Amazon SSCC label requirements: validate the number and the ASN-to-label match

An SSCC identifies a logistics unit such as a carton or pallet. Its check digit catches many data-entry errors, but operational validity also depends on ownership, unique allocation, correct barcode encoding, placement, print quality, and an exact match with the shipment confirmation.

Direct answer: The SSCC data value is 18 digits, including its calculated check digit. In GS1 notation, Application Identifier (00) identifies the following element string; the parentheses are not encoded. Amazon currently requires the physical barcode to match the SSCC in the shipment confirmation and says an SSCC must not be reused within 365 days.

Generate or validate an SSCC and download a GS1-128 SVG →

SSCC-18 versus Application Identifier 00

The 18-digit SSCC contains an extension digit, GS1 company prefix, serial reference, and final check digit. When represented in a GS1-128 barcode, AI 00 declares that the following data is an SSCC. Human-readable parentheses clarify the AI but are not barcode data.

Human-readable GS1 form: (00) 0 1234567 890123456 8
SSCC data value:              012345678901234568

Spaces above are illustrative only. Use the prefix and serial allocation defined for your organization. A correct check digit does not prove prefix ownership.

How the SSCC check digit is calculated

Starting with the 17-digit body, multiply alternating positions by three and one from the left, add the products, then choose the digit that brings the sum to the next multiple of ten.

check digit = (10 - (weighted sum mod 10)) mod 10

Shipment Sentry accepts a 17-digit body to calculate the final digit, an 18-digit SSCC to validate, or a 20-digit numeric form beginning with 00 and normalizes it to the underlying SSCC.

Where the value appears in an 856

Amazon’s older vendor transportation material shows the SSCC at carton level in MAN*GM, while current public guidance focuses on the requirement that the label and confirmation match. Your current Vendor Central implementation guide controls the exact EDI hierarchy and qualifier.

HL*4*3*P~
MAN*GM*000123456789012343~

The validator checks length and check digit, then flags duplicate values inside the transaction. A reconciliation step must still compare MAN02 with a decoded scan/export from the physical label.

Label checks beyond the number

• Allocate each carton or pallet identifier through a process that prevents reuse for the required period.
• Encode the correct SSCC under GS1-128 AI 00.
• Print the human-readable value as an operational fallback.
• Keep the barcode on a flat, unobstructed, scannable surface.
• Verify quiet zones, contrast, dimensions, and printer quality against current GS1 and Amazon material.
• Scan the finished label, not merely the value sent to the printer.
• Compare the decoded scan with the outbound ASN bytes.

Create repeatable PDF and Zebra labels

The free generator produces a browser-side SVG for one SSCC. Signed-in Shipment Sentry workspaces can also create an immutable logistics-label record from a valid SSCC and download the same evidence as a PDF or Zebra ZPL file. The label can carry ship-from, ship-to, purchase-order and shipment references, and its content hash remains attached to the workspace record.

Open the EDI control tower to create PDF and ZPL labels →

That output is an operational starting point, not automatic retailer certification. Apply the active partner layout, physical dimensions, printer density and placement rules, then scan the printed symbol and compare it with the exact outbound ASN value.

The current North American Vendor Manual also explains that label compatibility can differ by ASN submission method. Do not assume an AMZNCC, SSCC, 2D-BPD, or GTIN label is interchangeable in every workflow.

Common questions

Is (00) part of the 18-digit SSCC?

No. It is the GS1 Application Identifier for the SSCC data field. The SSCC itself remains 18 digits including its check digit.

Does a valid check digit mean Amazon will accept the label?

No. It proves only a mathematical property. Prefix assignment, uniqueness, hierarchy placement, barcode encoding, print quality, and the ASN-to-label match are separate checks.

Can I reuse an SSCC after a shipment is cancelled?

Do not assume cancellation makes immediate reuse safe. Follow the current Amazon requirement and your own GS1 allocation policy; preserve the serial ledger needed to prevent accidental reuse.