Paying For Your Mailing

1

Methods of Payment

The following methods of payment can be used by customers to pay for products and services. However, not all methods of payment may be accepted at all Canada Post facilities. Some restrictions or conditions apply.

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) or a Commercial Deposit Centre.

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.

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.

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.

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

Contract 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. Contract customers should refer to their appropriate service Customer Guide at canadapost.ca/postalservices under the module “Paying and Terms”.

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 can be purchased at the following locations:

• Canada Post, post offices
• online at: canadapost.ca/shop
• by calling the National Philatelic Centre at 1-800-565-4362.

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 – See Section 1 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/postagemeters for more information about ink.

Postage meter impressions must be legible (capable of being read by Canada Post personnel and mail processing equipment).

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.

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).

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 (service charge applies). 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.

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

Canada Post Personalized Mail™ – Items need only the month and the year (the day can be omitted from the date stamp) shown as six 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.

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 1 and Figure 2. Figure 1 illustrates the name of the service for machineable mail (1A). Figure 2 illustrates the name of the service for presort (1B).

Figure 1:

Figure 2:

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 3.

Figure 3:

Meter impressions for Orders (Statements of Mailing) - When paying for Orders (Statements of Mailing) by meter, a postage meter impression, as illustrated in Figure 4, may be used. The words “Statement/Manifeste” 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) document. Meter impressions for Statements of Mailing are not valid when affixed to individual mail items.

Figure 4:

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 5, 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 5:

Meter impressions for re-date - If metered mail cannot be mailed on the date shown in the impression, a
re-date 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.

2.3	Postal Indicia

Contract customers should refer to their appropriate service Customer Guide at canadapost.ca/postalservices under the module “Paying and Terms”.

Visit canadapost.ca/indicia to download camera-ready artwork for postal indicia.