Barcoding your mail may entitle you to a lower postage rate, but ONLY if all the other requirements for automation postage rates are met. A barcode alone will NOT qualify your mail for automation rates.

In general, the Postal Service recommends that, unless you are preparing a mailing for automation rates, you should NOT put barcodes on the mailpieces. As long as the mailing address is correct, your mail will still be processed efficiently without a barcode—and you won’t need to worry about having the wrong barcode on your mail. A bad (incorrect) barcode is much worse than no barcode at all. A bad barcode can cause your mailpiece to travel to the wrong destination.

What is a barcode?

Quick Service Guide 201a, Designing Letters and Cards for Automated Processing, gives an overview of barcode standards for automation-compatible letters.

Quick Service Guide 301a, Designing Flats for Automated Processing, gives an overview of barcode standards for automation-compatible flats.

Quick Service Guide 401a, Designing Parcels for Automated Processing, gives an overview of barcode standards for automation-compatible parcels.