Steps to creating your Intelligent Mail

®

Barcode

The Intelligent Mail barcode is a 65-bar Postal Service

™

barcode used to sort and track letters and flats. It allows

mailers to use a single barcode to participate in multiple Postal Service programs simultaneously, expands mailers’

ability to track individual mailpieces, and provides greater mail stream visibility.

The Intelligent Mail barcode can be applied on Priority Mail

®

pieces,

First-Class

Mail

Periodicals, letters and flats, and Bound

ACS

Postal Service sorts a mailpiece on mail-processing equipment. Traditional ACS,

OneCode ACS, and Full-Service ACS provide mailers with electronic address-

correction information when a mailpiece cannot be delivered as addressed.

STEP 1: DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL THE ENCODER AND FONT

The Intelligent Mail barcode consists of a 20-digit tracking code (Barcode

Identifier, Service Type Identifier, Mailer Identifier, and Serial Number) and a

Routing Code (ZIP Code

RIBBS provides many useful links and answers to frequently asked questions.

STEP 2: APPLY FOR A MAILER IDENTIFIER

A Mailer Identifier (Mailer ID or MID) is required for the IMb

®

tracking code. New Mailer IDs are assigned through

centralized USPS

®

Gateway). Refer to the User Access to Electronic Mailing Information and Reports Guide on RIBBS for step-by-step

instructions for using the Mailer ID system. Mail owners and mail preparers will be assigned their six- or nine-digit MIDs

based on criteria established by the Postal Service. For the RIBBS web site, go to https://ribbs.usps.gov/index.

site explains the few

eligible flat mail bearing a printed optional endorsement line (OEL). When mailers prepare flat-size pieces using IMb

®

tracking codes to meet automation-price eligibility requirements, the IMb

®

OELs must contain the Barcode Identifier corresponding to the printed OEL used. See the Barcode ID Reference Table

on RIBBS

The attributes that determine which Service Type Identifier (STID) should appear in an IMb

class of mail, the ACS service desired, and whether IMb Tracing service is desired. See the Service Type ID Reference

Publication 8b, OneCode ACS Technical Guide.

Information on IMb Tracing is available in the

IMb Tracing User Guide. Users should also read

A Guide to Intelligent Mail for Letters and Flats,

which provides in-depth information about the

Intelligent Mail program. For information about

address quality, go to: https://www.usps.com/

Once the encoder and font are installed,

verify the print quality by producing samples,

The Serial Number, in conjunction with the MID and class of mail, can uniquely identify the mailpiece. Currently,

Serial Number uniqueness is not required to qualify for basic automation prices. The Intelligent Mail

®

Full-Service

option requires that mailpieces be uniquely identified, and the tracking code cannot be reused for a period of 45 days.

Depending on the length of the MID, the Serial Number is either a nine- or six-digit number.

The Routing Code can contain a 5-digit ZIP Code

™

, 9-digit ZIP+4

®

code, or 11-digit delivery-point code. To obtain

automation discounts, a Delivery-Point ZIP Code from CASS™ -certified (Coding Accuracy Support System) software

is required. Mailers may opt not to populate the ZIP Code and use the IMb

tracking code only for tracking the

[9N]

Mailer ID

Routing Code (ZIP™)

[15N]

[9 or 11N]

STEP 4: PUT EVERYTHING TOGETHER

Once mailers have selected service(s), received a MID, and devised a unique serial number strategy, they are ready to

put the five fields together to form the 20- to 31-digit string, encode it to 65 characters, and convert the 65-character

string using the IMb font to form the 65-bar Intelligent Mail barcode as in the example below. On letters, the Intelligent

Mail barcode can be placed in the address block or in the barcode clear zone. On flats, it can be placed on the

address side at least 1/8 inch from the edge of the piece.