Can you reuse stamps? (all you must know)
The U.S. Postal Service makes postage affordable and easy to use, offering many different services online, such as printing shipping labels. Unfortunately, one class of mail that cannot be purchased online is First-Class. This means you have to go to the post office to buy stamps.
But what if you have a really good stamp at home – except it’s used? Can you reuse postage stamps? Here’s what you need to know before trying it!
Will stamps be reusable in 2022?
The USPS expressly prohibits the reuse of postage, including stamps, in section 604.1.8 of its Mailing Standards manual, which states that in 2022 the reuse of stamps will be “penalized with fines and imprisonment.” Attempting to reuse stamps is technically a fraud against the U.S. government, so it’s no surprise that the penalties are severe.
To find out what happens if you are caught reusing a stamp, if the stamp is now actually traceable, and how the USPS knows if a stamp has been used before, go ahead!
How does the USPS know if a stamp has been used?
The first thing to alert the Postal Service that a stamp is being reused is any sign of a “cancellation” of the stamp.
A canceled stamp bears only a postmark that says it has been processed and that the value of its postage has been used.
Sometimes stamps miss cancellations, so people try and reuse those stamps most often.
However, if you see the cancellation super faded or light, or barely touching the stamp, you may be tempted.
Many operations in the post office are now automated, using machines, and while they do get the job done – sorting, etc. – they are clearly impersonal.
This would be the ability to actually see if the stamp doesn’t look normal.
If anyone does notice a problem, it could be a lot of things.
- Any cancellation postmark that may appear on the stamp (even blurry or off-center)
- Stamps that seem ready to fall off
- Stamps that do come off, revealing glue or tape on the back
- stamp on it
As you can see, the standard that a postal worker might notice might be so tiny that the machine might not notice it at all, unless the stamp comes off completely.
What happens if you are caught reusing stamps?
As I showed in the last section, you have the opportunity to avoid reusing stamps.
But if you’re not an expert on this sort of thing and you start trying to get into the habit, you’re likely to get caught.
What will happen then?
Your letter will be returned to you, possibly with a note or rubber stamp reminding you to pay (perhaps just saying “Not enough postage”).
If you continue this behavior and the Postal Service starts noticing that they’re sending you some envelopes with reused stamps, things could get worse.
The Postal Service’s own handbook suggests that fines and even jail time could be on the table.
Consider this: USPS is an independent agency of the executive branch of government (same as the Office of the President).
By committing what amounts to theft and fraud against the Postal Service, you are committing a crime against the federal government.
So yes, they are going to fine and jail time for repeat offenders.
A minor seal reuse violation is unlikely to get a U.S. attorney to handle your case.
However, the systematic use of postage that has already been used to be reapplied and used to send mail or sell well to unsuspecting citizens could lead to such action.
Are you stuck with reusing stamps?
As I mentioned above, your one small incident of trying to reuse a stamp that doesn’t appear to be canceled (though) is unlikely to cause a lot of confusion in law enforcement.
But the usual criminal activity around reusing stamps or unmarking and resale of cancelled stamps is where postal inspectors will start to lay charges.
You don’t have to go to the post office to buy stamps; you can actually buy them online at the USPS.com postal store.
Alternatively, try asking your postman if they have anything to sell you; they do tend to carry them with them or put them on a truck for the convenience of customers.
Are stamps traceable?
According to our research, stamps issued by the USPS are currently untraceable.
There are no tiny barcodes or other sophisticated tracking tools hidden in the stamps, though one enterprising Redditor investigated one on his own.
They put the paper under a microscope and did report seeing some non-random fuzzy printed symbols.
But these are probably more related to authentication than tracking.
The Postal Service also received a recommendation from the House Representative on the Government Reform Committee.
Henry A. Waxman (D-California) developed the idea of ”a two-dimensional barcode ‘stamp’ that contains the sender’s identity, as well as the date, time, and location where postage was paid.”
Is such a move possible? Not in the near future, by our estimation, as the Postal Service – which doesn’t receive taxpayer money – has been insolvent for over a decade.
Can you put tape on the stamps?
Aside from making your stamps look suspicious, putting tape on your stamps can actually void the postage.
USPS recommends applying glue before tape for new/unused wayward stamps that have somehow lost their tack.
To learn more, you can also read our post on whether USPS repurchases unused stamps, 70-cent stamps, and USPS stamp types.
in conclusion
Reusing stamps is illegal and, if the crime is large enough, can result in hefty fines and jail time.
Most minor breaches may simply see mail bounced and senders warned to buy new postage. This is available at any post office location, online, and in some cases, even from your postal carrier.
