You don't need to know all the postal regulations - that's our job.

The Basics
Here are a few basics that can help keep you from making the most common cost-increasing mistakes:

Letter-sized pieces (by USPS definition) are between 3.5” x 5” minimum up to 6 1/8” x 11.5” maximum. These can be cards, letters, self-mailers and booklets no more than 1⁄4” thick. Cards must be at least .007 inches thick. HOWEVER, TO BE AUTOMATION COMPATIBLE, the length of your mailing piece, divided by its height must fall between 1.3 and 2.5. This is the “Aspect Ratio.”

If you have a “mailback” card or envelope enclosed within your mailing, you MUST have a FIM (Facing Identification Mark) and barcode on your response envelope (even when your customer needs to put their own stamp on the envelope). We can help you with this Postal Service requirement.

Consider the color and weight of your paper or card stock. The USPS has “reflectancy” requirements – that means there must be enough contrast between the address and the background color of your address area. A mailing label can correct this problem, but producing labels and labeling your mailing piece is a more expensive and slower process than direct impression addressing — and a label doesn’t look as professional. If you want direct impression addressing, a light color such as cream, yellow or white is a good choice, while certain blues, grays and dark colors prevent automation discounts. Also, you should avoid “speckled” paper types, since they interfere with the readability of barcodes.

There are many other considerations for automation compliance with the USPS. To assure that you don’t make costly mistakes, call Barcodes Plus® before you have your piece printed.