ISO/IEC 15459-2:2006

INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 15459-2
Second edition
2006-03-01

Information technology — Unique
identifiers —
Part 2:
Registration procedures
Technologies de l'information — Identificateurs uniques —
Partie 2: Procédures d'enregistrement




Reference number
ISO/IEC 15459-2:2006(E)
©
ISO/IEC 2006

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ISO/IEC 15459-2:2006(E)
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ISO/IEC 15459-2:2006(E)
Contents Page
Foreword. iv
Introduction . v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms, definitions, and abbreviated terms . 2
3.1 Terms and definitions. 2
3.2 Abbreviated terms . 2
4 Issuing Agencies . 2
4.1 Responsibilities . 2
4.2 Application . 3
5 Registration Authority. 4
5.1 Responsibilities . 4
5.2 Appointment. 5
5.3 Resignation . 5
5.4 The register of Issuing Agency Codes (IACs) . 5
5.5 IAC allocation . 6
Annex A (informative) Appeals committee . 7
Annex B (informative) Application form for Issuing Agency Code (IAC) . 8
Bibliography . 10

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ISO/IEC 15459-2:2006(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of
ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees
established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC
technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental
and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work. In the field of information
technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of the joint technical committee is to prepare International Standards. Draft International
Standards adopted by the joint technical committee are circulated to national bodies for voting. Publication as
an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the national bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO/IEC 15459-2 was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 31, Automatic identification and data capture techniques.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO/IEC 15459-2:1999), which has been technically
revised. It also incorporates Technical Corrigendum ISO/IEC 15459-2:1999/Cor.1:2004. Because the scope of
ISO/IEC 15459 has been expanded beyond transport units, the term “license plate” in the first edition of
ISO/IEC 15459 has been replaced by “unique identifier” in the second edition.
ISO/IEC 15459 consists of the following parts, under the general title Information technology — Unique
identifiers:
⎯ Part 1: Unique identifiers for transport units
⎯ Part 2: Registration procedures
⎯ Part 3: Common rules for unique identifiers
⎯ Part 4: Unique identifiers for supply chain management
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ISO/IEC 15459-2:2006(E)
Introduction
Unique identification can occur at many different levels in the supply chain, at the transport unit, at the item
level, and elsewhere. Such distinct entities are often handled by several parties: the sender, the receiver, one
or more carriers, customs authorities, etc. Each of these parties must be able to identify and trace the item so
that reference can be made to associated information such as address, order number, contents of the item,
weight, sender, batch or lot number, etc. There are considerable benefits if the identity of the item is common
between all the relevant parties.
The procedures and obligations to construct a unique identifier for item management are defined in this part of
ISO/IEC 15459.

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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 15459-2:2006(E)

Information technology — Unique identifiers —
Part 2:
Registration procedures
1 Scope
This part of ISO/IEC 15459 specifies the procedural requirements to maintain a non-significant, unique
identifier for item management applications, and outlines the obligations of the Registration Authority and
Issuing Agencies.
This part of ISO/IEC 15459 excludes those items where ISO has designated Maintenance Agencies or
Registration Authorities to provide identification schemes. It does not apply to
⎯ freight containers, because their unique coding is specified in ISO 6346, Freight containers — Coding,
identification and marking;
⎯ vehicles, because their unique identification is specified in ISO 3779, Road vehicles — Vehicle
identification number (VIN) — Content and structure;
⎯ car radios, because their unique identification is specified in ISO 10486, Passenger cars — Car radio
identification number (CRIN).
The exclusion also applies to ISO 2108, Information and documentation — International standard book
number (ISBN) and ISO 3297, Information and documentation — International standard serial number (ISSN).
NOTE The scope of each of ISO 2108 and ISO 3297 identifies the title rather than the individual copy of a book or
periodical. As such, the level of identification achieved is at a level higher than the unique identity required to be compliant
with this part of ISO/IEC 15459.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 3166-1, Codes for the representation of names of countries and their subdivisions — Part 1: Country
codes
ISO/IEC 646, Information technology — ISO 7-bit coded character set for information interchange
ISO/IEC 15459-3, Information technology — Unique identifiers — Part 3: Common rules for unique identifiers
ISO/IEC 19762 (all parts), Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture (AIDC)
techniques — Harmonized vocabulary
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ISO/IEC 15459-2:2006(E)
3 Terms, definitions, and abbreviated terms
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO/IEC 19762 and the following apply.
3.1 Terms and definitions
3.1.1
class
defined application of unique identifiers for item, transport unit, returnable transport unit, etc. recognised as
classes by all parts of ISO/IEC 15459
3.1.1
item
single physical entity or a defined collection of entities having a distinct existence
3.1.2
item management
controlled process for the manufacturing, storage, distribution and transport of items through all stages from
creation to final consumption or disposal
NOTE The item management processes can involve a change of state or configuration, a change of location, or
controlled or observed change over time.
3.2 Abbreviated terms
IA Issuing Agency
IAC Issuing Agency Code
CIN Company Identification Number
RA Registration Authority
4 Issuing Agencies
4.1 Responsibilities
Issuing Agencies shall:
a) authorise any organisation wishing to allocate unique identifiers for use in item management applications
(e.g., transport unit identification or traceability of items) for classes for which the Issuing Agency has
been authorised. An individual organisation or company wishing to issue unique identifiers in accordance
with this part of ISO/IEC 15459 shall do so through umbrella organisations such as their trade
associations, or a public or state agency;
b) define rules which ensure that no unique identifier issuer can issue a unique identifier which is the same
as a unique identifier which may be issued by another issuer within a class;
c) define rules which ensure that every unique identifier issued with their authority shall begin with one of
their IACs;
NOTE The purpose of this is to ensure that, within a class, the same unique identifier can never be issued by
another issuer, no matter which agency is used to ensure unambiguity in the total marketplace.
d) define rules so that a unique identifier is only re-issued within a class after the previously issued unique
identifier has ceased to be of significant to any user. The length of such period should be dependent upon
the environment in which the unique identifier will be used.
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ISO/IEC 15459-2:2006(E)
4.2 Application
Issuing Agencies shall apply to the Registration Authority for registration and the assignment of an IAC using
the form shown in annex B. Application forms are also available on request from the Registration Authority,
the national standards bodies, the ISO/IEC JTC 1 Secretariat and the secretariat of ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 31.
The Registration Authority may request additional information where further clarification is needed. A separate
form should be sent in for every IAC requested.
The Registration Authority for ISO/IEC 15459 is:
NEN - Nederlands Normalisatie-instituut - Registration Authority of ISO/IEC 15459
Postbus 5059
2600 GB Delft
THE NETHERLANDS
Fax: + 31 15 26 90 242
E-mail: RA-ISO15459@nen.nl
Applicants shall:
a) comply fully with the procedures for application for IACs as contained in this part of ISO/IEC 15459;
b) comply fully with the requirements contained in ISO/IEC 15459-3;
c) forward to the Registration Authority a completed application form (see Annex B) and transfer the
requisite fee;
d) retain the completed application form containing the IAC assigned to the applicant by the Registration
Authority;
e) within a reasonable timeframe, preferably within 12 months of the date of assignment of the IAC, start for
each class for which permission has been granted to authorise any organisation who wishes to allocate
unique identi
...