For rights owners who need modest numbers of ISRC (up to about 200 a year) we offer packs of codes that can be assigned to recordings. They are available in various sizes and when you have used them all you can get another pack. You do not need to worry about constructing the codes becasue this has all been done for you.

You select the size of code pack you need and we provide that many codes. They are valid indefinitely for assignment (don’t worry that the year number they contain appears to go out of date – we take of care of making sure no one else gets the same code and the year doesn’t signify anything other than the year the code pack was provided.

When you register the the recordings with us, you will find we have already populated your records with the codes you obtained, making life as easy as possible. And you can download the details for for your own records.

The ISRC consists of 3 elements:

PREFIX CODE: This comprises 5 characters (2 letters followed by 3 alphanumeric characters)allocated to you by the US ISRC Agency.The standard changed in 2019 and these used to be called Country Code and Registrant Code but this is obsolete now – you get the whole prefix from the US ISRC Agency.

YEAR OF REFERENCE: The 2-digit year in which the ISRC was assigned to the recording.

DESIGNATION CODE: The 5 digit code assigned to the sound recording by the registrant. This code may not be repeated within the same year of reference so that all codes are unique(). These elements are usually written separated by hyphens (and an extra hyphen after the second character for historical reasons). These hyphens are not part of the code but aid reading.

The three distinct ISRC elements are used as follows

1: Prefix The first five-character segment is uniquely allocated to you by the US ISRC Agency. It is used in all the ISRCs you construct. This prefix must never be changed even if the recording is used in a different country or transferred to a new owner.  . 

Please note that the string of characters allocated as a prefix is not significant except that it is different from those allocated to other registrants. The allocated prefixes will be allocated as they become available and cannot be altered after allocation. We do not offer vanity codes selected by the registrant.

The next two segments are used by you to create different ISRCs for each individual recording, e.g. a track on an album.

3: Year of Reference These two digits represent the year in which you create the ISRC, regardless of when the recording was made or when the Registrant Code was allocated. For 2021, your ISRCs will use ’21’ and for 2022, ’22’ …and so on. This is not the year of recording or the year of release. It is not the date copyright runs from. It just lets you recycle the counter for designation codes (below) every Jan 1st.

4: Designation The final five digit part is used to create a unique code for each recording or track. You should take care to ensure that duplicates are not issued and that you do not issue more than one ISRC to the same track. Only numeric digits are acceptable in this segment.

We recommend beginning with 00001 and moving up sequentially from there: 00001, 00002 etc.. At the end of the year,the Year of Reference will change (for example from ‘21’ to ’22’) and you can begin with a new sequence of designation codes at 00001. Example

If you were allocated QZ-S1Z as your Prefix, a sample set of ISRCs might look like:

Album 1:
track 1: QZ-S1Z -21-00001
track 2: QZ-S1Z-21-00002
track 3: QZ-S1Z-21-00003
track 4: QZ-S1Z-21-00004
track 5: QZ-S1Z-21-00005

Album 2:
track 1: QZ-S1Z-21-00006
track 2: QZ-S1Z-21-00007
track 3: QZ-S1Z-21-00008
track 4: QZ-S1Z-21-00009
track 5: QZ-S1Z-21-00010

and so on…

If you were assigned QM as your country code a sample set of ISRCs might look like:

Album 1:

track 1: QM-_ _ _-21-00001

track 2: QM-_ _ _-21-00002

track 3: QM-_ _ _-21-00003

track 4: QM-_ _ _-21-00004

track 5: QM-_ _ _-21-00005

and so on…

If you were assigned QZ as your country code a sample set of ISRCs might look like:

Album 1:

track 1: QZ-_ _ _-21-00001

track 2: QZ-_ _ _-21-00002

track 3: QZ-_ _ _-21-00003

track 4: QZ-_ _ _-21-00004

track 5: QZ-_ _ _-21-00005

and so on…

You can go through an approved ISRC manager.
A number of companies are approved to assign ISRCs on behalf of the owner of a recording. These companies have guaranteed that they will abide by the Procedures for Assignment of ISRCs by ISRC Managers.

View the list of approved ISRC Managers

A music video recording is always different from a sound recording even if the soundtrack of the video is the same as a sound recording. This means that a separate ISRC must be assigned to the music video recording.

Code Pack Registrants: ISRCs included in your code pack can be assigned to either your sound or your music video recordings. 

Prefix Registrants: The same Rights Owner Prefix can be used to assign ISRCs for sound recordings and music video recordings.

You should be sure to record in the metadata for each ISRC whether it is a sound recording or a music video recording.

For more information on assigning ISRCs to music video recordings, please consult the most recent ISRC Handbook.

