What Is an ISRC Code (and How to Get One)
An ISRC code is the 12-character ID for one sound recording (the master), not the song. It runs as a 2-letter allocator code, a 3-character registrant code, a 2-digit year, and a 5-digit number. Every recording gets exactly one, and it stays with that recording forever. You get one free from your distributor.
the full length of every ISRC
per recording, kept forever
version-length change that needs a new ISRC
free from your distributor
Key takeaways
- An ISRC identifies one recording, the master, not the song. Two recordings of the same song get two different ISRCs.
- It's 12 characters: a 2-letter allocator code, a 3-character registrant code, a 2-digit year, and a 5-digit number. Hyphens and the ISRC label are display-only.
- QM, QZ, QT, ZZ, CP, and DG are all valid allocator codes, not broken country codes. A validator should never reject them.
- A remix, edit, or live take, or any version whose running time changes by more than 10 seconds, is a new recording and needs a new ISRC.
- The same master keeps its ISRC forever. Carry it across distributors by hand so you don't end up with duplicate codes splitting your streams.
What is an ISRC code?
An ISRC code is the unique ID for one sound recording. That’s the specific master you mixed and uploaded, the actual audio file, not the song written on paper. This is the part people mix up, so it’s worth saying plainly. The ISRC is the recording, the master. The song underneath it, the composition and lyrics, is a separate thing with its own identifiers. If you record the same song twice, you have two recordings, and they get two different ISRCs.
One recording, one ISRC, for the life of that recording. Re-record the song and you’ve made a new recording that needs its own code.
One more thing to keep straight while we’re here. An ISRC is not a barcode. The barcode is the UPC, and that one identifies the whole release, not a track. A 10-track album has one UPC and ten ISRCs. Never put a UPC (all digits) in the ISRC field, and never drop an ISRC into the UPC field. They live in different boxes for a reason.
What does an ISRC code look like?
Twelve alphanumeric characters, in four parts. A constructed example is USRC17607839. You’ll often see it written out with hyphens and the word ISRC in front, but that’s display only. The hyphens and the label get stripped before anything stores or checks it, so the real value is always the bare 12 characters. Here’s what each part is doing.
US RC1 76 07839
- “US”
- The 2-letter allocator code. It tells you who handed out the code, not necessarily where the recording was made. It is not always a real country, which trips up a lot of validators.
- “RC1”
- The 3-character registrant code. This is the entity the agency assigned the ISRC range to, often a distributor or label.
- “76”
- The 2-digit year of reference, the year the code was assigned. Don't read it as the release date.
- “07839”
- The 5-digit designation number, unique within that registrant and year. This is the part that counts up one recording at a time.
QM, ZZ, CP and friends are all valid
The first two letters aren’t always a real country. QM, QZ, and QT are US pools, ZZ is the international agency, and CP and DG are overflow codes. Every one of those is legitimate. If a checker tells you a QM or ZZ code is broken because it isn’t a country, the checker is wrong, not your ISRC.
Does each recording get its own ISRC?
Yes, one each. Because an ISRC is tied to the recording and not the song, every separate recording is a separate code. The same song in single form and on the album later is the same recording, so it keeps the same ISRC. But a remix is a different recording. So is a radio edit, an acoustic version, an instrumental, or a live take. Each of those gets its own new ISRC.
The clean test IFPI gives is the 10-second rule. If the playing time of a version changes by more than 10 seconds, treat it as a new recording and give it a new ISRC. So a 30-second trim for radio, an extended club mix, a stripped-back version that runs short, all new recordings, all new codes. Don’t reuse one ISRC across two versions, and don’t assign a second ISRC to a recording that already has one.
| Keeps the same ISRC | Needs a new ISRC | |
|---|---|---|
| Single, then on the album | Same master, same recording, same code. | |
| Remix or club mix | Different recording, new code. | |
| Radio edit or any length change over 10 sec | New recording, new code. | |
| Live take, acoustic, or instrumental | New recording, new code. |
What happens to my ISRC if I switch distributors?
