What is a Code-93 barcode?
Code 93 was introduced by Intermec in 1982 as a denser, more secure successor to Code 39. It has the same basic character set of uppercase letters, digits, space and - . $ / + %, but each character takes less room, so the same data makes a shorter barcode. Canada Post has used it for some labels.
Every character is nine modules wide and made of three bars and three spaces. The symbology defines two check characters, C and K, which are normally added after the data; the generator adds them by default. Start and stop characters are added automatically.
If you need lowercase letters, use Code 93 Full ASCII. If your scanner and system support it, Code 128 is the more widely used modern choice for alphanumeric data.
What data can Code-93 hold?
Uppercase A-Z, digits 0-9, space and the symbols - . $ / + %. Lowercase is not allowed, so we offer to convert it to uppercase or switch to Code 93 Full ASCII. The check characters are on by default.
Recommended size
Keep a quiet zone of at least 10 times the narrowest bar on each side. Code 93 is narrower than Code 39 for the same data, but an X-dimension of about 0.25 mm or more is still a safe starting point for labels.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Both hold the same basic characters, but Code 93 is more compact and uses two check characters for better error detection. Code 39 is more widely supported by older scanners.
They are part of the normal Code 93 symbol and most scanners expect them, so leave them on unless your system specifically reads Code 93 without them. Scanners do not usually send them with the data.
Not in standard mode. Use Code 93 Full ASCII, which encodes lowercase and other ASCII characters with shift characters, or use Code 128.