International Standard Book Numbers (ISBN) are available free to New Zealand publishers of books and other print, electronic or multimedia publications. They are provided by the New Zealand Standard Book Numbering Agency, which operates within the National Library.
An ISBN is a unique 13-digit figure divided into four parts. It should always be printed exactly as given, for example: ISBN 978-0-9582813-0-0 or ISBN 978-1-877257-08-7.
Publications eligible for ISBN
An ISBN may be used for:
- printed books and pamphlets containing more than four pages of text
- digitised copies of print monographic publications
- Braille publications
- maps
- educational/instructional films, videos and transparencies
- audio books (talking books) on cassette, CD, or DVD
- electronic publications on physical carriers (such as machine-readable tapes, CD-ROMs) or on the internet
- microfiche
- educational /instructional software
- mixed media kits containing printed material.
Publications ineligible for ISBN
ISBN are not used for:
- printed ephemera items, such as diaries, greeting cards, theatre and concert programmes
- art prints and folders without title page and text
- personal documents (such as electronic CVs)
- sheet music
- music sound recordings
- theses
- software intended for any purpose other than educational or instructional use
- games
- electronic bulletin boards, e-mails and other electronic correspondence
- serials such as newspapers, magazines, and annual reports, as these receive an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN).
Benefits of having an ISBN
An ISBN provides a book with a 'fingerprint' that allows publishers, book suppliers and libraries to easily locate and order it.
Apply for an ISBN
You can request an ISBN online, or by phoning, writing, faxing, visiting or emailing us. We will process your application within two working days. If your request is urgent, please contact us by email or telephone (contact details are provided at the end of this page). Please ensure you include the following details:
- title
- author
- publisher’s name
- publisher’s address and contact details
- contact person, telephone number and address if different from the publisher’s address
- date of publication
- approximate number of titles output each year.
Requesting multiple ISBN
Larger publishing houses can request a batch of ISBN for allocation to a number of items within their office. This arrangement is at the discretion of the Agency so please contact us for details, or complete the online application form.
Using your ISBN
The ISBN should be printed:
- on the reverse side of the title page and on the back cover of the book - if this isn’t possible, print it in some prominent position in the book
- on the dust jacket, if there is one
- on the label of the container if the publication is issued in it, such as a cassette, diskette or CD-ROM
- on the title display or the first display, if it’s a CD-ROM or internet publication
- on the credit titles, if it’s a film or video.
Legal Deposit
You are required to supply copies of your publication to the National Library, as specified in the National Library of New Zealand (Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa) Act 2003.
Contact the New Zealand Standard Book Numbering Agency
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