Activation Code

An eSIM activation code is a short string that tells a device where to download its eSIM profile and which profile to ask for. It contains the address of the operator’s SM-DP+ and a matching ID that identifies the prepared profile, and it is usually delivered as a QR code beginning with LPA:1$.

Activation code format

SGP.22 section 4.1 defines the code as fields separated by $:

Field	Required	Example
Format	Yes — always 1	1
SM-DP+ address	Yes — the server’s domain name	SMDP.EXAMPLE.COM
Matching ID (AC token)	Yes, though it may be empty	04386-AGYFT-A74Y8-3F815
SM-DP+ OID	Optional	1.3.6.1.4.1.31746
Confirmation code required flag	Optional — 1 if a confirmation code is needed	1

A minimal code looks like 1$SMDP.EXAMPLE.COM$04386-AGYFT-A74Y8-3F815. In a QR code it is prefixed with LPA:, giving LPA:1$SMDP.EXAMPLE.COM$04386-AGYFT-A74Y8-3F815. The whole string may be up to 255 characters. The specification restricts the address and matching ID to characters that fit the compact alphanumeric mode of QR codes, which is why they appear in uppercase.

How a device uses it

1. The user scans the QR code or types the code into the LPA; in IoT, an eIM sends it to the device’s profile assistant instead.
2. The device connects to the SM-DP+ address over TLS, and the eUICC and SM-DP+ authenticate each other.
3. The device presents the matching ID, and the SM-DP+ returns the matching profile, encrypted for that eUICC.
4. If the confirmation-code flag is set, the user must also enter a code the operator supplied separately.

Common activation code problems

• Already used: many matching IDs are single-use, so a second download is refused.
• Bound to another device: if the operator tied the order to an EID, other eUICCs are rejected.
• Expired or cancelled orders on the SM-DP+.
• Transcription errors when codes are typed rather than scanned.

Why it matters for testing

Automated testing needs activation codes managed as inventory: which are still valid, how many downloads each allows, and which device consumed them. SimCheck.ai accepts profiles as activation codes or QR images, tracks each one’s status and download limit (unlimited, single use or a fixed count), and records where it was installed — see eSIM profile download errors.