USPS Replaces Old Forms and Labels With New Ones for Better Tracking
USPS is eliminating some legacy service-type codes, which means some pre-printed forms and labels will no longer be usable after January 22, 2023.
These old labels do not conform to the U.S. Postal Service’s current Intelligent Mail package barcode (IMpb) requirements which help improve visibility and tracking as they contain specific information about the shipment.
Most online merchants and marketplace sellers that create labels on shipping platforms already get IMpb conforming shipping labels and will not be affected by this change.
However, if you have any of the following old common retail USPS labels and still use them, you should throw them out now so that your shipments do not get delayed or returned.
Here are links to each label that is being discontinued.
- PS Form 153, Signature Confirmation Receipt
- PS Form 3800, Certified Mail Receipt
- PS Form 3813, Insured Mail Receipt $500 and Under
- PS Form 3813-P, Insured Mail Receipt Over $500
U.S. Post Offices around the country are also discarding the old labels and replacing them with new conforming labels. If you go to a Post Office retail location, by now they should have the new labels in stock.
Again, if you are printing labels through an online marketplace or shipping platform, this does not impact you.
And as a reminder, on January 22, USPS is also discontinuing Priority Mail Regional Rate boxes and raising rates on most parcel shipping services.
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Richard Meldner
Richard is co-founder of eSeller365. He has over 17 years of experience on eBay which includes tens of thousands of sales to buyers in over 100 countries and even has experience with eBay’s VeRO program enforcing intellectual property rights for a former employer. And for about two years Richard sold products on Amazon using Amazon FBA in the US.
To “relax” from the daily business grind, for a few weekends a year, he also works for IMSA as a professional race official.