Most shipping workflows remain unchanged. However, you should review the following areas during migration:
- Supported USPS services
- Label formats
- Manifesting behaviour
- Cancellation and refund workflow
- SCAN Form generation
- Shipment cut-off times
Yes. Clients can migrate based on their implementation strategy. Before migrating production traffic, validate all supported services, label formats, and manifest workflows in the sandbox environment.
The overall shipment workflow remains similar. However, USPS APIs introduce different business rules for shipment creation, manifesting, cancellation, and refunds.
Yes. Shipment processing continues to use the local time of the induction ZIP, consistent with PC Postage.
All efforts have been made to keep the behaviour same as PB PC Postage.
If no future shipment date is provided, PB automatically advances the shipment date to the next day post 8 PM local time (based on induction zip code). With one exception to date advance is rate change date. PB will not advance date to next day on the day before rate change.
If today's shipment date is explicitly requested after the cut-off time, the request is rejected.
Yes. Labels can be created up to 7 days before the shipment date.
No. The following label sizes are currently not supported by USPS APIs:
- 4 × 1
- 4 × 3
- 9 × 4 (FCM Letter (IMB) PDF/PNG - use case only)
This capability is only available for specific approved clients in PC Postage.
Combined Shipping Label + QR Code printing is not available currently in USPS APIs.
We are currently working with USPS, this capability may be available shortly.
Most USPS services are available. However, some services are currently limited.
Some USPS services currently support rating only.
Examples include:
- FCMI
- PMOD
Pitney Bowes is working with USPS to enable label generation for these services.
The shipment becomes ineligible for a SCAN Form and the electronic manifest is submitted to USPS almost immediately. This is the same behaviour in PC Postage today.
The shipment remains eligible for a SCAN Form and waits until:
- a SCAN Form is generated, or
- the automatic end-of-day manifest process runs.
No.
SCAN Forms for the current mailing date cannot be generated after 8 PM local time (based on scan form submission zip code or entry facility zip code)
This is a known USPS limitation. Pitney Bowes is working with USPS to resolve this issue.
Electronic manifest submission depends on the shipment type.
| Shipment Type | Submission Time |
|---|---|
| QR Labels | Within 15 minutes |
| Add to Manifest = No | Within 15 minutes |
| SCAN Form shipments | Within 15 minutes after SCAN Form creation |
| Return Labels | 12:30 AM CT (next day) |
| Other shipments | 12:30 AM CT after the mailing date |
Yes.
If the electronic manifest has not yet been submitted to USPS, the shipment can be cancelled immediately.
Once the electronic manifest has been submitted, cancellation is no longer immediate.
Depending on the shipment state, you may need to submit a refund request instead.
Request a refund when the Shipping Services File has already been created and transmitted to USPS.
A full refund is generally available when the shipment has not yet been manifested.
After USPS receives the electronic manifest, USPS refund policies apply and administrative fees may apply.
Each refund request returns a Carrier Reference ID (Dispute ID) that can be used to track the refund.
This feature is available to select customers only in PC Postage.
In USPS API’s, an IMB shipment can be cancelled before it has been manifested.
No.
Retry and manifest reprint behaviour remains unchanged from PC Postage.
API limits depend on your Pitney Bowes account configuration and contractual agreement.
Pitney Bowes recommends validating:
- Supported USPS services
- Label formats
- Manifest workflows
- SCAN Form generation
- Cancellation scenarios
- Refund workflows
- Future-dated shipments
- Shipment creation after the 8 PM cut-off
- End-to-end production testing before switching traffic
The visual layout of shipping labels generated through USPS APIs differs from PC Postage. This is expected behavior. While the appearance has changed, the majority of the label elements, including recipient information, barcodes, postage, and shipping details, remain consistent across both formats.
USPS APIs and PC Postage follow different label rendering formats.
When both Company Name and Name are provided, USPS API labels display the Company Name before the recipient's Name, whereas PC Postage displays the Name first.
Both formats comply with USPS addressing standards.
This is expected behavior.
PC Postage places the secondary address information (Suite, Apartment, Unit, etc.) at the end of the delivery address line.
USPS API labels place the secondary address information on the line immediately above the delivery address line when required by USPS label formatting rules.
Both formats comply with USPS Publication 28 addressing standards.
USPS APIs follow the USPS Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) addressing standards. To ensure successful address validation, label generation, and mail processing, provide a complete delivery address whenever possible.
A complete USPS delivery address includes:
- Recipient name or Company name (at least one is required)
- Street number and street name
- Secondary address information (Apartment, Suite, Unit, etc.), when applicable
- Urbanization (Puerto Rico addresses only)
- City
- State
- ZIP Code
- Country Code (for international destinations)
Providing a complete address helps USPS accurately identify the delivery location and obtain the appropriate ZIP+4 information where applicable.
No.
USPS APIs support the same address information as PC Postage. However, some address elements may appear in a different order or position on the printed label while remaining fully compliant with USPS addressing standards.
Custom messages are displayed in the bottom section of shipping labels generated through USPS APIs.
Yes.
USPS APIs suppress the postage amount on shipping labels by default. If your business requires the postage amount to be displayed, set hide Postage to false in the shipment request. You can also connect with PB allow the feature for you.
No.
The mail date is rendered on USPS API shipping labels by default.
This is standard USPS label behavior.
USPS API labels display the mail date by default. This is standard USPS label behavior and does not require any additional configuration.
Yes.
USPS APIs generate shipping labels in accordance with the USPS Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) 602 and Publication 28 addressing standards.
USPS defines a complete delivery address as one that contains all address elements required to accurately identify the delivery location and obtain the appropriate ZIP+4 code.
A complete delivery address should include:
Addressee name or other identifier and/or firm name where applicable.
Private mail box designator and number (PMB 300 or #300).
Urbanization name (Puerto Rico only, ZIP Code prefixes 006 to 009, if area is so designated).
Street number and name (including predirectional, suffix, and postdirectional as shown in USPS ZIP+4 Product for the delivery address or rural route and box number (RR 5 BOX 10), highway contract route and box number (HC 4 BOX 45), or Post Office box number (PO BOX 458), as shown in USPS ZIP+4 Product for the delivery address). ("PO Box" is used incorrectly if preceding a private box number, e.g., a college mailroom.)
Secondary address unit designator and number (such as an apartment or suite number (APT 202, STE 100)).
City and state (or authorized two-letter state abbreviation). Use only city names and city and state name abbreviations as shown in USPS City State Product. Contact the National Customer Support Center (see 509.1.0) for more information about the City State Product.
Correct 5-digit ZIP Code or ZIP+4 code. If a firm name is assigned a unique ZIP+4 code in the USPS ZIP+4 Product, the unique ZIP+4 code must be used in the delivery address.
USPS APIs render these address elements according to USPS addressing standards. As a result, the placement of some address elements (such as Company Name or secondary address information) may differ from PC Postage while remaining fully USPS compliant.
A complete address has all the address elements necessary to allow an exact match with the current USPS ZIP+4 Product to obtain the finest level of ZIP+4 code for the delivery address. A complete address may be required on mail at some automation prices.