What is a postage meter?

A postage meter is a machine that is used to produce evidence of postage on a mail item. A postage meter imprints an amount of postage, functioning as a postage stamp, a cancellation and a dated postmark all in one. The meter indicia serves as an alternative proof of payment to stamps.

What is the benefit of having a postage meter?

Convenience

• Eliminates trips to the Post Office to purchase postage.
• Provides access to credit services.
• Provides postage on demand, 24/7.
• Allows you to drop metered mail into any street letter box.

• Accurately track and charge back postage costs to clients.
• Password protected access control option.
• Saves money by taking away the guesswork with exact postage each time.
• Ideal for tracking, cost control and cost-centre accounting.

When would I use a postage meter rather than stamps?

It is estimated that if your company uses more than $50 in stamps each month it is worth considering the use of a postage meter.

Where can I get a postage meter?

You can rent or lease postage meters from any of these 3 companies who manufacture meters authorized by Canada Post for use in Canada:

• Francotyp-Postalia Canada Inc.
• Neopost Canada
• Pitney Bowes Canada

If I have questions regarding my postage meter who do I contact?

If you have questions about how your specific meter model functions, contact your meter supplier for more information.

*Prices are subject to change without notice.

Frequently asked questions about postage meters

What Canada Post products can I use a postage meter for?
Do I need to purchase a digital scale or platform with my postage meter?
What are Canada Post's requirements for digital postage meters?
If I have an electronic meter can I still use it?
Why can't I manually enter a postage amount?
Are postage meters able to print a correction meter impression?
Why do I have to connect to my supplier's server?
Can I advance date a meter impression?
Do I need to use a special kind of ink in my postage meter?

What Canada Post products can I use a postage meter for?
A postage meter can be used for:

• Lettermail^TM
• Regular Parcel^TM
• Priority^TM
• Xpresspost^TM
• Expedited Parcel^TM
• Direct Mail (some restrictions apply)

Read Postal Services Information for more details.

Do I need to purchase a digital scale or platform with my postage meter?
The weight of a mail item is integral to determining the correct postage amount for letters and parcels. However, a scale or weighing platform attached to the postage meter is not mandatory. You can use an integrated scale, which automatically calculates a weight and applies a rate, or you can enter the weight manually.

What are Canada Post's requirements for digital postage meters?
For several years, we have been working with postage meter suppliers to introduce new meter technology that incorporates encrypted data and a standard menu for commonly metered products. Our 3 primary requirements for meter manufacturers are:

Security
Data integrity and security is of primary importance in electronic transactions, and we have an obligation to ensure that security requirements are met. All new postage meters are installed with a Postal Security Device (PSD), which maintains purchased financial amounts.

Product type capture
To provide the best possible products and services, we need to understand the way you use your postage meter. We do this by making sure each digital meter contains postage rates for commonly used letter and parcel products. When postage meter customers select the product they are mailing, this data is sent to us by the supplier.

Digital impression
We use a 2-dimensional bar code to reduce the risk of postage meter fraud. The bar code contains encrypted data and a unique digital signature that allows us to confirm that each impression is printed by a valid postage meter.

If I have an electronic meter can I still use it?
No, all meters have been switched over to digital technology. Only digital meters are approved for use.

Why can't I manually enter a postage amount?
To ensure accurate pricing, we require that postage meter suppliers restrict the ability to manually enter postage amounts. If you have questions about how your model functions, contact your meter supplier for more information.

Are postage meters able to print a correction meter impression?
All digital postage meters have the ability to correct a meter impression by allowing you to manually key in additional postage amounts. Depending on the mail item, the impression can be affixed next to the original impression, or on the opposite side of the item in the upper-right corner.

Why do I have to connect to my supplier's server?
Your digital postage meter is required to connect to your supplier's server a minimum of once every 90 days, or else you will be locked out. This is a security requirement that allows the supplier to check that the meter is still valid. If your meter is locked out, you must connect to your supplier's server before you can continue printing postage.

Can I advance date a meter impression?
Postage meter impressions require a current date to be printed. However, some meter models allow you to advance date an item, though the range is usually restricted to a 30-day period.

Do I need to use a special kind of ink in my postage meter?
It is important to use good quality ink of a colour approved by the corporation (currently only red ink is an approved colour for postage meter impressions) and containing fluorescence as described in the postage meter ink specifications. Postage meter impressions must be legible (capable of being read by Canada Post personnel and mail processing equipment).