What is NS-PID? The manufacturer reference EU customs ask for
NS-PID (also written NSPID) stands for non-standardised manufacturer product identifier (customs data element C128). It is the reference the manufacturer, producer or supplier gives the product, such as a model or part number. From 1st November 2026 it is one of the three product identifiers declared for goods sent to shoppers in the EU from outside the EU in parcels worth up to EUR 150.
What counts as an NS-PID
- The maker's model number, part number or item reference, as printed in its catalogue or on its invoices.
- Your own reference, if you make the product yourself: you are the manufacturer, so you assign it. No particular format is required.
- The product's barcode: the European Commission accepts the S-PID (GTIN, EAN, UPC) being used as the NS-PID.
Where a product has no reference at all, the manufacturer is expected to assign one. Ask your supplier: it is often already on their price list or invoices.
What to use, by the way you sell
| You… | Use as the NS-PID | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Make the product (handmade, own brand) | Your own reference. You are the manufacturer, so you assign it; no format is required. | Your own product list. |
| Resell another brand's product | The brand's model or part number. | Its catalogue, price list or invoice. |
| Buy from a supplier or wholesaler | The supplier's or maker's model or part number. | Ask the supplier: it is often on their price list or invoices. |
| Sell a product that has a barcode | The barcode can serve as the NS-PID too: the Commission accepts it. | The EAN or UPC on the product. |
How it differs from the other two identifiers
- M-PID (C127) is your own code for the product, as the seller: in Shopify, the variant's SKU.
- NS-PID (C128) is the manufacturer's code, in whatever format the manufacturer uses.
- S-PID (C129) is a code that follows an international standard, such as a GTIN (EAN or UPC barcode) or an ISBN. When none exists, the declaration carries the exception code Y081.
Where to keep it in Shopify
Since October 2026, Shopify has a place for it. A variant can hold several barcodes, each with a type, and one of the types is NS-PID, which Shopify describes as the manufacturer's or supplier's code used to identify a product in EU customs declarations. Add it as an extra barcode and keep the product barcode (EAN, UPC or ISBN) first: sales channels read the first barcode, and Google & YouTube treats it as the GTIN. That is also why a variant with no product barcode is better off keeping the reference in a variant metafield: an NS-PID barcode would be its first. PIDReady does both in bulk (NS-PID barcodes after the product barcode, the metafield custom.ns_pid where there is none), reads references you already keep in a metafield, and can suggest the MPN you entered for the Google & YouTube channel for you to accept. Step by step: how to add the NS-PID barcode in Shopify.
Common questions
What does NS-PID stand for?
Non-standardised manufacturer product identifier: customs data element C128, the manufacturer's own reference for a product, such as a model or part number.
Does an NS-PID need a particular format?
No. Where a product has none, the manufacturer is expected to assign one, and no format is required: if you make the product, that is you.
Can the barcode be the NS-PID?
Yes. The European Commission accepts the product's barcode (the S-PID) being used as its NS-PID.
Can my SKU be the NS-PID?
If you make the product yourself, you are the manufacturer, so your own reference can be its NS-PID. If someone else makes it, use their model or part number.
Is the NS-PID the same as the M-PID?
No. The M-PID (C127) is your own code as the seller, which in Shopify is the variant's SKU. The NS-PID (C128) is the manufacturer's code.
Where do I put the NS-PID in Shopify?
On the variant, as a barcode of the type NS-PID after the product barcode. A variant with no product barcode keeps it in the variant metafield custom.ns_pid. PIDReady does both in bulk. How to add the NS-PID barcode
Check your catalogue
PIDReady is a Shopify app that checks every variant for the three identifiers, the HS code and the country of origin, helps you fill the gaps one by one or in bulk, and downloads a file for your carrier. The free plan does every fix, for any size of store.
Questions about the rule, app or no app? Email support@pidready.com: we reply within one working day.
More guides
Sources
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1022 of 30th April 2026 (EUR-Lex). It was published in the Official Journal on 1st July 2026 with 30th June in its title; the Official Journal's corrigendum of 3rd July 2026 corrected that date to 30th April.
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/2152 of 21st September 2026 (EUR-Lex): the Union handling fee is EUR 2 per item. Published in the Official Journal on 22nd October 2026; it applies from 1st November 2026.
- European Commission, guidance on the temporary EUR 3 customs duty and the Union handling fee, version of 5th October 2026