Batch code (LOT)
The standard’s wording, as the sources below reproduce it:
“Indicates the manufacturer’s batch code so that the batch or lot can be identified.”
ISO 15223-1:2021, 5.1.5 · ISO 7000-2492
What it means for you
The code after LOT names the production batch the item came from. It is what a recall notice or a pharmacist will ask you for, and what to quote when reporting a faulty test or device, because every unit in the batch shares it.
Whether a device is right for you is a question for your pharmacist, nurse or doctor.
- What it looks like
- The letters LOT inside a rectangle, with a code printed right after it, for example LOT 2403117A.
- Where you see it
- Nearly every medical box, pouch and test cassette, usually printed together with the hourglass date. Implant cards use LOT or SN next to the implant name.
- Other names
- lot number; lot code; batch number; LOT
What it does not tell you
The code has no public meaning. Each maker builds its own batch codes, so you cannot read a manufacturing date, a factory or a quality grade out of the characters — only the maker can look a batch up.
Often confused with
Indicates the manufacturer’s serial number so that a specific medical device can be identified.
More symbols in “Letters”
Sources
ISO 15223-1 is a paid standard, so the wording above is quoted as 3 publishers’ public documents reproduce it. Each was fetched and read on the date shown:
- Boston Scientific: Symbols Glossary — ISO 15223-1 5.1.5 “Lot number — Indicates the manufacturer’s batch code so that the batch or lot can be identified.” Image labelled ISO 7000-2492. Checked 2026-09-25.
- NE Scientific: Master Symbol Glossary (CTF-100011 Rev 01) — Shows LOT in a box for reference no. 5.1.5 (ISO 7000-2492); “Synonyms for ‘batch code’ are ‘lot number’, ‘lot code’ and ‘batch number’.” Checked 2026-09-25.
- MedTech Europe: Use of Symbols to Indicate Compliance with the MDR, version 3.0 (November 2021) — Annex II recommends “Batch code (2492) or Serial number (2498)” — the boxed LOT and SN — for the patient implant card. Checked 2026-09-25.
Plain-language parts are in our own words; quotations are the sources’ wording.