNs.
4. Create your account and buy. Paid agencies sell singles and blocks; free agencies such as those in Canada and New Zealand require you to apply. Allow time for account approval where it applies.
5. Assign an ISBN to each format. In your agency account, record the title, author, format, publication date and other details for each number. In the US this is done in Bowker’s account area; in the UK, title details are registered with Nielsen; other agencies have their own systems.
6. Add the ISBN to your book files. Place it on the copyright page of each edition. Each format lists its own ISBN.
7. Get a barcode for print editions. Print books sold in shops need an EAN-13 barcode that encodes the ISBN. KDP can add a barcode to your cover automatically, and IngramSpark’s cover template generator includes one. You can also buy barcodes from your agency.
8. Enter the ISBN on each platform. When you set up the edition, enter the ISBN and the imprint name exactly as registered. KDP, for example, checks the imprint against the agency’s records and may block publishing if they do not match.
9. Keep a log. Record which ISBN belongs to which title, format and edition, and mark numbers as used. An ISBN can never be reused for a different book.
10. Update metadata when details change. If the publication date, price or description changes, update the record with your agency and with your distributors.

When you need a new ISBN, and when you do not

Change	New ISBN needed?
New format (for example, adding a hardcover)	Yes
New edition with significant changes to the text	Yes
Changing the trim size or binding of a print book	Usually yes, because it is a different product
Correcting typos or small errors	No
New cover design	No
Price change	No
Moving a print book to a different printer, when you own the ISBN	No
Moving a print book off KDP when it uses a free KDP ISBN	Yes

Agencies publish their own guidance on edge cases, such as translations, box sets and audiobooks, so check your agency’s rules if your situation is unusual.

Other identifiers you may come across

ASIN

Amazon’s own product number. Every Kindle ebook gets one automatically, whether or not it has an ISBN. Print books on Amazon are identified by their ISBN.

EAN barcode

The 13-digit retail barcode used worldwide. A 13-digit ISBN is also a valid EAN, which is why the barcode on a book’s back cover encodes the ISBN. Some barcodes add a small five-digit price code alongside.

Library of Congress numbers (United States)

US publishers can request a Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) before publication through the Library of Congress’s Preassigned Control Number programme, which is open to self-publishers for print books. The separate Cataloging in Publication (CIP) programme is not open to authors who publish their own work; according to the Library of Congress, it requires publishers with titles by at least three different authors that are widely held by US libraries.

Legal deposit

Many countries require publishers to send copies of new books to the national library, and in some cases other libraries, within a set period. This applies to self-publishers too. The UK, Australia, Canada and the United States all have deposit rules, and some now cover ebooks. Check your national library’s requirements once your book is published.

Copyright registration

Not an identifier, but often confused with one. An ISBN gives no copyright protection. Copyright is automatic in most countries, and some, such as the United States, offer optional registration.

Common mistakes

• Buying from a reseller. Cheap single ISBNs from third parties may list the reseller as publisher and cannot always be transferred.
• Using one ISBN for several formats. Each format is a separate product and needs its own number.
• Using a free KDP ISBN when you plan to go wide in print. It cannot be used elsewhere, so you would need a new edition later.
• A mismatched imprint name. Spelling, capitals or extra spaces that differ from the agency record can block publication.
• Not recording which ISBN went where. Mixing up numbers between formats creates catalogue errors that are hard to fix.
• Buying singles when you need several. In countries that charge, a block of ten usually costs little more than two or three singles.
• Forgetting the barcode. Print books without a barcode are hard for shops to stock.

Sources this guide draws on: the International ISBN Agency; the Bowker (US), Nielsen (UK and Ireland), Thorpe-Bowker (Australia), ISBN Canada and National Library of New Zealand websites; Amazon KDP Help pages on ISBNs and imprints; and the Library of Congress pages on the CIP and PCN programmes, all checked in October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an ISBN cost?

It depends on your country. At the time of writing (October 2026), a single ISBN costs US$125 from Bowker in the US, £93 from Nielsen in the UK and A$44 from Thorpe-Bowker in Australia (plus a one-off set-up fee), while ISBNs are free in Canada and New Zealand. Blocks are cheaper per number, and prices change.

Can I buy an ISBN from another country?

Agencies sell to publishers based in their own country or region, so buy from the agency where you live or where your publishing business is based. The ISBN then works for sales anywhere in the world.

Do I need an ISBN for a Kindle ebook?

No. KDP does not require an ISBN for ebooks and gives every Kindle book an ASIN instead. You can add your own ISBN if you want consistent records across stores.

Can I use the free KDP ISBN on IngramSpark?

No. KDP’s free ISBNs can only be used for books published through KDP. To print with IngramSpark or another printer, use your own ISBN for that edition.

How long does it take to get an ISBN?

Paid agencies usually issue numbers soon after purchase. Free agencies may need to approve a new publisher account first, which can take longer, so apply well before your publication date.

Does an ISBN protect my copyright?

No. An ISBN identifies a product for selling and cataloguing. Copyright exists automatically in most countries, and the ISBN has no bearing on who owns the work.

For the software and services that support the rest of the publishing process, see the author toolkit guide.

Getting an ISBN is a short administrative job once you know where to go. Decide on your formats and imprint name, buy from your own country’s agency, assign one number per format and keep a clear record, and your book will be set up correctly wherever it is sold.