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USPS retires tracking labels 888, 889, 891 and 892 on Oct. 31

USPS stops printing and distributing its stick-on tracking, signature and insurance labels on October 31, 2026. What changes if you add them to parcels.

Short answer

  • USPS stops printing and distributing Labels 888, 889, 891 and 892 on October 31, 2026, per Postal Bulletin 22708.
  • USPS says the labels don't work with its updated processing equipment.
  • Metered customers are told to ask their meter provider how to print postage labels with tracking.
  • Neither USPS notice we read says what happens to labels already in your drawer. Ask before you use them.
In this guide (6 sections)
  1. Which labels are going
  2. Why USPS is dropping them
  3. Who this affects
  4. What USPS tells you to do instead
  5. What the notices don't say
  6. What to check before you act

USPS will stop printing and distributing four stick-on extra-service labels on October 31, 2026: Label 888 (USPS Tracking), 889 (Signature Confirmation), 891 and 892 (the insurance versions). If you add one of these barcode stickers to parcels that carry stamps or meter postage, you will need another way to get a tracking barcode onto the package.

USPS announced the change in July and confirmed it in Postal Bulletin 22708. It takes effect at the end of this week.

Which labels are going

Postal Bulletin 22708 lists the external versions of these labels:

Label What it is (USPS description) Format
888 USPS Tracking 50-label pad and 2,000-label roll
889 Signature Confirmation, no additional insurance Label
891 Tracking with Signature Confirmation, insurance $500 and under Label
892 Tracking with Signature Confirmation, insurance over $500 Label

The bulletin describes these as the external versions used by PC Postage vendors. USPS's employee news site, USPS Link, carried the same list on July 30, 2026.

Why USPS is dropping them

USPS gives one reason in both notices: the labels are incompatible with its updated processing equipment. The bulletin adds that they no longer meet the Postal Service's operational needs.

Who this affects

The change matters if you buy postage one way and add tracking another way. For example:

  • You stamp or meter a parcel and then stick an 888 barcode on it.
  • You add an 889, 891 or 892 sticker for signature or insurance.
  • Your shipping routine relies on a pad or roll of these labels at the packing table.

If your shipping software or a marketplace already prints one label with the postage and the tracking barcode together, the notices don't point to any change in that label.

What USPS tells you to do instead

USPS does not name a replacement sticker. The bulletin says customers have many options. It tells metered customers to contact their postage meter provider to print postage labels with tracking, and points everyone else to the postage options page on usps.com.

In practice, that moves the tracking barcode off a separate sticker and onto the label you print. Two things follow for the label stock on your desk:

  • Label size. Many shipping tools print a 4" x 6" label. On a sheet printer, that fits a half-sheet label such as Avery 5126 or a full-sheet Avery 5165, but not the smaller 5163 or 5164 sizes. Our Avery shipping label sizes guide shows which templates take a 4" x 6" label at full size.
  • Scaling. A tracking barcode is only useful if it scans. Print at 100% ("Actual Size"), not "Fit to page." If labels come out shrunk or off-center, see Avery labels not lining up.

What the notices don't say

Neither notice we read says what happens to 888, 889, 891 or 892 labels already in customers' hands, or whether they will still be accepted after October 31. The bulletin lists ShippingServices@usps.gov as the contact. If you have a stack of these labels, ask before you build your holiday shipping around them.

What to check before you act

  • Check your supplies for pads or rolls of Labels 888, 889, 891 or 892.
  • If you use a postage meter, ask your meter provider how it prints tracking now.
  • Confirm your shipping tool's label size before you buy label sheets.
  • Print one test label at 100% and scan or check the barcode before a big run.

Questions people ask

What is USPS Label 888?

Label 888 is the stick-on USPS Tracking barcode label, sold as 50-label pads and 2,000-label rolls. USPS stops printing and distributing it on October 31, 2026.

Why is USPS discontinuing these labels?

Postal Bulletin 22708 says the labels are incompatible with updated USPS processing equipment and no longer meet the Postal Service's operational needs.

What should I use instead of Label 888?

USPS does not name a replacement label. It points customers to its postage options page, and tells metered customers to contact their meter provider to print postage labels with tracking.

Can I still use the 888 labels I already have?

The USPS notices we read do not say. Ask USPS Shipping Services or your Post Office before relying on old stock after October 31.

General information only, not legal or regulatory advice. Template details and rules change; confirm on the maker's or regulator's own page before you print a large run. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

Sources

  1. Discontinuance of USPS Tracking Labels 888, 889, 891, and 892, Postal Bulletin 22708 (USPS)checked October 27, 2026
  2. These USPS tracking labels are being phased out, USPS Link (USPS)checked October 27, 2026

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