REFERENCE NUMBER CATEGORY CODE (RNCC): A CODE DESIGNATING THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE REFERENCE NUMBER TO THE ITEM OF SUPPLY. SEE VOLUME 10, TABLES 6, 15, 31 AND 40 AND QUICK INFO ON-LINE.
Governing regulation: HTTPS://WWW.DLA.MIL/PORTALS/104/DOCUMENTS/DLMS/CDS/MANUALS/CDTS_VOLUME_10.DOCX
Code values (12)
| Code | Meaning | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Source Control Reference | SOURCE CONTROL REFERENCE. THE NUMBER ASSIGNED BY A DESIGN CONTROL MANUFACTURER OF AN END ITEM OF EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING A GOVERNMENT ACTIVITY, TO A DRAWING THAT RESTRICTS PROCUREMENT (1) TO THE SPECIFIED ITEM(S) DESCRIBED ON THE DRAWING AND (2) TO THE STATED SOURCE(S) OF SUPPLY DESIGNATED THEREON. THESE RESTRICTIONS ARE IMPOSED ON THE COGNIZANT DESIGN ACTIVITY TO ENSURE PROCUREMENT OF THE ONLY ITEM(S) KNOWN AS A RESULT OF TEST OR EVALUATION TO BE SATISFACTORY FOR THE STATED CRITICAL APPLICATION. INCLUDES ONLY THOSE DRAWINGS WHICH MEET THE DEFINITION FOR SOURCE CONTROL DRAWING IN ASMEY-14.24 AND ASMEY-14.100. (APPLICABLE ONLY TO TYPE 1, 1B, 2, 4, AND 4B ITEM IDENTIFICATIONS.) |
| 2 | Definitive Government Specification or Standard Designator Reference | DEFINITIVE GOVERNMENT SPECIFICATION OR STANDARD DESIGNATOR REFERENCE. A PART NUMBER, STYLE NUMBER, OR TYPE DESIGNATOR INCLUDED IN OR DEVELOPED IN ACCORDANCE WITH A GOVERNMENT SPECIFICATION OR STANDARD WHICH HAS THE EFFECT OF FULLY IDENTIFYING AN ITEM OF SUPPLY. THIS CODE SHALL ALSO BE USED FOR A GOVERNMENT SPECIFICATION OR STANDARD WHICH, ALTHOUGH NOT INCLUDING PART NUMBERS, STYLE NUMBERS, OR TYPE DESIGNATORS, COVERS A SINGLE ITEM OF SUPPLY. THESE REFERENCE NUMBERS MAY BE CODED WITH REFERENCE NUMBER VARIATION CODE (RNVC) 1 IN ACCORDANCE WITH VOLUME 2, PARAGRAPH 2.9.2.N.(4). (NON-DEFINITIVE GOVERNMENT SPECIFICATIONS OR STANDARD DESIGNATOR REFERENCES SHALL BE CODED 4; VENDOR ITEM DRAWINGS AS DEFINED IN ASMEY-14.24 AND ASMEY-14.100 SHALL BE CODED 7; PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION OR STANDARD DESIGNATOR REFERENCES SHALL BE CODED 3.) |
| 3 | Design Control Reference | DESIGN CONTROL REFERENCE. THE PRIMARY NUMBER USED TO IDENTIFY AN ITEM OF PRODUCTION OR A RANGE OF ITEMS OF PRODUCTION, BY THE MANUFACTURER (INDIVIDUAL, COMPANY, FIRM, CORPORATION, OR GOVERNMENT ACTIVITY) WHICH CONTROLS THE DESIGN, CHARACTERISTICS, AND PRODUCTION OF THE ITEM BY MEANS OF ITS ENGINEERING DRAWINGS, SPECIFICATIONS AND INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS. (WHEN USED TO IDENTIFY A REFERENCE NUMBER WHERE THE DESIGN CONTROL REFERENCE IS NO LONGER ACTIVE (ORIGINAL DESIGN ACTIVITY), THE REFERENCE NUMBER WILL BE CODED WITH REFERENCE NUMBER VARIATION CODE (RNVC)9). |
| 4 | Non-definitive U.s. Government Specification or Standard Reference | NON-DEFINITIVE U.S. GOVERNMENT SPECIFICATION OR STANDARD REFERENCE. ANY GOVERNMENT SPECIFICATION OR STANDARD REFERENCE OTHER THAN THOSE INDICATED IN CODE 2 AS DEFINITIVE REFERENCES. THIS CODE SHALL BE USED FOR NON-DEFINITIVE GOVERNMENT SPECIFICATIONS AND STANDARD REFERENCES AND NON-DEFINITIVE PART NUMBERS, TYPE DESIGNATORS, AND STYLE NUMBERS INCLUDED THEREIN WHICH ARE CODED WITH RNVC 1. (INCLUDES THE SPECIFICATION NUMBER OF THOSE SPECIFICATIONS FOR WHICH TYPE DESIGNATION IS USED AS CODE 2. EXCLUDES PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION, INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION, OR MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATION OR STANDARD REFERENCE WHICH SHALL BE CODED 3, AND VENDOR ITEM DRAWING AS DEFINED IN ASMEY-14.24 AND ASMEY-14.100 WHICH SHALL BE CODED 7.) |
