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Overview

All postal indicia items must be:

  • Deposited at a Canada Post facility (not in a street letterbox)
  • Accompanied by an Order (Statement of Mailing)
  • Created using Canada Post-supplied artwork

You can download Canada Post-supplied artwork in the Postal indicia tool. You can’t alter any Canada Post brand elements.

The following requirements must also be met when using Canada Post postal indicia.

Design formats

Non-barcoded

  • Letter-post
  • Publications Mail™

Barcoded

  • Lettermail™
  • Personalized Mail™
  • Postal Code Targeting

The indicia artwork on our website is based on optimal sizes. You can resize the artwork if you meet the 2D barcode mandatory characteristics.

Non-barcoded postal indicia dimensions

Requirement Minimum Maximum
Straight and perforated edge
Height x Width 19 mm x 36 mm 35 mm x 73 mm
Customized
Horizontal (Height x Width) 31 mm x 64 mm 35 mm x 74 mm
Vertical (Height x Width) 31 mm x 46 mm 35 mm x 54 mm

Barcoded postal indicia dimensions

Requirement Minimum Maximum
Straight and perforated edge
Height 19 mm 35 mm
Customized
Horizontal (height) 25 mm 42 mm
Vertical (height) 25 mm 42 mm
Stamp-like (Personalized Mail only) (height)

30 mm

Dimensional items: 33 mm

50 mm

Dimensional items: 55 mm

Content requirements

The indicia must be bilingual. You can print the indicia in any colour provided that there’s contrast with the background (we recommend a white background). The 2D barcode must be printed in black ink.

Type Indicia artwork elements
Canada Post elements
  • Service name
  • Customer number (Agreement number for Publications Mail service)
  • 2D barcode (Personalized Mail, Postal Code Targeting, and Lettermail services)
Additional elements for Customized Postal Indicia
  • Customer logo, text, graphic, or image
  • Canada Post reserves the right to refuse any Customized Postal Indicia design that it, at its sole discretion, deems non-mailable (see Non-mailable matter)

2D Barcode mandatory characteristics

Requirement Minimum Maximum
X dimension (size of individual cell)
0.508 mm
20 mils
0.635 mm
25 mils
Size of barcode area (symbol only, without quiet zone)
8.128 mm
320 mils
10.16 mm
400 mils
Size of minimum quiet zone (2 times X dimensions)
1.016 mm
40 mils
1.27 mm
50 mils
Size of barcode area (including minimum quiet zone)
10.16 mm
400 mils
12.7 mm
500 mils

Other 2D barcode mandatory characteristics

Requirement Measurement
Aspect ratio 1:1 (square)
Number of rows 16
Number of columns 16
Number of data regions 1
Colour Black barcode on white background
Print quality grade Grade B as specified by ISO/IEC 15415

Location of indicia on each item

You must place the postal indicia in one of two places:

  • In the Postage Zone (upper right-hand corner)

    or

  • Above and to the right of the destination address (not applicable for Postal Code Targeting service)