But, unlike zakko who were engaged in military-related technical work and listed in zakkoseki (family register for zakko) which was different from the general family register, shinabe were treated the same as ryomin (one of the two main castes of the ritsuryo system, meaning good citizens) by law.
しかし、軍事関係の技術労働に従事して一般の戸籍とは違う雑戸籍に編入された雑戸とは違って、法的には良民と同じ扱いとされていた。