Applying for an ISBN and Legal Deposit Number

At UHasselt, you can apply for a legal deposit number and an ISBN when the university acts as the publisher, for example for reports, books, or papers.

What is a legal deposit number and when should you apply for one?

A legal deposit number is an identification number that is required by law for all publications issued in Belgium (or written by Belgian authors), regardless of whether the publication is commercially distributed.

Its purpose is to collect, preserve, and provide access to the country’s cultural heritage. Deposited publications are included in the Belgian Bibliography, which increases their visibility at both national and international level.

What is an ISBN and when should you apply for one?

ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. It is a unique, internationally recognized identifier for a publication.

The ISBN is used in the ordering systems of bookstores and distributors, as well as in library catalogues and databases. It makes publications easier to find and manage.

An ISBN is not mandatory, but it is strongly recommended if you intend to distribute your publication (e.g. through bookstores) or make it visible in catalogues.

If you apply for an ISBN, your publication must also include a legal deposit number.

How to apply for a legal deposit number and an ISBN?

To apply for an ISBN and/or a legal deposit number, you can contact the University Library at info-bib@uhasselt.be.

The legal deposit number can be issued almost immediately and is free of charge.

To obtain an ISBN, submit the application form (*.docx) to the University Library. The library will request the ISBN from the Boekenbank and provide it to you afterwards.

An ISBN application is subject to a fee (see the Boekenbank website. for current rates). Please note that UHasselt is not a member of GAU, GEWU, or Meta4Books.

Important

As the applicant, you are responsible for ensuring that the ISBN and/or legal deposit number are correctly included in your publication.