and I just realized that I covered the postage with packing tape.  Reading through the tutorials, I see that's not allowed by the USPS.  Do you think they will get returned?

If it was printed postage it should be ok.  They might not get scanned though if they can't read the bar code through the tape.  If it was stamps then you'll just have to wait and see. 

It was printed postage through PBS, and I took a lot of care not to wrinkle the tape over the postage or DC.  Hopefully I'm all good then.  Thanks!

If its printed postage it should be fine.  Happy trading :  )  I have seen posts here where some people have inkjet printers and ALWAYS tape over the label so it doesn't run if it gets wet.  If its a laser printer, you can tape around the bar codes next time.  However, if you get tape on it, it shouldn't be a problem.

You should be good then.

It's teh postage stamps you have to worry about because they can't cancel them if they are taped over.

The biggest issue with tape over stamps isn't that you can't cancel them but that if you have tape on top of stamps you are reusing them.

Which is why there is a rule of no tape on stamps.

Which is why it is somewhat humorous when you see where someone has cut a stamp off of another letter because it wasn't cancelled and then they tape it to another letter.

That's the kind I use a stamp on.

Of course my stamp is the "Return to Sender, Postage Due" inked stamp :)

Kevin

I think they use an invisible ink now to cancel them so they may look like they weren't canceled when in fact they were. 

I think it's stamps you shouldn't tape over.  I use nice clear packing tape over the rest of the label to protect from water damage.  My PO has no problem scanning DC through one layer of tape.  I have received labels that are water damaged, and one had been so wet I've no idea how it was delivered b/c it appeared unreadable to me. 

Patricia, there are legit circumstances to cut (unused) postage off one item and glue to another.  But if stamps arrive through the mail uncancelled, I ignore the temptation to reuse and discard them.