Intelligent Mail Barcodes
The suite of Intelligent Mail barcodes contains three (3) separate barcodes. The Intelligent Mail barcode is applied to individual mailpieces (letters, cards and flats). The Intelligent Mail Tray barcode is applied on tray labels that are attached to trays, sacks, and tubs, and the Intelligent Mail Container barcode is applied on
container labels (or placards) that are attached to handling units such as pallets, containers, and APCs.
Suite of Intelligent Mail barcodes
The suite of barcodes for Intelligent Mail share some common characteristics:
- Identify the owner or sender of the mailpiece.
- Identify the mailpiece or mail aggregate to allow for tracking.
- Encode product or service requests on individual mailpieces, or to include unique indicators for processing mail aggregates.
- Provide sorting and/or routing information.
Intelligent Mail Barcode
The Intelligent Mail barcode is used to sort and track letters, cards and flats and offers greater versatility by allowing many services to be requested and embedded within one barcode. The Intelligent Mail barcode combines the data of the existing POSTNET™ and the PLANET Code® barcodes, as well as other data, into a single barcode. Learn more.
Intelligent Mail Tray Label
The Intelligent Mail Tray label is a new label format that will be used on all trays, tubs, and sacks. These new labels will include a unique 24-digit Intelligent Mail Tray barcode instead of the legacy 10-digit barcode. To ease the transition from the current 10-digit label to the new 24-digit label, the Postal Service® and mailers will initially print Intelligent Mail Tray labels with both the 10-digit and 24-digit barcodes. Learn more.
Intelligent Mail Container Barcode
The Intelligent Mail Container barcode will be applied to Mailer-generated container labels and is designed to be scanned at acceptance and at other points throughout transportation and processing. The Intelligent Mail Container barcode allows each container to be associated with a unique mailing and facilitates tracking of containers throughout the mail processing network. Learn more.
Intelligent Mail Package Barcode
The Intelligent Mail Package barcode in many ways parallels the Intelligent Mail barcode that is used for letters and flats, but uses a barcode symbology compatible with package processing equipment. The Postal Service will use the same barcode symbology and similar data constructs as the existing Confirmation Services (i.e., Delivery Confirmation™ and Signature Confirmation™) barcode. Learn more.
