What those 65 bars represent
The USPS Intelligent Mail barcode is a four-state postal barcode made up of 65 bars. It encodes identifying and routing information used in mail-processing workflows.
USPS IMb: 3 successful scans/day free; $4.99 one-time unlimited unlock.
Test it with Barcode Inspector.
Point your iPhone at this barcode on your computer screen and scan it. This example is rendered from an actual 65-bar IMb test specimen, not decorative artwork.
Open full-size scannable barcode ↗ if your iPhone has trouble reading the smaller example. Barcode identifier: 00 · Service type: 271 · Mailer ID: 206551 · Serial: 763979467. Get Barcode Inspector on the App Store ↗
Practical barcode knowledge
Four-state symbol
Each bar can have one of four states: full, ascender, descender, or tracker. The sequence encodes data rather than readable text.
What is in an IMb?
Depending on the barcode, the decoded information includes barcode identifier, service type identifier, mailer identifier, serial number, and optional routing code.
Why decode it?
Decoding can help check what was encoded, troubleshoot production output, or communicate barcode details with a colleague.
Decode IMb right from your iPhone.
Read, inspect, copy, and share USPS Intelligent Mail barcode data using Barcode Inspector.
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