SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code)
Also called: Serial Shipping Container Code, SSCC-18, pallet license plate
The SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code) is an 18-digit GS1 identification number that uniquely identifies one logistics unit, such as a loaded pallet. It is encoded in a GS1-128 barcode on the pallet label with Application Identifier (00) and linked to the shipment's advance ship notice.
In depth: Pallet labels and SSCC-18: the GS1 logistic label explained
The SSCC is sometimes called a pallet's license plate. It identifies the physical unit, not the product on it.
Structure
| Part | Digits | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Extension digit | 1 | Set by the company to extend the serial range |
| GS1 Company Prefix + serial reference | 16 in total | The company's GS1 prefix, then a serial number the company assigns |
| Check digit | 1 | Calculated from the other 17 digits |
In the barcode it follows Application Identifier (00), so the human-readable line reads "(00)" plus the 18 digits.
How it is used
- The shipper builds the unit load and assigns an SSCC.
- A GS1 logistics label with the SSCC in a GS1-128 barcode goes on the pallet, often on two adjacent sides.
- The advance ship notice (ASN) sent to the receiver lists each SSCC and its contents.
- The receiver scans the label and matches it to the ASN.
Why it matters
Many retailers and distributors require SSCC labels on inbound pallets, with rules on label position and size. The pallet design matters only in that the load and wrap must leave a flat, visible place for the label. The pallet labels guide covers placement.
On a spec sheet or RFQ
SSCCs belong in shipping requirements, not the pallet spec. Pallet part numbers and ownership marks are different and are branded on the pallet itself.
Common confusions
An SSCC is never reused for a different unit. A GTIN identifies the product type; the SSCC identifies one specific shipped unit. See GS1.
Related
- GuidesPallet labels and SSCC-18: the GS1 logistic label explainedAn SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code) is an 18-digit GS1 number that identifies one logistic unit, such as a pallet, for its whole journey. It is printed as a GS1-128 barcode with Application Identifier (00). GS1 puts pallet barcodes 400 to 800 mm (16 to 32 in) above the base, on two adjacent sides.
- GlossaryGS1GS1 is a global, not-for-profit standards organization that issues company prefixes and maintains the identification and barcode standards used in supply chains, including GTINs for products, the SSCC for logistics units such as pallets, and the GS1-128 barcode.
- GlossaryUnit loadA unit load is a group of items, usually cases on a pallet or slip sheet, secured together so it can be stored and moved as a single unit by a forklift or pallet jack. It includes the pallet, the packaging, the stacking pattern and the stabilizers.
- GuidesWalmart pallet requirements: supplier DCs and Walmart Fulfillment ServicesWalmart's supplier standards require 48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm) four-way Grade A pallets: stringer pallets with 7 top and 5 bottom boards on 3 stringers (2,100 lb loaded), 9-block pallets (2,800 lb) or approved pooled pallets. Loads max 96 in (244 cm), no overhang. WFS has its own rules.
- GuidesAmazon FBA pallet requirements: size, height, weight, wrap and labelsAmazon FBA calls for 40 × 48 in (1016 × 1219 mm) four-way pallets, at most 72 in (183 cm) tall including the pallet and 1,500 lb (680 kg), in clear stretch wrap with box labels facing out. GMA Grade B or better wood and four pallet labels are widely reported rules. Confirm in Seller Central.
More in Standards and compliance
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- GlossaryDebarked lumberDebarked lumber is wood from which the bark has been removed. ISPM 15 requires all treated wood packaging to be made of debarked wood, allowing only small pieces of bark: under 3 cm wide of any length, or wider pieces with a surface area under 50 cm² each.
- GlossaryDielectric heating (DH)Dielectric heating (DH) is an ISPM 15 treatment that heats wood packaging with microwaves or radio waves until the entire profile of the wood, including its surface, reaches at least 60 °C for 1 continuous minute. Treated wood is marked with the code DH.
- GlossaryEPALEPAL (European Pallet Association e.V.) is the organization that licenses manufacturers and repairers of EPAL Euro pallets and other EPAL load carriers and controls their quality. The EPAL 1 Euro pallet is a 1200 × 800 × 144 mm block pallet used in open pallet exchange across Europe.
- GlossaryFSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act)FSMA is the US Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011. Under its Sanitary Transportation of Human and Animal Food rule (21 CFR Part 1, Subpart O), pallets are transportation equipment and must be designed and maintained so they are suitable and adequately cleanable, and do not make food unsafe.
- GlossaryGMAGMA stands for the Grocery Manufacturers Association (now the Consumer Brands Association), whose name became attached to the standard 48 × 40 in (1219 × 1016 mm) US grocery pallet: a partial four-way wood stringer pallet with three notched stringers, seven top and five bottom deckboards.
Last reviewed 2026-09-24. 270 words.