How to Get an ISBN Number

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posted on 15 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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An International Standard Book Number is used to identify books, ebooks, and other publications. If you’re a publisher, self-publishing writer, or a company representative interested in putting out literature that can be easily catalogued, you should probably get an ISBN. The process of obtaining an ISBN varies somewhat from nation to nation. To begin the process, identify your national ISBN agency through the International ISBN Agency website. Click on your country and follow the directions provided by your national ISBN agency.

Steps

Gathering Necessary Information

Find your national ISBN agency. Open your browser, and visit the website of the International ISBN Agency. Click on the orange button labeled “Find an agency.” The website for the International ISBN Agency is available at http://www.isbn-international.org.

Select the national agency in which your company’s headquarters is located. If you’re applying for an ISBN on behalf of a company or organization, choose the nation in which your company or organization is headquartered from the drop-down menu. Select this option even if your company or organization has multiple locations.

Select your nation if you’re not applying on behalf of a company. If you’re not applying for an ISBN on behalf of a company or organization -- that is, if you’re a traditional or e-book publisher; audio cassette, software, or video producers; or a representative of a museum or association with a publishing program -- you’ll also need to select the nation in which you’re based. Use the drop-down menu in the "Find an agency" page to choose your national agency.

Create an account with your national ISBN agency. In some cases, you might have to create an account with your national ISBN agency. The process by which you create an account varies. Generally, however, you’ll need to create a username and password. You may also be asked to confirm your account using an email address.

Completing the Application

Find your application. The path to the ISBN application varies from nation to nation. In some cases, after accessing the site of your national ISBN agency, the option to get an ISBN will be front and center. In other cases, you’ll have to hunt around the site a bit in order to find the application.

Fill out the application. The application process varies from nation to nation. The applications generally share some common elements, though. You’ll be expected to supply, for instance, the publisher’s name and address, the title of the publication, the format of the publication, the proposed date of publication, and your contact information.

Pay the application fee. Along with your application, you may be expected to submit a processing fee. The cost of this fee varies depending on the nation in which you apply for an ISBN. The application should cite the cost of submitting the application. If it does not, ask your national ISBN agency about the cost and payment options.

Get your ISBN. The process by which you actually receive your ISBN depends on your national ISBN agency. In most places, you’ll receive an email alerting you that your application has been processed. You can then log in to your account and check your ISBN. In some cases you might get your ISBN mailed or emailed to you. The length of time required for approval varies from place to place. Your national ISBN agency should be able to tell you how long you'll need to wait.