---
title: QR codes, labels and identifiers
deck: From February 2027 every battery carries a QR code, and the passport batteries' codes must reach one record per unit. How to design the marking, the identifier and the link behind it.
description: How to design the QR code, label and unique identifier for EU batteries from 2027: GS1 Digital Link, placement, durability and where the code leads.
category: Technical
date: '2026-10-31'
image: /assets/tiles/b-2-2.jpg
order: 6
---

The passport is digital, but the way in is physical: a QR code on the battery. From **18 February 2027**, every battery placed on the EU market carries one (Art. 13(6)), not only the batteries that need a passport. What it links to depends on the battery.

## Where the QR code leads

| Battery | The QR code links to |
|---|---|
| EV, LMT, industrial above 2 kWh | The battery passport (Art. 77) |
| Other batteries (portable, power tool, appliance) | Labelling information, the EU declaration of conformity, the due diligence report and waste information |
| Starter batteries, additionally | Recycled cobalt, lead, lithium and nickel shares |

For batteries without a passport, the code still has real work to do. It links to four kinds of information: labelling data (manufacturer, category, chemistry, hazardous substances, capacity or minimum duration), the declaration of conformity, the due diligence report for cobalt, lithium, nickel and natural graphite (postponed to August 2027, so a placeholder is reasonable at first), and consumer waste information, which varies by member state. A producer responsibility organisation may already provide compliant waste content.

## One identifier per battery

The passport is per unit, not per model. Each battery needs its own unique identifier, and the QR code and identifier must follow ISO/IEC 15459 parts 1 to 6, or an equivalent standard (Art. 77(3)). Duplicates aren't allowed.

**GS1 Digital Link** is the common way to do this, and DIN DKE SPEC 99100 recommends it. It writes the identifiers into a standard web address:

- the **GTIN** identifies the battery model (one per model);
- a **serial number** identifies the individual battery;
- together they make the unique identifier, in a format any scanner, authority or recycler can read the same way.

A **GLN** identifies your company or production site; it doesn't replace a GTIN. GS1 isn't mandatory, but it is vendor-independent, recognised by authorities and recyclers, and the same codes can later serve retail scanning.

A **resolver** answers the address and sends each person to the right place. You can use GS1's own, a provider's or one you run yourself. Choose with care: the code is printed on the battery for its whole life, so the domain behind it has to outlive any software contract. Settle in writing who controls it.

## Designing the marking

The code has to be on the battery itself. Packaging or accompanying documents are allowed only where marking the battery is technically impossible. Practical guidance from the specification and suppliers:

- **Size**: around 15 by 15 mm for industrial batteries, around 10 by 10 mm where space is tight.
- **Quiet zone**: at least four modules of clear space around the code.
- **Error correction**: at least level M (15%); level Q (25%) is safer on rough surfaces.
- **Contrast**: black on white. Coloured codes scan less reliably.
- **Durability**: it must survive the battery's life, including UV, moisture, chemicals, abrasion and temperatures from about −20°C to +60°C. Laser engraving, ceramic, polyester and polyimide labels work; paper doesn't.
- **Target**: a permanent address for that unit's passport, never a marketing page.

## The rest of the label

The QR code adds to the printed label rather than replacing it. Already required: the CE mark, the separate-collection symbol (since August 2025) and cadmium or lead symbols above 0.002% cadmium or 0.004% lead. General labelling (manufacturer, category, place and date of manufacture, weight, capacity, chemistry, hazardous substances, extinguishing agent and critical raw materials above 0.1%) waits on the implementing act for the label format, and the carbon footprint class will need space later. Reserve the room now.

Put the mandatory elements together in one label zone that stays reachable once the battery is installed, keep the label consistent with the passport data, and scan-test real labels on the production line before volume.

## FAQ

### Do all batteries need a QR code from February 2027?

Yes. Every battery placed on the EU market needs one from 18 February 2027. For EV, LMT and industrial batteries above 2 kWh it links to the battery passport; for others it links to labelling, conformity, due diligence and waste information.

### Is GS1 Digital Link mandatory for battery passports?

No. The regulation requires identifiers that follow ISO/IEC 15459 or an equivalent standard. GS1 Digital Link is the common choice and is recommended by DIN DKE SPEC 99100.

### Can the QR code go on the packaging?

Only where putting it on the battery is technically impossible. Otherwise it belongs on the battery, durable and legible for its whole life.

## Sources

- [Battery passport labelling and QR code](https://dpphero.com/en/blog/battery-passport-labeling-qr-code), DPP Hero
- [GS1 Digital Link for the battery passport](https://dpphero.com/en/blog/gs1-digital-link-battery-passport), DPP Hero
- [The digital bridge: meeting the 2027 battery QR code mandate](https://kezzler.com/the-digital-bridge-meeting-the-2027-battery-qr-code-mandate/), Kezzler