The identical master keeps its ISRC forever. That matters most the day you move to a new distributor. You have to carry the existing ISRC forward by hand. Find the code your old distributor assigned and put it in the ISRC field when you set the release up again. If you let the new distributor mint a fresh ISRC for a track that already had one, you now have the same recording living under two different codes.
A duplicate ISRC splits your streams
On Spotify and Apple, two ISRCs on one recording read as two different recordings. Your plays, and the royalties that follow them, get split across both. So before you redistribute anything, dig up the old ISRC and reuse it. This is the single most common ISRC mistake I see, and it’s entirely avoidable.
If you want to never think about this again, that’s the case for owning your own codes, which is the next section.
How do I get an ISRC code?
Two ways, and both are fine. The simple one: your distributor assigns an ISRC for free when you upload a track. For most independent artists that’s all you need, and it doesn’t cost you anything per track. The catch is that the code came from the distributor’s registrant range, so you have to remember to carry it forward yourself if you ever leave.
The other way: get your own registrant code from a national ISRC agency and generate your own ISRCs from it. Then the codes are yours, and they travel with you no matter which distributor you use. It’s a bit more setup, and it’s worth it if you put out a lot of music or you expect to switch distributors. Whichever route you pick, the rule doesn’t change: one code per recording, and never let two distributors hand out two codes for the same master.
For how the ISRC sits next to the release-level barcode, see UPC vs ISRC, and for the copyright fields that decide who collects on the recording, see the ℗ and © copyright lines. For the whole picture, start with the release metadata guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does an ISRC code look like?+
Twelve alphanumeric characters: a 2-letter allocator code, then 3 characters for the registrant, then a 2-digit year, then a 5-digit number. A constructed example is USRC17607839. You'll often see it written with hyphens and the word ISRC in front, like ISRC US-RC1-76-07839, but those are display-only. The hyphens and the label get stripped before anything stores or checks the code, so the real value is always the 12 characters.
Is QM a valid ISRC country code?+
Yes. The first two letters aren't always a real country. QM, QZ, and QT are US pools, ZZ is the international agency, and CP and DG are overflow codes. They're all valid allocator codes. If a tool tells you a QM or ZZ code is broken because it isn't a country, the tool is wrong, not your ISRC. The allocator code only tells you who handed out the code, not where the recording was made.
Do I need a new ISRC for a remix or a radio edit?+
Yes. An ISRC identifies the recording, not the song, so any new version is a new recording. A remix, an edit, a live take, or any version whose playing time changes by more than 10 seconds needs its own new ISRC. The rule of thumb from IFPI is the 10-second one: if the running time moves more than 10 seconds, treat it as a separate recording and give it a separate code.
How do I get an ISRC code for free?+
Your distributor assigns one for free when you upload a track, and for most independent artists that's all you need. If you'd rather own your codes so they travel with you, you can apply for your own registrant code from a national ISRC agency and generate your own ISRCs from it. Either way it doesn't cost you per track. The free distributor route is fine. The only real rule is one code per recording, and never let two distributors mint two codes for the same master.
What happens if I switch distributors and get a new ISRC?+
The same master keeps its ISRC forever, so if you move distributors you have to carry the existing code forward by hand. If you let the new distributor mint a fresh ISRC for a track that already has one, you end up with the same recording sitting under two codes. On Spotify and Apple that reads as two different recordings, which splits your streams and your royalties across both. Find the old ISRC and reuse it.
Keep reading
Pillar guide
Release metadata guide
What metadata is, the ℗ vs © copyright lines, ISRC vs UPC, and the title and credit rules that decide whether your release is accepted and your royalties reach you.
Related guide
UPC vs ISRC
UPC vs ISRC, plain: the UPC names the release, the ISRC names each recording, and swapping the two fields is the error that costs you.
Related guide
P line vs C line
The ℗ line covers your master, the © line covers the song and artwork. The format, the right owner, and the mistakes that misroute your royalties.
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