| 5 | Secondary Reference | SECONDARY REFERENCE. ANY ADDITIONAL NUMBER, OTHER THAN A PRIMARY NUMBER (CODES 1, 2, 3, 4), INFORMATIVE REFERENCE (CODE 6) OR VENDOR ITEM DRAWING REFERENCE (CODE 7) ASSIGNED TO AN ITEM OF PRODUCTION OR SUPPLY BY A COMMERCIAL OR GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION, WHICH REPRESENTS THE SAME ITEM OF PRODUCTION OR SUPPLY TO WHICH THE NATIONAL STOCK NUMBER (NSN) WAS ASSIGNED. THE REFERENCE NUMBER MAY HAVE HAD AN RNCC OF 1, 2, 3, 4, OR 7 BUT HAS SINCE BEEN REPLACED IN THE ITEM-OF-SUPPLY CONCEPT OF THE NSN BY ANOTHER PRIMARY NUMBER. INCLUDES ADDITIONAL NUMBERS ASSIGNED BY THE DESIGN CONTROL ORGANIZATION; SUPERSEDED OR DISCONTINUED REFERENCE NUMBERS WHICH MAY HAVE RESULTED FROM: A MANUFACTURER'S CHANGE IN NUMBERING SYSTEM; THE MANUFACTURER NO LONGER PRODUCES THE ITEM OR IS NO LONGER A TECHNICALLY APPROVED SOURCE; THE MANUFACTURER OR SUPPLIER FOR THAT NUMBER IS OUT OF BUSINESS. NOTE: AN RNCC 5 REFERENCE WITH A REFERENCE NUMBER VARIATION CODE (RNVC) OF 2 SHALL NOT BE ADDED TO AN NSN WITH A STANDARD MILITARY DRAWING (SMD) OR MILITARY SPECIFICATION CODED RNCC-RNVC 2-2 UNLESS THE REFERENCE IS REGISTERED ON THE QUALIFIED PRODUCTS LIST (QPL) FOR THE SMD OR MIL SPEC. (OBSOLETE, SUPERSEDED, CANCELLED, OR DISCONTINUED REFERENCE NUMBERS CODED RNCC 5 SHALL BE CODED REFERENCE NUMBER VARIATION CODE 9. ALL SECONDARY REFERENCE EXTRA LONG REFERENCE NUMBER (ELRNS), WHETHER CURRENT, (OBSOLETE, SUPERSEDED, CANCELLED, OR DISCONTINUED, SHALL BE CODED RNCC 5 AND RNVC 1.) |
| 6 | Informative Reference | INFORMATIVE REFERENCE. FOR U.S. SUBMITTERS, REFERENCE MUST INCLUDE CAGE CODE INTE9 (CROSS REFERENCE TO NSN ASSIGNED BY ANOTHER NATION), CAGE CODE 99998 (PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT CODES), OR CAGE CODE 99999 (DOD AMMUNITION CODES). REFERENCE NUMBERS FOR THE CAGE CODES CITED ABOVE SHALL BE CODED RNVC 9. WITHIN NATO, THE DEFINITION MEANS THE FOLLOWING: INFORMATIVE REFERENCE. ANY REFERENCE RELATED TO THE NSN WHICH DOES NOT FALL INTO ANY OTHER CATEGORY. THIS MEANS THAT REFERENCES WITH RNCC 6 ARE NOT LIMITED BY CAGE, AS LONG AS THE COUNTRY OF THE SUBMITTER MATCHES THE COUNTRY SPECIFIED BY THE CAGE AND THE COUNTRY IS A RECORDED USER OF THE NSN OR THE CAGE IS INTE9. |
| 7 | Vendor Item Drawing Reference | VENDOR ITEM DRAWING REFERENCE (FORMERLY SPECIFICATION CONTROL REFERENCE). THE NUMBER ASSIGNED BY A DESIGN ACTIVITY TO A DRAWING THAT IS NOT ITEM IDENTIFYING, BUT WHICH DELINEATES EXISTING COMMERCIAL OR VENDOR DEVELOPED ITEMS MEETING ALL ENGINEERING AND TEST REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED, WITHOUT IMPOSING ADDITIONAL TEST/ENGINEERING REQUIREMENTS NOT NORMALLY PROVIDED BY THE VENDOR(S). INCLUDES ONLY THOSE DRAWINGS WHICH MEET THE DEFINITION OF VENDOR ITEM DRAWING IN ASMEY-14.24 AND ASMEY-14.100. VENDOR ITEM DRAWING REFERENCES ARE ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL NUMBERS AND SHALL NOT BE USED AS PART IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS. |
| 8 | Us/nato-reproduced Item Identification Number | US/NATO-REPRODUCED ITEM IDENTIFICATION NUMBER. A NUMBER REPRESENTING A REPRODUCTION OF AN ITEM OF PRODUCTION BY A NATO COUNTRY (INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES) FOR WHICH AUTHORIZATION TO USE THE NATO/NATIONAL STOCK NUMBER HAS BEEN GRANTED BY THE ORIGINATING COUNTRY. THE REPRODUCED ITEM REPRESENTS THE SAME ITEM OF PRODUCTION AS THE ORIGINAL ITEM. |
