Hi,

I know you aren't allowed to tape over stamps when taping a label on but if I have the postage printed on my PBS address label can I tape over that or do I have to tape around it?

Thanks.

Effie 

Stamps need to receive a postmark - that is one reason you can't tape over them.  Also, it indicates to the PO that the stamps may have been reused.  That is not legal and will cause your package to be postage due.  There isn't any reason that you can't tape over the PBS postage that I know of.  The PO prefers that you not tape over the DC # if you use that feature.  Some of the clear tapes are so shiny that it becomes very difficult to scan the barcodes.

I put the 2 inch clear package tape over the PBS printed postage all the time, including the DC barcode and the postage and haven't had any problems.

Some of the tape over DC problem may also be if the tape does not lay flat but creates a fold which could then potentially appear to be a (false) line of the DC.  Can't remember if I read that explantion as to why not to tape over DC in PBS or usps.com or paypal.com/shipnow.  But there are potentially several reasons - false appearance of lines if tape not flat and reflectance from shiny tape as the packages do travel under some very intense light sources when picking up an image to read and decode from - these light sources are typically shielded from human eyes so as not to harm with constant exposure.

It's just stamps that are banned from being taped over Effie.

I've mailed hundreds of packages with packing tape over the entire label (including DC barcode) with no problems whatsoever.  I buy counter postage and watch the clerk scan...of all my packages, one had to be re-scanned.  Otherwise they accurately scan first time, every time.  I'm careful to use very clear packing tape, one layer over the DC barcode without wrinkles or seams.  So although warnings are published about the possible problems, in reality I've not encountered any. 

Thanks to everyone for the answers. Very much appreciated. 

Effie

Huh. I taped over stamps once, brought it to the post office and shipped first class easily. The stamp area was also covered with a USPS sticker that I paid for. I also tape over delivery confirmation and ship them fine also. I don't use delivery confirmation ever, just tape.