When to Get an ISBN: Timing for Editions, Formats, and Publishing Milestones

Knowing when to get an ISBN helps beginners avoid common pitfalls that can affect discoverability and distribution. An ISBN should be obtained at the right moment in your publishing timeline so metadata is accurate and retailers, libraries, and distributors can list the correct product. Below is a friendly, practical guide covering typical situations and timing for ISBN acquisition.

General rule

Get an ISBN before you distribute or list a book for sale publicly. That means if a book will be sold through bookstores, online retailers, or offered to libraries, it should have an ISBN assigned before you create retail listings or print final copies with barcodes.

Specific timing recommendations

• Finalized metadata and production files: Secure ISBNs once your title, author data, edition statement, publisher name, and planned formats are finalized. This prevents later metadata mismatches.
• Prior to retail listings: If you plan to list your book on retail platforms or wholesalers, register the ISBN and submit metadata first so online listings are complete and searchable.
• Before barcode generation for print books: If you need an EAN barcode on the back cover, you must have the ISBN-13 assigned early enough to generate and place the barcode on the cover during layout.
• Before library deposit in jurisdictions with legal deposit: Some national libraries accept or require ISBNs as part of the legal deposit process, so align timing with deposit deadlines.

When new ISBNs are required

• New format: Each format (paperback, hardcover, ebook, audiobook) needs its own ISBN.
• New edition: Significant changes to content—substantive revisions, new forewords, updated chapters—require a new ISBN for the new edition. Simple reprints or corrections might not.
• New publisher or imprint: If you move a book to a different publisher or imprint, you will typically assign a new ISBN under that publisher’s prefix.
• Language translations: Translated editions are treated as new works for ISBN purposes and need separate ISBNs.

When you can delay or skip an ISBN

If you are producing a book solely for private distribution (e.g., family memoirs not sold publicly) or a promotional booklet distributed at an event, an ISBN may not be necessary. Similarly, some online self-publishing platforms let books be sold without an ISBN or with platform-specific identifiers; however, omitting an ISBN limits distribution and library acquisition.

Timeline examples

• Traditional publisher: Publisher assigns ISBNs during prepress when metadata and cover files are finalized. ISBNs are embedded on proofs and final copies and used in advance listings with wholesalers.
• Self-publisher: Buy ISBNs early enough to add the number to cover designs and submit metadata to stores before launch. Don’t wait until after printing to obtain an ISBN if you plan to distribute widely.
• Multiple formats roll-out: If you plan a staggered release (e.g., ebook first, then print), register ISBNs for each format at the time each format’s metadata is finalized; you can prepare all ISBNs at once to avoid last-minute delays.

Practical checklist for timing

1. Finalize title, author name, edition statement, and publisher name.
2. Decide which formats will be published (print, ebook, audiobook).
3. Purchase or request the correct number of ISBNs from your national agency.
4. Assign each ISBN to a specific format and enter the metadata in the agency’s registry and distributor portals.
5. Use ISBN-13 to generate barcodes for print covers before printing.

Common timing mistakes

1. Waiting until after printing to buy ISBNs, then having to reprint covers to include the barcode.
2. Assigning an ISBN before finalizing metadata, leading to incorrect listings that are difficult to correct downstream.
3. Using a single ISBN for multiple formats released at different times—this creates confusion in ordering and tracking.

In short, obtain ISBNs when metadata and format choices are fixed but early enough to support cover design, barcode generation, and pre-publication listings. That timing helps ensure a smooth path to discovery, distribution, and sales while avoiding reprints and metadata headaches. For beginners, planning ISBNs as part of your production timeline is a small step that prevents big problems later.