Do you need an ISBN to print or self-publish your book?
YourBookPress
You do not need an ISBN to print your book. You can print a book with no ISBN at all, which is fine for personal use, gifts, events, or selling copies directly yourself. You do need an ISBN if you want to sell your book through bookstores, libraries, or most online retailers, because those channels use the ISBN to list, order, and track your book. This guide explains when you need one, where to get it, and how many you need.
What is an ISBN?
An ISBN, which stands for International Standard Book Number, is a unique number that identifies a specific book and edition. It is the number that bookstores, libraries, distributors, and retailers use to find, order, and track your book in their systems.
An ISBN identifies three things: the specific title, the format or edition (a paperback and a hardcover of the same book have different ISBNs), and the publisher of record. When a bookstore scans or searches your ISBN, it knows exactly which book and which version it is dealing with.
Do you need an ISBN to print a book?
No. Printing a book does not require an ISBN. At YourBookPress, you can upload your file and print your book with no ISBN at all. If you are printing copies for yourself, for family and friends, for an event, for a private or limited run, or to sell directly to people you meet, you do not need an ISBN.
An ISBN is about distribution and retail tracking, not printing. The printing itself works the same whether or not your book carries an ISBN. So if your goal is simply to hold printed copies of your book, you can skip the ISBN entirely.
When do you need an ISBN?
You need an ISBN when you want your book sold through channels that rely on it to manage inventory. Specifically, you need an ISBN if you plan to:
- •Sell your book through physical bookstores
- •Have your book stocked or ordered by libraries
- •Sell through most online retailers and distributors
- •List your book in industry databases so booksellers can find it
- •Be recognized as your own publisher rather than using a retailer's imprint
In short: if you want your book available for sale beyond your own direct selling, you need an ISBN. If you only want printed copies for yourself or direct sales, you do not.
Do you need an ISBN to sell on Amazon?
This is a common point of confusion. Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing offers a free ISBN when you publish through them. So technically, you can sell on Amazon without buying your own ISBN.
But the free Amazon ISBN comes with two important limits. First, it lists Amazon as the publisher of record, not you. Second, it can only be used for that Amazon edition, so you cannot use the same ISBN to sell your book through other retailers or distributors.
If you want to be listed as your own publisher, or you want to sell the same book through bookstores and other channels as well as Amazon, you should buy your own ISBN rather than use the free Amazon one. Your own ISBN travels with your book everywhere; the free Amazon ISBN does not.
Where do you get an ISBN?
ISBNs are issued by an official agency in each country. You buy your ISBN from the agency that covers where you are based.
In the United States, the official source is Bowker, through its website MyIdentifiers.com. Bowker is the only authorized seller of ISBNs to US publishers and authors. If you see a site offering very cheap or free ISBNs in the US that is not Bowker, be cautious, because an ISBN that does not list you correctly can cause problems with distribution.
Authors outside the United States buy from their own country's ISBN agency, which varies by country. The process and price differ from place to place.
How much does an ISBN cost?
ISBN pricing depends on how many you buy. In the United States, Bowker sells ISBNs individually or in bulk packs, and the per-unit price drops significantly when you buy in larger quantities. A single ISBN costs the most per unit, while a pack of ten or more brings the price per ISBN down sharply.
Because prices change, check the current rates directly on the Bowker MyIdentifiers website. If you expect to publish more than one book, or multiple formats of the same book, buying a bulk pack is usually more economical than buying single ISBNs one at a time.
How many ISBNs do you need?
You need a separate ISBN for each format and each edition of your book. This catches many first-time authors by surprise.
- •Each format needs its own ISBN. If you publish your book as a paperback and a hardcover, that is two ISBNs. Add an ebook, that is three. Add an audiobook, that is four. Each version is a separate product with its own number.
- •A new edition needs a new ISBN. If you significantly revise your book and release a new edition, the new edition gets a new ISBN. The old ISBN stays with the old edition.
- •A simple reprint does not need a new ISBN. If you reprint the same book with no significant changes, you keep the same ISBN.
This is why authors who plan multiple formats often buy a bulk pack of ISBNs rather than single numbers. If you are printing one paperback and selling it directly, you may need just one, or none at all if you are not selling through retail.
Do ebooks and audiobooks need an ISBN?
For completeness, since these questions come up alongside print: an ebook can be sold without its own ISBN on some platforms (Amazon assigns its own identifier for Kindle, for example), but to distribute an ebook widely across retailers, a dedicated ebook ISBN is recommended. Audiobooks follow the same logic, with their own separate ISBN for wide distribution.
The key principle holds across all formats: each format is a separate product, and wide retail distribution of any format generally calls for its own ISBN.
What is the difference between an ISBN and a barcode?