1. If you have applied as a rights owner, you should use your Code Pack ISRCs or Rights Owner Prefix Code only to assign ISRCs for recordings that you own. If you are working on behalf of someone else, you cannot use your Code Pack ISRCS or  Rights Owner Prefix Code, and you should ask the owner of the recordings to apply for a Code Pack or Prefix Code themselves so that they can assign ISRCs.
   • Separate arrangements are available where you can get a Manager Prefix for use with other people’s recordings (see above ISRC Manager information)
   • We also have provisions in place to allow for the assignment of ISRCs for content that you license. This is available only for licensees who have tried to, but cannot, obtain an ISRC from the licensor.
   • If you have applied as a non-rights owner, you may refer to the guidelines you reviewed prior to being allocated your Manager Prefix. This rule does not apply.
   • Additional details can be obtained by making an inquiry to: isrc@riaa.com
2. An ISRC should remain with its recording for the life of the recording regardless of changes in ownership, licensing, territory, technical representation or method of distribution. The rights may vary territory by territory but the ISRC remains the same.
3. You should take particular care to ensure that you (i) never assign the same ISRC to two different recordings and (ii) never assign an ISRC to a recording that already has an ISRC issued.
4. You should keep good records of the ISRCs you assign and their related recording metadata. We recommend you use the “locker service” that you can access from  your account page. Please note that this “locker service” is not an official registry and it should be viewed simply as a safe place to keep record of your codes. There is no requirement to inform us of the ISRCs that you assign (prefix registrant) or the related recording metadata (prefix registrant and code pack registrant), however, we strongly encourage you to utilize this locker for administrative purposes.  Our experience is that ISRC users often forget or lose track of the assignments they make and this service will ensure they remain available to you. We also recommend that you register the recordings and their ISRCs with the local performance rights organization that deals with sound and/or video recordings (as distinct from the organization that deals with songwriters rights – who you may also want to contact if you are the songwriter). In the US, this organization is SoundExchange. This will allow you to receive any royalties from public performances, for example on satellite radio and internet streaming.
5. There is a lot of information in the SRC Handbook and if you have queries about the operation of the ISRC system, you should look here first. There is other information on the International ISRC web site at isrc.ifpi.org/en/. Together, these will allow you  to comply with all the ISRC rules. New information is posted to that site from time to time and you should look for it.
6. You should comply with the relevant copyright law. Normally this will require you to have permission for the owner for any recorded material included in your recording.

The Recording Industry Association of America has been appointed by the International ISRC Agency to oversee the ISRC system within the United States and its territories. As the U.S. Agency, we promote and monitor the ISRC system within the United States and its territories.

Our activities include:

• ISRC Code Pack and Prefix Code Allocation We allocate Rights Owner Code Packs, Rights Owner Prefix Codes and ISRC Manager Prefix Codes for use by recording rights owners and third party administrators to create ISRCs.
• Provide Local Support We provide Registrants with guidelines on the practical implementation of the system and resolve operational problems for all users in liaison with the International ISRC Agency.
• Encourage Proper Use of the ISRC System Our goal is to ensure that ISRCs are assigned to all tracks of digital recordings and that the system effectively serves the needs of recording rights owners, collecting societies, broadcasters and others.

Below is a list of ISRC Managers appointed by the US ISRC Agency. Only these companies are approved to assign ISRCs on behalf of the owner of a recording. These companies have guaranteed that they will abide by the Procedures for Assignment of ISRCs by ISRC Managers.(Procedures for Assignment of ISRCs by ISRC Managers)

Other companies claiming to assign ISRCs on behalf of their clients are not authorized to do so and the ISRC’s they generate are invalid and may be rejected by organizations receiving them. Using these invalid codes risks collisions with codes issued by authorized registrants and ISRC Managers.

If you wish to become an ISRC Manager, please send us an email at isrc@riaa.com

Got a question about ISRCs? Check out our Guidance and Support section.

What does my ISRC mean?

A completed ISRC is considered a ‘dumb’ number. It identifies the sound or music video recording to which it is assigned but the individual elements do not signify anything themselves once the code has been assigned. Read More

Do I need a new Registrant Code for each of my projects?

No. Your Registrant Code can be used to assign ISRCs for all recordings that you create. Read More

Where do I submit my ISRCs once they have been assigned?

In the US, there is no single database or agency to which you must submit your codes. We will not require a report of the ISRCs you assign.

Read More

All Guidance and Support

Got a question about ISRCs? Check out our Guidance and Support section.

What does my ISRC mean?

A completed ISRC is considered a ‘dumb’ number. It identifies the sound or music video recording to which it is assigned but the individual elements do not signify anything themselves once the code has been assigned. Read More

Do I need a new Registrant Code for each of my projects?

No. Your Registrant Code can be used to assign ISRCs for all recordings that you create. Read More

Where do I submit my ISRCs once they have been assigned?

In the US, there is no single database or agency to which you must submit your codes. We will not require a report of the ISRCs you assign.

Read More

All Guidance and Support