CASS Delivery Point Barcode Standards 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A mailer prints a DPBC using the ZIP Code, plus-4 code, and delivery point. If the ZIP+4 is unknown, what fallback is permitted for POSTNET?
- Print the 5-digit ZIP barcode only (32 bars) (Correct answer)
- Leave the barcode blank and use a PLANET code instead
- Use all zeros for the +4 and delivery point digits
- Omit the barcode entirely and apply for a manual rate
Correct answer: Print the 5-digit ZIP barcode only (32 bars)
When ZIP+4 data is unavailable, mailers may print a 5-digit POSTNET barcode (32 bars) encoding only the 5-digit ZIP Code, though it qualifies for a lower discount tier.
Question 2: For a highrise apartment at 200 Park Ave, Apt 15, what is the POSTNET delivery point?
- 20
- 02
- 15 (Correct answer)
- 00
Correct answer: 15
For apartment addresses, the delivery point is the last two digits of the secondary unit number (apartment number), so Apt 15 yields delivery point 15.
Question 3: Which ink characteristic is most critical when printing POSTNET barcodes to ensure machine readability?
- Ink color must be blue or black only
- Ink must provide sufficient contrast against the background to pass infrared scanning (Correct answer)
- Ink must be UV-fluorescent
- Ink must be water-based to avoid smearing
Correct answer: Ink must provide sufficient contrast against the background to pass infrared scanning
USPS scanners use infrared light, so barcode ink must provide strong infrared contrast (not just visible contrast) against the mail piece background.
Question 4: What is the USPS term for software that has passed CASS testing and is approved to assign ZIP+4 codes and delivery points?
- LACS-certified software
- CASS-certified software (Correct answer)
- DPV-only software
- AMS-validated software
Correct answer: CASS-certified software
Software that has completed USPS CASS testing and passed is referred to as CASS-certified software, authorized to produce ZIP+4 and delivery point data for mailings.
Question 5: On a standard #10 business envelope, where must the POSTNET or IMb barcode be placed to meet USPS placement standards?
- Upper-left corner
- Upper-right corner above the stamp
- The bottom 5/8 inch of the address side, between the left and right edges (Correct answer)
- Directly below the return address
Correct answer: The bottom 5/8 inch of the address side, between the left and right edges
USPS requires the barcode to be in the barcode clear zone: the bottom 5/8 inch of the mail piece face, horizontally clear of the edges.
Question 6: What does a CASS Summary Report (Form 3553) document for a mailing?
- The mailer's postage payment history
- The percentage of addresses that were ZIP+4 coded and the match rate achieved by CASS-certified software (Correct answer)
- The weight and dimensions of each mail piece
- The carrier route assignment for each address
Correct answer: The percentage of addresses that were ZIP+4 coded and the match rate achieved by CASS-certified software
Form 3553 summarizes the CASS processing results, including total records, matched records, and the coding accuracy percentage required to qualify for automation rates.
Question 7: Which scenario would cause a POSTNET barcode to fail USPS barcode quality standards?
- The barcode is printed in black ink on white paper
- The short bars are 0.050 inches tall and the full bars are 0.125 inches tall
- A bar width is 20% wider than the nominal specification
- The barcode is located 0.5 inches from the bottom edge (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The barcode is located 0.5 inches from the bottom edge
The barcode must be within the bottom 5/8 inch (0.625 inches) of the mail piece; placing it 0.5 inches from the bottom edge violates USPS placement standards.
CASS Delivery Point Barcode Standards 4
A mailer prints a DPBC using the ZIP Code, plus-4 code, and delivery point.
If the ZIP+4 is unknown, what fallback is permitted for POSTNET?