The Type Allocation Code (TAC) is the initial eight-digit portion of the 15-digit IMEI and 16-digit IMEISV codes used to uniquely identify Wireless devices.

The Type Allocation Code identifies a particular model (and often revision) of wireless telephone for use on a GSM, UMTS, LTE, 5G NR, iDEN, Iridium or other IMEI-employing wireless network.

The first two digits of the TAC are the Reporting Body Identifier. This indicates the GSMA-approved group that allocated the TAC.

Prior to January 1, 2003, the global standard for the IMEI started with a six-digit Type Approval Code followed by a two-digit Final Assembly Code (FAC). The Type Approval Code (also known as TAC) indicated that the particular device was approved by a national GSM approval body and the FAC identified the company that had built and assembled the device (which is not always the same as the brand name stamped on the device).

Effective on that date, many GSM member nations and entities (mainly Europe) moved away from requiring that devices be approved by national bodies, and towards a system where device manufacturers self-regulate the device market. As a result, a manufacturer now simply requests an eight-digit Type Allocation Code for a new phone model from the international GSM standards body, instead of submitting a device for approval to a national review body.

Both the old and new TAC uniquely identify a model of phone, although some models may have more than one code, depending on revision, manufacturing location, and other factors.

Public TAC databases

The authoritative database maintained by GSMA is named GSMA Device Database and is only made available to partners. However, there are many public alternatives, though they will not be fully up to date.

The Osmocom project maintains a crowdsourced TAC database, which is CC-BY-SA v3.0 licensed and fully downloadable.

Some OEMs publish TAC data for their products:

