Postage Discounts for Barcoded Mail
Barcoding your mail may entitle you to a lower postage price, but ONLY if all the other requirements for automation postage prices are met. A barcode alone will NOT qualify your mail for automation prices.
In general, the Postal Service recommends that, unless you are preparing a mailing for automation prices, you should NOT put barcodes on the mailpieces. As long as the mailing address is correct, your mail will still be processed efficiently without a barcode—and you won't need to worry about having the wrong barcode on your mail. A bad (incorrect) barcode is much worse than no barcode at all. A bad barcode can cause your mailpiece to travel to the wrong destination.
Quick Service Guide 201a, Designing Letters and Cards for Automated Processing, gives an overview of barcode standards for automation-compatible letters.
Quick Service Guide 201d, Designing Flats for Automated Processing, gives an overview of barcode standards for automation-compatible flats.
Quick Service Guide 201f, Designing Parcels for Automated Processing, gives an overview of barcode standards for automation-compatible parcels.