Paying For Your Mailing

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Last updated: 2010-01-11

1.4 Money Order/Traveller’s Cheque

1.5 Cheque

1.6 International Reply Coupon

1.7 Account

2 Proofs of Payment

2.1 Postage Stamp

2.2 Postage Meter Impression

2.3 Postal Indicia

1
Methods of Payment

The following methods of payment can be used by Customers to pay for products and services. Not all methods of payment are accepted at all Canada Post facilities. Some restrictions or conditions apply.

NOTE:

Commercial Customers should refer to their appropriate service Customer Guide at canadapost.ca/customerguides under Paying For Your Mailing.

1.1
Cash

Cash payments can be made only at post offices and they must be in Canadian or American currency. Cash is not acceptable if depositing the item at a Receipt Verification Unit (RVU).

1.2
Debit Card

Debit cards are an acceptable method of payment for some services at post offices where debit card facilities are available. Some conditions and restrictions apply.

1.3
Credit Card

Credit cards are an acceptable method of payment at post offices where credit card authorization facilities are available. Canada Post accepts VISA, MasterCard and American Express.

NOTE 1:

Credit cards will not be accepted to purchase Canada Post Money Orders.

Customers submitting their mailing(s) using Canada Post’s EST may pay by credit card. The credit card will be charged at the time of mailing. Some restrictions or conditions apply. Commercial Customers should refer to their appropriate service Customer Guide at canadapost.ca/customerguides under Paying For Your Mailing.

3:	Other conditions or restrictions may apply to credit cards usage.

1.4
Money Order/Traveller’s Cheque

Money Orders and traveller’s cheques are an acceptable method of payment for some products and services provided by Canada Post.

NOTE:

Cash or debit card are the only acceptable methods of payment when buying a Canada Post Money Order.

For more information, see “Money Orders”.

1.5
Cheque

Business cheques are an acceptable method of payment for certain services. Business cheques over $1,500 received at a post office must be certified. Some restrictions or conditions apply.

NOTE:

An administrative fee of $25 will be applied on any payment that is dishonoured for any reason, including a payment returned due to Non Sufficient Funds (NSF). The Customer agrees to reimburse Canada Post for all costs, including legal fees and bank charges, incurred as a result of late or dishonoured payments.

1.6
International Reply Coupon

International Reply Coupons are coupons that may be purchased in Canada and other participating member countries of the Universal Postal Union (UPU). They may be sent in a letter or parcel to be exchanged by a recipient in any member country of the Universal Postal Union (UPU).

The recipient can exchange one coupon for postage stamps, and if not precluded by the internal legislation of the country of exchange, for postal stationery or postal prepayment marks or impressions representing the minimum postage prepayable on an international unregistered airmail letter.

For more information, see “International Reply Coupon”.

1.7
Account

Commercial Customers with pre-approved credit terms may select “ACCOUNT” as a method of payment if the mailing is to be invoiced and charged to the Customer’s Account and for applicable credit terms to apply.

2
Proofs of Payment

When applied to a mailing, the following proofs of payment indicate that Customers have provided payment to Canada Post. Some restrictions or conditions may apply. Refer to the appropriate service for the list of acceptable proofs of payment.

2.1
Postage Stamp

A postage stamp is a stamp or impression approved by Canada Post that indicates postage payment, which can be used on certain mail items. It may be printed directly on applicable mail items (as with pre-stamped envelopes) or on gummed or self-adhesive paper which is affixed to applicable mail items. Postage stamps are available in various denominations.

Stamps are sold at the following locations:

all post offices
authorized retailers
the National Philatelic Centre at 1.800.565.4362
on the Canada Post website at: shopcanadapost.ca

The following are not acceptable for postage:

stamps that are mutilated, soiled, covered with transparent material or defaced in any way
previously used stamps
stamps from another country
any other type of stamps not usually acceptable as postage.

Redeeming Postage Stamps – Stamps are redeemable at full face value. The maximum refund of postage per day is $1,000. Receipts are required for all returns. For refunds over $100, Customers must also complete the Customer Refund form. For more information, see “Customer Product Refunds Policy”.

2.2
Postage Meter Impression

A postage meter impression is an imprint that indicates the amount of postage paid. It must be printed by a Canada Post approved postage meter, directly on an envelope or on postage meter label (which can then be placed on certain items) using bright fluorescent red ink. Visit canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/business/productsservices/atoz/postagemeters.jsf for more information about ink.

Postage meter impressions must be legible (capable of being read by Canada Post personnel and mail processing equipment). Customers manually preparing a Bill of Lading or a Manifest must apply the postage meter impression to the back of the data entry copy of the form.

It is not acceptable to have postage meter impressions on small pieces of paper other than postage meter tape. Nor is it acceptable to alter postage meter impressions. These items will be considered invalid postage.

Postage Meter Approval and Maintenance – Postage meters may be used to print postage meter impressions as a proof of payment when Canada Post has approved the type, design, installation and use.

To obtain approval for postage meter types, design and use, manufacturers and suppliers must apply to the following authority:

DIRECTOR POSTAGE METERS
CANADA POST CORPORATION
2701 RIVERSIDE DR, SUITE N0990
OTTAWA ON K1A 0B1

For approval to install postage meters, meter manufacturers must apply to the following authority:

DIRECTOR CASH MANAGEMENT PROCESS
CANADA POST
2701 RIVERSIDE DR, SUITE C0120
OTTAWA ON K1A 0B1

Postage meters are required to connect to the meter manufacturers’ server to request and download additional postage (meter fills) and other services offered by meter manufacturers. Customers are required to accept meter modifications provided by manufacturers, e.g. postage prices. On connection, the data collected by the meter is transmitted through an interface to the manufacturer and the product information is then sent to Canada Post. If a meter connection is not made within a specified period (maximum 90 days), the postage meter is locked out and is forced to connect to the manufacturer’s server before it can continue printing postage.

