Clothing RN number: what it is, how to get one and how to look one up

What is an RN number on clothing?

RN stands for Registered Identification Number. The Federal Trade Commission describes it as a number issued by the FTC to U.S. businesses that manufacture, import, distribute, or sell products covered by the Textile, Wool, and Fur Acts. On a garment it appears as the letters RN followed by digits.

The number exists because of a labeling rule. Under the Textile Act, labels must show fiber content, country of origin and either the company name or the Registered Identification Number (RN) of the business responsible for the product. The RN is a short way to meet the third part of that rule: a business can print the number on product labels instead of the company name.

So a clothing RN number tells a buyer, a retailer or the FTC which US company stands behind the garment. It does not show where the item was made: country of origin is a separate item on the label.

Do you need an RN number for clothing, or is your business name enough?

You do not need an RN to sell clothing in the US. The FTC's answer is direct: you may put your company business name on the label instead of an RN. What you do need is a label that identifies the responsible business, either by name or by RN.

The name option has a catch for small brands. The name must be the full name that appears on business documents, such as purchase orders and invoices. It is not a trademark, brand, or designer name, unless that is also the name under which the company conducts business. If your brand is called one thing and your LLC is registered as another, a label with only the brand name does not meet the rule. You would print the legal business name, or an RN.

An RN can make sense when:

• Your legal business name is long. The FTC notes it often uses less space on the label than the company name.
• Your brand name differs from the legal name, and you do not want the legal name on every label.
• You sell wholesale. The FTC warns that some companies require you to have an RN in order to do business with them.
• You want buyers to find you. The FTC says an RN lets buyers easily identify and find you through the RN directory or the RN look-up service.
• You plan to change brand names or launch a second label. The RN stays with the company, since the FTC issues only one RN per company.

If you only sell a few handmade pieces at markets under your own legal name, printing that name may be all you need. The label still needs fiber content and country of origin either way. This page covers the federal FTC rule; states and cities can add their own business registration rules, so check where you sell. It is general information, not legal advice.

How to get an RN number from the FTC

The application is online only and costs no charge. Requests made any other way will not be accepted and approved, and the FTC's FAQ adds: Mailed and faxed applications are no longer accepted until further notice.

1. Check that you qualify

   RNs are available only to businesses residing in the United States. An RN is a number issued by the FTC to U.S. businesses that manufacture, import, distribute, or sell products covered by the Textile, Wool, and Fur Acts. A business outside the US can instead use its own business name, or the RN or business name of a company in the United States that is directly involved with importing, distributing, or selling the product.

2. Search the database first

   The FTC issues only one RN per company. Search the RN database for your company name before you apply, so you do not request a second number for a company that already holds one.

3. Create an account on the RN site

   Go to rn.ftc.gov and register. After registering you have 24 hours to submit a request for RN before your account will be deactivated, so have your legal business name and address ready before you start.

4. Submit the request

   Use the full business name that appears on your invoices and purchase orders, the same name the FTC asks for on labels that skip the RN. The application costs no charge.

5. Wait for the email

   The FTC usually processes online applications within 3 business days or sooner. It cannot offer one-day service or preferential treatment to any business. When the RN issues, the FTC will email it to the email address you provide, and you can also find it on the RN Search screen.

Clothing RN lookup: how to search the FTC RN database

The FTC's RN database is public. You can look up the company behind an RN on a garment, or find the RN a company holds.

1. Open the RN search

   The RN Search screen is on the FTC's RN website, rn.ftc.gov, the same site used to apply.

2. Search by number

   Enter the digits that follow RN on the label. The FTC says people can type in the number and readily find your business.

3. Or search by company name

   To find a company's RN, enter a key word of your company name. If the full name returns nothing, try one distinctive word from it.

4. Read the result with care

   The RN may belong to a business that did not make the garment. For imports, the FTC lets the label show the name or RN of the importer, the name or RN of the wholesaler or the name or RN of the ultimate retailer — if the retailer has consented. A store's own RN on a garment does not mean the store sewed it.

How to show an RN number on clothes

The RN goes on the same required label information as the fiber content and country of origin. The prefix is part of the number: the FTC says the prefix must precede the numerals on the label. Print RN followed by the digits, not the digits alone.

The three required items can appear on one label or on separate labels, and they can appear on a label with other information, such as the care instructions. If you buy finished goods from an importer, distributor or manufacturer, the products can remain labeled with that company’s RN or business name. Only the business that holds an RN may use it, because RNs are not transferable or assignable.

If you remove the original label and add your own, the swap is legal as long as the new label lists the name or RN of the person or company making the change, and the new label keeps every other required item. A business that substitutes a label must keep records for three years showing what the removed label said and the company the product came from.

For imports, the label can show the name of the foreign manufacturer or distributor, the name or RN of the importer, the name or RN of the wholesaler, or the name or RN of the ultimate retailer — if the retailer has consented.

Keeping your RN registration current

An RN is tied to the company details on file. You must update the registration if there is any change in your business name, address, or legal business status. If you do not, the RN is subject to cancellation.

Updates go through the same RN website, rn.ftc.gov. Log in, submit an update request, and FTC staff review it. You are notified by email or regular mail once it is decided.

You may also see WPL numbers on older wool garments. The FTC says: We no longer issue WPL numbers, but many are still in use. They work the same way as an RN on a label.

CA numbers, IRS numbers and brands outside the US

Some garments carry a CA number, which the FTC's FAQ calls a Canadian CA number. It does not replace an RN on goods sold in the US. The FTC says: Neither your IRS number nor a Canadian CA number can substitute for a business name or RN on the label. A label can carry the business name of a Canadian company responsible for marketing the product in the United States or a Canadian manufacturer instead.

A business based outside the US cannot get an RN, since RNs are available only to businesses residing in the United States. It can print its own business name on the label, or use the RN or business name of a company in the United States that is directly involved with importing, distributing, or selling the product.

Where Nation fits

Questions about clothing RN numbers