The Standard Address Number (SAN) is a unique seven-digit identifier used to signify a specific address of an organization in (or served by) the publishing industry. It is an American National Standard, ANSI/NISO Z39.43-1993.

This system, initiated and maintained by R.R. Bowker, has become THE identification code for electronic communication within the industry.

It is the method used by PUBNET, X*NET and PubEasy.com systems and is required in all electronic data interchange communications using the Book Industry Systems Advisory Committee (BISAC) EDI formats.

The SAN itself has no functional meaning -- it merely defines an address. The SAN becomes meaningful only when used for identification of customers for electronic ordering transmission, voice recognition ordering systems, teleordering, for billing or shipping account numbers, etc.

The use of the SAN significantly reduces the problems faced by other non-standard numbering systems such as billing errors, books shipped to the wrong points, errors in payments and returns.

Entities using the SAN include book and journal publishers, wholesalers and distributors, book retailers and college bookstores, libraries, schools and universities, as well as paper and cloth manufacturers, printers and binders and others involved in the manufacturing of books and journals.

International Locations:

The U.S. SAN Agency assigns SANs to the United States and Canadian locations and all other locations outside of the US (except Australia, New Zealand and the U.K.).
For further information and applications contact the SAN Agency at (908) 219-0283 or san@bowker.com or go back and click on our SAN application forms on The SAN Application Process page.

Functions of the SAN Agency

The SAN agency performs a number of important functions, including:

• management and allocation of SAN assignments to organizations associated with the publishing industry
• advising organizations on the correct and proper usage of the SAN
• informing organizations within the publishing industry of their SAN assignments and identifying ranges
• maintenance of an up-to-date and comprehensive listing of all SAN assignments for inclusion in such Bowker directories as Books in Print, Publishers, Distributors and Wholesalers of the United States and our web-based product BookIndustryLocator.com.