Sony: https://app.swup.update.sony.net/ess-distribution/public/api/product/v2

TAC examples TAC Manufacturer Model Internal Model Number01124500Apple 0113000001136400Apple01154600AppleiPhoneMB384LL01161200AppleiPhone 3G01174400AppleiPhone 3GMB496RS01180800AppleiPhone 3GMB704LL01181200AppleiPhone 3GMB496B01193400AppleiPhone 3G01194800AppleiPhone 3GS01215800AppleiPhone 3GS01215900AppleiPhone 3GSMC131B01216100AppleiPhone 3GS01226800AppleiPhone 3GS01233600AppleiPhone 4MC608LL01233700AppleiPhone 4MC603B01233800AppleiPhone 4MC610LL01241700AppleiPhone 401242000AppleiPhone 401243000AppleiPhone 4 MC603KS01253600AppleiPhone 4MC610LL/A01254200AppleiPhone 401300600AppleiPhone 4SMD260C01326300AppleiPhone 4 MD198HN/A01332700AppleiPhone 5MD642C01388300AppleiPhone 5SME297C/A35875105AppleiPhone 5SA153335875205AppleiPhone 5SA153335875305AppleiPhone 5SA153335875405AppleiPhone 5SA153335875505AppleiPhone 5SA153335875605AppleiPhone 5SA145335875705AppleiPhone 5SA145335875805AppleiPhone 5SA145335875905AppleiPhone 5SA145335876005AppleiPhone 5SA145335880005AppleiPhone 5CA150735880105AppleiPhone 5CA150735880205AppleiPhone 5CA150735880305AppleiPhone 5CA150735880405AppleiPhone 5CA150735880505AppleiPhone 5SA145335880605AppleiPhone 5SA145335880705AppleiPhone 5SA145335951406SamsungGalaxy Tab ESM-T561347435880805AppleiPhone 5SA145335880905AppleiPhone 5SA145335881005AppleiPhone 5SA153335881105AppleiPhone 5SA153335881205AppleiPhone 5SA153335881305AppleiPhone 5SA153335881405AppleiPhone 5SA153335881505AppleiPhone 5CA145635881605AppleiPhone 5CA145635881705AppleiPhone 5CA145635881805AppleiPhone 5CA145635881905AppleiPhone 5CA145635201906AppleiPhone 5S A145735925406AppleiPhone 6 A154935438506AppleiPhone 6+A152235325807AppleiPhone 6SA163335299209AppleiPhone 8A19053530340AppleiPad 6th genA195435103627AppleiPad 9th genA260335676211AppleiPad Air 4th genA23243576677AppleiPad Air 5th genA2589350151..Nokia333035705623NokiaFastMile 5G Gateway 3.25G15-12W35089080Nokia3410NHM-2NX35099480Nokia3410NHM-2NX35148420Nokia3410NHM-2NX35148820Nokia6310iNPL-135151304NokiaE72-1RM-53035154900Nokia6310iNPL-135171005Sony EricssonXperia S35174605GoogleGalaxy NexusSamsung GT-I9250, Samsung GT-I9250TSGGEN35191405MotorolaDefy Mini35226005SamsungGalaxy SIII35044670SiemensA5035238402Sony EricssonK770i35274901Nokia623335291402Nokia6210 Navigator35316004ZTEBlade35316605SamsungGalaxy S IIIGT-I930035332705SamsungGalaxy S IIGT-I910035328504SamsungGalaxy SGT-I900032930400SamsungGalaxy S735351200MotorolaV30035357800SamsungSGH-A80035376800Nokia623035391805GoogleNexus 4LG E96035405600WavecomM1306B35421803Nokia5310RM-30335433004NokiaC5-00RM-64535450502GlobeTrotterHSDPA Modem35511405Sony EricssonXperia U35524803Nokia2330C-2RM-51235566600Nokia623035569500Nokia110035679404SamsungGalaxy MiniGT-S557035685702Nokia630035693803NokiaN90035694603Nokia270035699601NokiaN9535700804NokiaC135714904HuaweiE398U-15 LTE Stick35733104SamsungGalaxy Gio35739804NokiaN835744105SamsungGalaxy S4GT-I950535765206SonyXperia Z3 CompactD580335788104NokiaN95035803106HTCHTC One M8s35824005GoogleNexus 5LG D820/D82135828103Nokia6303C35836800Nokia6230i35837501XDAOrbit 235837800NokiaN6030RM-7435838706LGG StyloLG-H63135850000NokiaLumia 72035851004Sony EricssonXperia Active35853704SamsungGalaxy SII35869205AppleiPhone 5SMF353TA/A35876105AppleiPhone 5SA145735896704HTCDesire S35902803HTCWildfire35903908SamsungGalaxy S8SM-G950F35909205SamsungGalaxy Note 3SM-N9000, SM-N9005, SM-N90035918804HTCOne X35920605NokiaLumia 62535447909NokiaNokia 1TA-107935604008NokiaNokia 2TA-102335602508NokiaNokia 5TA-102735929005MotorolaMoto GXT103935933005OROD646835935003Nokia2720A-2RM-51935972100Lobster54435974101GlobeTrotterHSDPA Modem35979504SamsungGalaxy Note449337..Nokia621086107402QuectelQueclink GV20086217001QuectelQueclink GV20086723902ZTE CorporationRook from EE, Orange Dive 30, Blade A41086813001JiayuG3SJY-G300000000N/Atypical fake TAC codes, usually in software damaged phones01234567N/Atypical fake TAC codes, usually in software damaged phones12345678N/Atypical fake TAC codes, usually in software damaged phones13579024N/Atypical fake TAC codes, usually in software damaged phones88888888N/Atypical fake TAC codes, usually in software damaged phones01333200AppleiPhone 599000481SamsungGalaxy note 4 GM-N910V35808005SonySony C6833 - XPERIA Z ULTRA35815207SamsungSamsung S735415808SamsungSamsung J7 Prime35664906SamsungXcover 271GT-B271035330509SamsungGalaxy S9SM-G960U35326907AppleiPhone 6sA168835197310irisguardEyePay Phone35664906SamsungXcover 271GT-B271035314409Go MobileGO Onyx LTEGO100486092103HuaweiP9 Lite 201635293708SamsungGalaxy A5 2016SM-A510F35684610SamsungGalaxy Fold 5G01459300WondaLink T-Mobile LineLinkML70086881303XiaomiRedmi Note 535620409SamsungGalaxy J7 201735253108GoogleGoogle Pixel35803408GoogleGoogle Pixel 2 XL (Verizon)G011C35803508GoogleGoogle Pixel 2 XL (Unlocked)G011C35964309GoogleGoogle Pixel 3a XL35751110GoogleGoogle Pixel 4a35751310GoogleGoogle Pixel 4a86551004OnePlusOnePlus 7 Pro (T-Mobile)GM191586492106OnePlusOnePlus 11CPH245135263970JollaJolla Phone 2026JP2601

TAC block Governments, telcos and/or carriers may block devices based on their TAC, for various purposes.

New Zealand RBI broadband service TAC lock

In New Zealand with the rollout of the government subsidized rural broadband initiative a way was required to prevent users inserting the rural broadband SIM cards in an unauthorized devices to get subsidized data rates.

The use of a TAC lock by the use of a customized SIM card with embedded TAC codes was devised. Several Type allocation codes can be stored in the SIM cards of the device to allow a group of provider-supplied Huawei branded 4G modems and block the use of unauthorized and third-party devices on the network.

A company wishing to resell Vodafone RBI is required to supply a device for the approval process and certification, and to supply One NZ with the TAC details of this device to embed into the SIM cards at the point of manufacture. A minimum order of 500 SIM cards is required.

Australian carrier approved devices

See also International mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) SIM lock

External links 3GPP Change Request re Type Allocation Code Check Detailed information about the IMEI Number