When applied to a mailing, proofs of payment show that you’ve paid us. Terms and conditions apply. Refer to the appropriate service for the list of acceptable proofs of payment.

A postage stamp is a stamp or impression approved by us that shows postage payment. It may be printed directly on applicable mail items (as with pre-stamped envelopes) or on gummed or self-adhesive paper which you affix to applicable mail items. Postage stamps are available in various denominations.

Where to buy

• Post offices
• Online
• Philatelic customer service

Getting a refund

You may get a refund for product returns with a value of $0.01 up to a maximum of $5,000 (including taxes) at any post office. For refunds over $100, you must also complete the customer refund form.

Please note: You must have an original receipt issued in the last 30 calendar days by a post office when returning an item.

Unacceptable stamps

Stamps that aren’t usually acceptable as postage include those that are:

• Mutilated
• Soiled
• Covered with transparent material or defaced in any way
• Used before
• From another country
• Not usually acceptable as postage

A postage meter impression is an imprint that shows the amount of postage paid.

It must be:

• Legible
• Printed by a postage meter approved by us
• Printed directly on an envelope or on a postage meter label (which you can then place on certain items)
• Printed using bright fluorescent red ink

You can find more information about ink on our stamps and meters page.

Please note: You can’t alter postage meter impressions or print meter impressions on small pieces of paper.

Postage meter suppliers

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

Supplier account

Meter customers must use supplier account to pay for parcel shipments from the same account used to fill the postage meter. Instead of applying a meter impression, you create a shipping label using Shipping Manager, Snap Ship, or an approved shipping platform.

Getting a refund

We may refund unused meter postage if the postage meter impressions:

• Are legible
• Haven't been used to obtain postal service (you must supply envelopes or wrappers)
• Haven't been altered

Please note: We can refund spoiled postage meter impressions of less than $999.99 to you directly (no cash refunds allowed) at participating post offices (service charge applies). When the value of spoils exceeds $999.99, the post office will send the request for a refund to our head office for processing. Once we approve the refund, we tell the meter manufacturer to process your spoils refund and deposit it directly into your account held by the manufacturer. You pay a minimal handling fee.

Return postage prepayment

This service allows you to send out a pre-addressed and prepaid-by-meter Lettermail item in one of your outgoing mail items, including:

• Addressed reply envelopes
• Cards

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

Orders (Statements of Mailing)

When paying for orders by meter, you may use a postage meter impression. The words “Statement” may appear to the left of the postage meter impression. You may print the meter impression on meter labels and affix the impression to the order document. Meter impressions for orders aren’t valid when you affix them to individual mail items.

Additional postage

If you incorrectly printed the original postage value on a mail item, you must print and affix an additional postage (correction) meter impression under or beside the original impression. The word “CORRECTION” may appear to the left of the postage meter impression. Any other impression must not overlap the original postage meter impression or cover any address information.

Re-date

If you can’t mail metered mail on the date shown in the impression, you must affix a re-date meter impression to the mail item. Depending on the mail item, you could affix the meter impression under or beside the original impression, or print or affix it on the backside of the mail item in the upper right-hand corner. Any extra impression must not overlap the original postage meter impression or cover any address information.

If you’re a customer with a standing contract with Canada Post, you should refer to your appropriate service customer guide.

Use our Postal indicia tool to download artwork for postal indicia.