What Is a TAC Code? Decoding the First 8 Digits of an IMEI

Look at any IMEI and the first eight digits tell a story before you check a single database. Those digits are the TAC — Type Allocation Code — and they identify the brand and model of the device. Two iPhones of the same model often start with the same eight digits; a Samsung and a Tecno never will.

That makes the TAC a quick, powerful tool for anyone buying a used phone: if the TAC doesn’t match the model you’re being sold, something is wrong. Here’s how it works.

Where the TAC sits in the IMEI

A 15-digit IMEI is split into three parts:

• Digits 1–8: TAC — the device type (manufacturer and model).
• Digits 9–14: serial number (SNR) — the individual unit within that TAC.
• Digit 15: check digit — a Luhn checksum, explained in how the IMEI check digit works.

Because the serial part has six digits, each TAC can cover up to one million units. Popular models need many TACs, which is why one phone model can have dozens of different TAC codes.

Who assigns TAC codes?

TACs are allocated by the GSMA, the global association of mobile operators, through approved reporting bodies. A manufacturer applies for a TAC before a device ships, and declares its brand, model name, radio bands and other details. The GSMA keeps these in its central device database, which operators, regulators and approved services use to recognize devices. You can read about the GSMA’s role at gsma.com.

The first two digits of every TAC are the Reporting Body Identifier — the organization that issued the allocation. A few common ones:

TAC vs the old TAC + FAC format

Before 2004, IMEIs used a 6-digit TAC followed by a 2-digit FAC (Final Assembly Code) that indicated the factory. In 2004 the FAC was dropped and the TAC was extended to the full eight digits. If you read an old forum post claiming digits 7–8 reveal the factory, it refers to phones from that era. On modern devices, all eight digits together are simply the model code.

How a TAC identifies the model

A TAC lookup returns what the manufacturer registered with the GSMA: typically the brand, the marketing name or model number, and the device type (smartphone, tablet, modem, watch). For example, every IMEI on a particular regional variant of a Galaxy phone will share one of the TACs Samsung registered for it.

What a TAC usually doesn’t tell you:

• the exact color or storage size (one TAC often covers several capacities);
• the carrier or SIM-lock status;
• whether the device is blacklisted, financed or iCloud-locked;
• anything about the owner.

For those you need a full record check. A manufacturer + model check resolves the IMEI to brand and model, while a model, color, storage and Find My check (Apple) or the Samsung Info report adds the configuration details.

Try it: extract the TAC in the terminal

In the terminal below, type tac 356938035643809 and press Enter. It prints the first eight digits (35693803) and the reporting body behind the prefix. Then try imei followed by your own number for a full breakdown.

Remember the terminal works offline in your browser: it shows the structure of the number, not the registered model. To resolve the TAC to an actual device, use our IMEI check.

Using the TAC to spot fakes and swapped phones

This is where the TAC earns its place in every used-phone inspection:

1. Dial *#06# on the phone and note the IMEI.
2. Run a model lookup on that IMEI.
3. Compare the result with what the phone claims to be in Settings and with the listing.

Common mismatches and what they usually mean:

• Lookup says a cheap Android, the phone looks like an iPhone or a flagship Galaxy: a clone. Counterfeit phones often reuse a real TAC from another brand — or an invalid one.
• Lookup says iPhone 12, seller says iPhone 13: misdescribed or a housing swap. Compare the model number in Settings › General › About.
• Box IMEI has a different TAC from *#06#: the box belongs to another phone.
• No result at all for a phone that should be well known: possibly a tampered IMEI.

Our guide to spotting fake and refurbished iPhones covers the physical checks that go with this.

Why one phone model has many TACs

It surprises people that two genuine iPhones of the same model can start with different digits. There are several normal reasons:

• Volume. Each TAC covers at most one million serial numbers. A best-selling model ships tens of millions of units, so it needs many TACs.
• Regional variants. Phones for different markets often support different radio bands and get separate model numbers and TACs — for example a US variant and an international variant of the same Galaxy.
• Dual-SIM phones. The second IMEI may come from a different TAC than the first. See why your phone has two IMEI numbers.
• Production changes. Manufacturers sometimes request new TACs for later production runs.

So a different TAC from a friend’s phone isn’t suspicious. A TAC that resolves to a different model is.

Who else uses TAC codes?

• Mobile operators use the TAC to apply model-specific settings, such as VoLTE, 5G and Wi-Fi calling support, and to analyze which devices are on their network.
• Regulators and customs in some countries use the device database to recognize approved models and block counterfeit or unregistered imports.
• Repair shops and dealers use it to confirm exactly which variant they’re dealing with before ordering parts.

Ready to see the full record behind an IMEI? Combine a model lookup with a blacklist status check, or get everything at once with the All-in-one check:

For the bigger picture, read what is an IMEI number.