| A | Design Category Packaging and Related Logistics Data Reference Number | DESIGN CATEGORY PACKAGING AND RELATED LOGISTICS DATA REFERENCE NUMBER. THE NUMBER OF A DOCUMENT REPRESENTING PACKAGING AND RELATED LOGISTICS DATA REQUIREMENTS. |
| C | Advisory Reference | ADVISORY REFERENCE. A NUMBER ASSIGNED TO AN ITEM OF PRODUCTION OR SUPPLY NOT INCLUDED IN THE ITEM-OF-SUPPLY CONCEPT TO WHICH THE NSN HAS BEEN ASSIGNED (E.G., AN ITEM THAT MAY HAVE BEEN USED IN THE PREPRODUCTION EQUIPMENT DESIGN WHICH HAS SINCE BEEN REDESIGNED OR REPLACED). USE OF THIS RNCC IS RESTRICTED TO CONDITIONS WHERE CROSS-REFERENCE IS REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH IDENTIFICATION TO AN ITEM OF SUPPLY. ADDITIONALLY, THERE IS NO DIRECT RELATIONSHIP OF THE REFERENCE NUMBER TO THE NSN OTHER THAN A SERVICE/AGENCY INDIVIDUAL DECISION. (RNCCC SHALL BE USED ONLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH RNVC 1.) |
| D | Drawing Number Reference | DRAWING NUMBER REFERENCE. A NUMBER ASSIGNED BY A DESIGN ACTIVITY TO A DRAWING OR OTHER TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION WHICH IDENTIFIES A DRAWING/DOCUMENT THAT IS RELATED TO AN ITEM OF SUPPLY OR PRODUCTION BUT DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR ASSIGNMENT OF CODES 1, 3, 5, 7, OR C. CODE D REFERENCE NUMBERS WILL NOT BE USED IN ITEM-OF-SUPPLY DETERMINATIONS. |
| E | Replaced Reference Number | REPLACED REFERENCE NUMBER. A MANUFACTURER'S PART NUMBER, GOVERNMENT SPECIFICATION/STANDARD OR OTHER DESIGN CONTROL REFERENCE NUMBER THAT IS SUPERSEDED, DISCONTINUED OR REPLACED RESULTING FROM A CANCEL-USE ACTION ON A NSN WHICH WAS RECORDED WITH ISC 3 OR E. THIS REFERENCE NUMBER IS AUTOMATICALLY MOVED AND THIS CODE IS AUTOMATICALLY ASSIGNED, DO NOT SUBMIT FOR CATALOGING PURPOSE. |
About RNCC
What is RNCC in FLIS / NSN cataloging?
RNCC (Reference Number Category) rEFERENCE NUMBER CATEGORY CODE (RNCC): A CODE DESIGNATING THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE REFERENCE NUMBER TO THE ITEM OF SUPPLY. SEE VOLUME 10, TABLES 6, 15, 31 AND 40 AND QUICK INFO ON-LINE.
What does RNCC code 1 mean?
RNCC code 1 means "Source Control Reference". SOURCE CONTROL REFERENCE. THE NUMBER ASSIGNED BY A DESIGN CONTROL MANUFACTURER OF AN END ITEM OF EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING A GOVERNMENT ACTIVITY, TO A DRAWING THAT RESTRICTS PROCUREMENT (1) TO THE SPECIFIED ITEM(S) DESCRIBED ON THE DRAWING AND (2) TO THE STATED SOURCE(S) OF SUPPLY DESIGNATED THEREON. THESE RESTRICTIONS ARE IMPOSED ON THE COGNIZANT DESIGN ACTIVITY TO ENSURE PROCUREMENT OF THE ONLY ITEM(S) KNOWN AS A RESULT OF TEST OR EVALUATION TO BE SATISFACTORY FOR THE STATED CRITICAL APPLICATION. INCLUDES ONLY THOSE DRAWINGS WHICH MEET THE DEFINITION
How many RNCC codes are there?
The U.S. Defense Logistics Agency defines 12 RNCC (Reference Number Category) code values in the FLIS published code dictionary. Each is listed on this page with its official meaning.
Last updated 2026-05-26. Published by DAITK™ against the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) FLIS code dictionary, governed by DoD 4100.39-M (Federal Logistics Information System Procedures Manual).
The authoritative FLIS code dictionary published by DAITK™ — every cataloging field and value code, defined verbatim against the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) FLIS standard, governed by DoD 4100.39-M. Authorized reference data, reproduced with attribution, not scraped.
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