STOCK
Paper, permanent acrylic adhesive
Thermal-transfer printed on paper label stock with a permanent acrylic adhesive, the construction MIL-STD-129R para 5.4.2.1 describes for bar code labels. Standard size is 4" × 3"; other sizes on request.
129MIL-STD-129 PACKAGE LABELS
MIL-STD-129
box & package labels,
printed from your contract data.
Identification labels for unit packs and exterior shipping containers to MIL-STD-129R, with the PDF417 barcode and human-readable text the standard calls for. Send the contract number, CLIN, CAGE, part number, and serials; labels come back scan-checked, with a Certificate of Conformance, ready to apply.
- Marking standard
- MIL-STD-129R
- Label types
- Unit pack · exterior container
- 2D symbol
- PDF417 · Appendix A, Table A-IV
- Print method
- Thermal transfer on paper stock
- Adhesive
- Permanent acrylic (para 5.4.2.1)
- Standard size
- 4" × 3"
01THE STANDARD
What MIL-STD-129 is, and what it is not.
MIL-STD-129 is the Department of Defense standard for marking military shipments. It says what identification goes on a unit pack and on the exterior shipping container so the item inside can be identified, received, stored, and issued without opening the box. The current revision is MIL-STD-129R, and most DoD contracts invoke it through the packaging and marking section of the award.
It is a different standard from MIL-STD-130, which governs the mark on the item itself. A delivery often needs both: a MIL-STD-130 IUID mark or label on each item, and MIL-STD-129 identification labels on the packs and boxes those items ship in. The two carry overlapping data, including the UIIs, and are easiest to get right when they come from the same serial list.
We make the identification labels. Which packaging level applies, what the contract data is, and the Military Shipment Label with its transportation control number come from your contract and shipping documentation. If you are new to military packaging and are not sure what your shipment needs, say so in the RFQ and we will work through it with you.
02LABEL CONTENT
What is on the label.
Each label pairs a PDF417 2D barcode with the human-readable lines the standard calls for, printed from one data row so the symbol and the text cannot disagree.
Example 4" × 3" exterior container label with placeholder data. The data area is titled ID DATA INCLUDES UII(s) when the barcode carries UIIs.
PDF417 barcode
Built to MIL-STD-129R Appendix A, Table A-IV. The symbol encodes:
- Contract number (PIID)
- Contract line item number (CLIN)
- Contractor shipment number
- CAGE code
- Part number
- Quantity
- Serial numbers
- UIIs, when the items are IUID-marked
Human-readable lines
- NSN
- National Stock Number, when one is assigned. Omitted otherwise.
- CAGE
- Your Commercial and Government Entity code.
- PN
- Part number as it appears on the contract.
- QTY / UI
- Quantity in the pack and the unit of issue, e.g. 10 EA.
- CONTRACT NO
- The PIID, with CLIN and contractor shipment number encoded in the barcode.
- PACK DATE
- Printed, or left blank for completion at shipment.
- WT
- Gross weight of the exterior container.
- SER NO
- Serial numbers or range in the pack.
SCAN CHECK
Every barcode read before it ships
Each PDF417 is scanned and the decoded data compared to the source row for that label. A symbol that does not read, or reads back the wrong data, is reprinted. See how we verify marks.
COC
Certificate of Conformance included
Every order ships with a CoC from us as the printing activity. Under MIL-STD-129R para 5.4.2 that lets the bar code labels be accepted without a separate quality verification, unless your contract asks for one.
03ITEM + BOX
MIL-STD-130 on the item. MIL-STD-129 on the box. Matching UIIs.
When items are IUID-marked, the exterior container label can carry their UIIs in the PDF417, and the data area is titled ID DATA INCLUDES UII(s). If we also make your MIL-STD-130 UID labels or direct part marks, the item labels and the box labels are built from the same serial list in the same job. The UII on the box matches the UII on the item, and one vendor is accountable for both.
The UIIs themselves are yours to assign. If you want to check a string before sending it, the free Data Matrix / IUID generator builds the MIL-STD-130 message and shows the concatenated UII that goes into both labels. Registering those UIIs in the DoD IUID Registry stays with the contractor.
04WHAT TO SEND
Send the contract data. We handle the rest.
Most customers send the items below, straight from the award and their serial list. We lay out the label, build the PDF417, and come back with a proof before printing. Fields that are not known until pack-out, such as the pack date, can be left blank for completion at shipment.
- 01 · Contract number (PIID)The procurement instrument identifier from the award, exactly as it appears on the contract.
- 02 · CLINThe contract line item number the shipment is delivered against.
- 03 · Shipment numberYour contractor shipment number for this delivery, the same one that goes on your receiving report.
- 04 · CAGE codeThe CAGE of the contractor identified on the label.
- 05 · Part numberAs it appears on the contract or drawing.
- 06 · Quantity and unit of issuePer unit pack and per exterior container, e.g. 10 EA.
- 07 · Serial numbers and UIIsA list or range per pack. If the items carry IUID marks, send the UIIs so they can be encoded in the box barcode.
- 08 · Gross weight per boxRequired on exterior shipping containers. Send it per container or tell us to leave the WT line blank for completion at pack-out.
- 09 · NSN, if assignedThe National Stock Number. If none is assigned, the line is left off.
05FREQUENTLY ASKED
MIL-STD-129 label questions.
Is weight required on a MIL-STD-129 label?
Yes, on exterior shipping containers. MIL-STD-129R para 5.1.2h calls for the gross weight on the exterior container identification marking. Unit pack labels do not carry it. Send the gross weight per box with your data, or ask us to leave the WT line blank so it can be completed at shipment.
Do I need an NSN?
No. If a National Stock Number has not been assigned to the item, the NSN line is omitted under MIL-STD-129R para 5.1.1a. When one is assigned, it prints as the first line of the identification data.
Do you make the Military Shipment Label (MSL)?
No. The Military Shipment Label carries the transportation control number (TCN), ship-to and ship-from addresses, and other transportation data, and it is generated from your shipping documentation, usually through WAWF / PIEE or the carrier. We focus on the identification labels for the unit pack and exterior container. If you are unsure which labels your shipment needs, ask when you request a quote.
Do I need graded barcode verification?
Only if your contract requires it. Otherwise MIL-STD-129R para 5.4.2 allows bar code labels to be accepted without separate quality verification when they are accompanied by a Certificate of Conformance from the printing activity, and a CoC is included with every order. We scan every barcode before shipment to confirm it reads and returns the correct data; if your contract requires graded verification, let us know when you request a quote.
Can the labels carry the same UIIs as our MIL-STD-130 item labels?
Yes. The PDF417 on the exterior container can carry the UIIs of the items inside, and the data area is titled ID DATA INCLUDES UII(s) when it does. If we also produce your MIL-STD-130 item labels, both are built from the same serial list, so the UII on the box matches the UII on the item. Registering the UIIs in the DoD IUID Registry remains the contractor’s responsibility.
How many labels can I order, and how fast?
Small quantities are welcome: a handful of labels for a single shipment is routine, as are repeat orders against a multi-year contract. Quotes go out within one business day and labels ship ready to apply. Most orders turn within a few business days of receiving your data.
MIL-STD-129 LABELS, SHIPPED READY TO APPLY
Send the contract number and serial list. We’ll return the labels.
Unit pack and exterior container labels, scan-checked, with a Certificate of Conformance. Small quantities welcome. Quotes within one business day through the form or at hello@utahmarking.com.