An ISBN and a barcode are related but not the same. The ISBN is the number itself. The barcode is the scannable graphic, printed on the back cover, that encodes the ISBN (and sometimes the price) so a register can scan it at the point of sale.
If you are selling your book in physical stores, you will want both: the ISBN to identify the book, and a barcode on the cover so it can be scanned. Bowker and other services can provide a barcode image once you have your ISBN. If you are not selling in physical retail, you may not need a printed barcode at all.
Do you need an ISBN for your book? A quick summary
- Printing only, personal use, gifts, events, direct sales: No ISBN needed.
- Selling on Amazon only, using their free ISBN: No purchase needed, but Amazon is listed as publisher and the ISBN works only on Amazon.
- Selling through bookstores, libraries, or multiple retailers: Yes, buy your own ISBN from Bowker (in the US).
- Being listed as your own publisher: Yes, buy your own ISBN.
- Publishing multiple formats or editions: A separate ISBN for each; a bulk pack is usually more economical.
Need help getting set up?
Getting an ISBN through Bowker is straightforward once you know the steps, but the process can feel confusing the first time. Deciding how many ISBNs to buy, registering as your own publisher, and entering your book's details correctly all matter, because mistakes can cause problems later with distribution.
YourBookPress can help you through it. We will guide you in setting up your own Bowker account, choosing how many ISBNs to buy for your formats, and registering your book correctly, so that you stay listed as your own publisher and keep full control of your ISBN. You own your ISBN; we just help you get it right. If you are printing with us and want help with the ISBN process, contact our team.
Frequently asked questions about ISBNs
Do you need an ISBN to print a book?
No. Printing a book does not require an ISBN. You can print copies with no ISBN at all, which is fine for personal use, gifts, events, a private run, or selling directly yourself. An ISBN is about retail distribution and tracking, not printing. The printing works the same whether or not your book carries an ISBN.
Do you need an ISBN to self-publish?
It depends on how you plan to sell. You do not need an ISBN to print or to sell copies directly yourself. You do need one to sell through bookstores, libraries, and most online retailers, because those channels use the ISBN to list and order your book. If you want wide distribution or to be listed as your own publisher, get an ISBN.
Do you need an ISBN to sell on Amazon?
Not necessarily. Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing offers a free ISBN when you publish through them, so you can sell on Amazon without buying one. But the free Amazon ISBN lists Amazon as the publisher and can only be used for that Amazon edition. To be your own publisher or sell the same book through other retailers, buy your own ISBN.
Where do you buy an ISBN?
ISBNs are issued by an official agency in each country. In the United States, the only authorized source is Bowker, through MyIdentifiers.com. Authors outside the US buy from their own country's ISBN agency. Be cautious of sites offering very cheap or free US ISBNs that are not Bowker, since an incorrectly registered ISBN can cause distribution problems.
How much does an ISBN cost?
ISBN pricing depends on quantity. In the US, Bowker sells ISBNs individually or in bulk packs, and the per-unit price drops sharply when you buy more. A single ISBN costs the most per unit, while a pack of ten or more is far cheaper per number. Check current rates on the Bowker MyIdentifiers website, as prices change.
How many ISBNs do you need?
You need a separate ISBN for each format and each edition. A paperback and a hardcover of the same book are two ISBNs; adding an ebook makes three. A significantly revised new edition needs a new ISBN, but a simple reprint with no changes keeps the same one. Authors planning multiple formats often buy a bulk pack.
Do I need a different ISBN for paperback and hardcover?
Yes. Each format is a separate product and needs its own ISBN. A paperback and a hardcover of the same title require two different ISBNs. The same applies to ebook and audiobook versions, which each need their own ISBN as well.
Do ebooks need an ISBN?
An ebook can be sold without its own ISBN on some platforms, since Amazon assigns its own identifier for Kindle, for example. But to distribute an ebook widely across multiple retailers, a dedicated ebook ISBN is recommended. As with print, each format is a separate product, and wide distribution generally calls for its own ISBN.
Is a free ISBN as good as a paid one?
A free ISBN, such as the one Amazon KDP provides, works but has limits: it lists the provider as the publisher of record and can usually only be used on that platform. A paid ISBN that you own lists you as the publisher and can be used across all retailers and distributors. If you want control and wide distribution, your own paid ISBN is better.
What is the difference between an ISBN and a barcode?
The ISBN is the number that identifies your book. The barcode is the scannable graphic printed on the back cover that encodes the ISBN, and sometimes the price, so a register can scan it at checkout. For physical retail you want both. If you are not selling in physical stores, you may not need a printed barcode.
Can a book have two ISBN numbers?
Yes, in the sense that different versions of the same title carry different ISBNs. A single physical copy has one ISBN, but a title published in multiple formats has one ISBN per format. So a book available as paperback, hardcover, and ebook will have three ISBNs, one for each version.
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