Customers are required to ensure their postage meter is maintained and functioning properly. While mailing systems can be purchased from meter manufacturers, postage meters must be leased or rented and cannot be purchased.

When given reasonable notice by Canada Post, a user must make his postage meter available for inspection by either the meter manufacturer or the Corporation.

When the user changes the name, address and/or location of the meter, the meter manufacturer must be notified.

Obtaining a postage meter – Postage meters can be obtained by contacting a local Representative of one of the following authorized meter manufacturers:

Francotyp-Postalia Canada Inc. (francotyp.ca)
Neopost Canada Ltd. (neopost.ca)
Pitney Bowes Canada (pitneybowes.ca)

Electronic Postage Setting System (EPSS) – The meter manufacturers’ electronic postage setting system allows the user of Canada Post approved postage meters to purchase postage remotely at their place of business.

The meter manufacturers handle all installations and meter fills, withdrawals and refunds of unused postage through the EPSS. Customers can purchase their postage remotely through a modem connection. The Customer pays the meter manufacturer directly for the meter postage and applicable taxes. The manufacturer in turn electronically transfers funds, including applicable taxes and excluding refund amounts, to Canada Post the following banking day.

Any unused postage remaining in a postage meter at the time of withdrawal is refunded to the Customer by the manufacturer, who either credits the Customer’s account held by the manufacturer or issues a cheque to the Customer. When a Customer stops using a postage meter, the meter manufacturer must be informed and the manufacturer will arrange for the withdrawal of the meter.

If the postage meter is malfunctioning, the user must inform the meter manufacturer and must stop using the postage meter until the malfunction has been corrected. The manufacturer should make a replacement postage meter available. When an investigation is needed, the postage meter must be withdrawn by the manufacturer in the same condition as when the malfunction was first noticed.

Spoiled Postage Meter Impression Refunds – Canada Post may refund unused meter postage provided that the postage meter impressions meet all of the following:

are legible
were not used to obtain postal service (envelopes or wrappers must be supplied)
have not been altered manually.

Spoiled postage meter impressions of less than $200 in value can be refunded to the Customer directly at participating post offices. When the value of spoils exceeds $200, the request for a refund will be forwarded by the post office to Canada Post’s head office for processing. Once the refund is approved, the meter manufacturer is advised to process the Customer’s spoils refund which is deposited directly into the Customer’s Account held by the manufacturer. Customers pay a minimal handling fee.

Postage Meter Impression Design – A postage meter impression must be clear and distinct, using bright fluorescent red ink obtained from the meter manufacturers or their agents. It must be located in the upper right-hand corner on the address side of the item. Impressions must not overlap or cover any address information.

Canada Post must approve words or symbols, including advertisements and slogans, printed with postage meter impressions.

A single Canadian return address must be printed on all items with postage meter impressions.

Postage meter impressions contain three areas of information, the two-dimensional barcode, a block of human readable characters and a postage graphic. The human readable characters, between the two-dimensional barcode and the postage graphic, may be printed either horizontally or vertically as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1:

The Postal Code must be of the meter user or the post office from which the mail is deposited. Canada Post may authorize a Customer to deposit metered mail at a post office other than the one shown in the postage meter impression.

The Customer's name and address, advertisements or slogans (not political or controversial) or any endorsements must be located to the left of the postage meter impression. Canada Post must approve words or symbols, including advertisements and slogans, printed with postage meter impressions.

Special Meter Impressions – A special meter impression is required for some Canada Post services or under some circumstances, as follows:

Addressed Admail – Items need only the month and the year (the day can be omitted from the date stamp) shown as six (6) numeric characters in the format YYYY.MM. The name of the service must appear to the left of the postage meter impression in English and French, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2:

Incentive Lettermail – The name of the service must appear to the left of the postage meter impression in English and French, as shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4. Figure 3 illustrates the name of the service for machineable mail. Figure 4 illustrates the name of the service for presort.

Figure 3:

Figure 4:

Return Postage Prepayment – This service is intended to allow a meter user to send out a pre-addressed and prepaid-by-meter Lettermail item within one of their outgoing mail items, such as addressed reply envelopes, mailing containers or cards.

Every return postage prepaid meter impression must show “RETURN POSTAGE – PREPAID / PORT DE RETOUR PAYÉ” as illustrated in Figure 5.

Figure 5:

Meter Impressions for Statements of Mailing and/or Manifests - When paying for Orders (Statement of Mailings and/or Manifests) by meter, a postage meter impression, as illustrated in Figure 6, may be used. The words “Statement/Manifest” may appear to the left of the two-dimensional barcode of postage meter impression. The meter impression may be printed on meter labels and affixed to the Order (Statement of Mailing and/or Manifest) document. Meter impressions for Statements of Mailing and/or Manifests are not valid when affixed to individual mail items.

Figure 6:

Meter Impressions for Additional Postage - If the original postage value on a mail item has been printed incorrectly, an additional postage (correction) meter impression, as illustrated in Figure 7, must be printed and affixed under or beside the original impression. The word “CORRECTION” may appear to the left of the two-dimensional barcode of postage meter impression. Any additional impression must not overlap the original postage meter impression or cover any address information.

Figure 7:

Meter impressions for Redate - If metered mail cannot be mailed on the date shown in the impression, a redate meter impression must be affixed to the mail item. Depending on the mail item, the meter impression could be affixed under or beside the original impression, or printed or affixed on the backside of the mail item in the upper right-hand corner. Any additional impression must not overlap the original postage meter impression or cover any address information.