Franking machine labels are self-adhesive strips you frank instead of printing directly onto an item, and Royal Mail treats a franked label exactly the same as a franked envelope as long as the impression is clear, complete and in the top right-hand corner. You need them whenever an item cannot safely pass through your machine or cannot give the machine a clean white surface to print on: parcels, thick packets, padded envelopes, coloured or textured envelopes, and anything too large or too rigid to feed. Using the right label for your machine, and applying it properly, is the difference between mail that flies through Royal Mail's sorting network and mail that comes back to your desk.
This guide explains when a label is the correct choice, how Mailmark changes what a "good" label print looks like, the mistakes that get franked items surcharged or returned, and how to keep your label costs sensible.
What exactly is a franking machine label?
A franking label is a blank, self-adhesive, franking-grade white label that your franking machine prints a postage impression onto. It is fed through the machine in the same way an envelope would be, then peeled and stuck onto the item you are sending.
Labels come in three broad shapes, and your machine dictates which one you can use:
- Single-cut labels - individual pre-cut labels stacked in a hopper or slot. Most desktop machines from Pitney Bowes, Quadient/Neopost and FP Mailing use these, such as our compatible Pitney Bowes franking machine labels and compatible FP Mailing Postbase labels.
- Label rolls - continuous rolls used by higher-volume systems, for example the Pitney Bowes Connect+ label rolls.
- Sheet labels - sheets carrying two labels, fed like a sheet of paper. Our universal double sheet franking labels suit a wide range of machines.
Some machines also take a longer label for services that need extra printed information, which is why models such as the Neopost IN600 and IN700 have both a standard and a long label version. Always match the label to your exact machine model, not just the brand.
When should you use a label instead of franking the envelope?
Use a franking label in any of these situations.
The item is a parcel or packet
Franking machines are built to feed flat mail. A boxed parcel, a bulky padded envelope or a rigid mailer will not pass through the print path, and forcing it risks jamming the transport belt and smearing the print head. Frank a label and apply it to the parcel instead.
The envelope is not white
Mailmark impressions carry a 2D barcode, and barcodes need contrast to be read reliably by Royal Mail's automated scanners. A coloured, kraft, glossy or heavily textured envelope reduces that contrast and can cause a read failure. A white franking label restores the clean background the scanner expects. If you frank a lot of coloured stock, it is often cheaper to switch to plain white envelopes from our envelopes collection than to label every item.
The item is oversized, overweight or awkward
Large format envelopes stuffed close to their thickness limit, ring binders, tubes and anything with a lumpy contents profile all belong in the label category. If it does not lie flat under gentle hand pressure, do not feed it.
You need to correct or top up postage
If an item has been under-franked, most operators frank a second label for the difference rather than re-running the envelope, which would leave two overlapping impressions and confuse the scanner.
How to apply a franking label correctly
Royal Mail's guidance is consistent whether you frank onto an envelope or a label: the impression must be clear, complete, and positioned in the top right-hand corner of the address side. You can read the current rules on the Royal Mail franking pages.
In practice, that means:
- Stick the label flat in the top right corner of the largest, flattest face of the item, on the same side as the delivery address.
- Do not wrap a label around an edge or corner. A folded barcode cannot be scanned.
- Do not apply it over tape, a seam, a strap or a printed logo. Bumps and gloss both defeat the scanner.
- Keep the barcode area clean. No pen marks, no highlighter, no sticky tape over the top.
- Leave the label uncovered by anything else, including customs documents and courier wallets.
Then post the item using the correct posting method for your volume. Larger franked mailings normally need to be presented with the right posting docket and, where applicable, our Franked Mail meter posting envelopes or low volume posting envelopes.
Labels and Mailmark: why print quality matters more than it used to
Since Mailmark became the required franking standard for Royal Mail franked mail, the impression is not just something a human glances at. It is a 2D barcode that machines read at speed. A faint, streaky or half-printed barcode is not a cosmetic problem, it is a mail piece the network cannot process, and that can mean a surcharge or a return to sender.
That puts real pressure on two things: the label surface, and the ink. Cheap general-purpose office labels are not designed for franking inkjet heads. They can absorb ink unevenly, feather the edges of the barcode, or shed adhesive residue into the print path. Franking-grade labels are made to hold a crisp inkjet impression and to release cleanly from the backing sheet in a mechanical feeder.
If your printing has gone pale or patchy on labels and envelopes alike, the label is probably not the culprit. Our guide on why a franking machine prints faded, and how to fix it walks through the usual causes, from a dried print head to a cartridge that has quietly run down.
The mistakes that cost businesses money
Buying "close enough" labels. Label size and cut vary between models. An undersized label leaves part of the impression on the envelope; an oversized one jams. Buy against your model, for example the Neopost IS420 to IS480 labels, rather than a generic pack.
Storing labels badly. Heat, damp and direct sunlight all degrade adhesive and curl the paper, and curled labels misfeed. Keep them flat, in their packaging, in a cool dry cupboard.
Labelling everything. Labels cost more per item than franking a plain envelope. If most of your outbound post is standard letters in white envelopes, frank the envelope directly and reserve labels for the items that genuinely need them.
Running the machine dry. A machine that is low on ink will produce a barcode that looks acceptable to the eye but scans badly. Keeping a spare cartridge on the shelf is far cheaper than a batch of surcharged mail, and our model-specific ink and label collections group both together so you can restock in one order.
How many labels should you keep in stock?
A sensible rule of thumb is to hold enough labels for one month of parcel and packet volume, plus a small buffer for coloured-envelope jobs and postage corrections. Most mailrooms find that a single pack lasts months, because labels should only ever be handling a minority of the outbound post. If you are burning through labels faster than ink, that is usually a sign your envelope stock or your machine choice is wrong for what you are actually sending.
It also pays to review postage prices periodically, since the balance between franking and other options shifts each year. Our summary of the current Royal Mail franking rates sets out where franking sits today, and Royal Mail publishes its own guide to UK and international formats and services if you need the full format definitions.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use ordinary printer labels in a franking machine?
No. Standard office labels are not made for franking inkjet heads and can smudge, feather the Mailmark barcode or leave adhesive in the print path, which risks both rejected mail and machine damage. Always use franking-grade labels made for your model.
Do franking labels expire?
The labels themselves do not carry a date, but the adhesive and paper degrade over time, especially in warm or damp storage, which leads to curling and misfeeds. Buy a realistic quantity, store them flat in a cool dry place, and use older stock first.
Where exactly should a franking label go on a parcel?
Apply it flat in the top right-hand corner of the same face as the delivery address, never folded over an edge, seam or tape. The impression and its barcode must be fully visible and unobstructed so Royal Mail's scanners can read it.
Why is my franked label being rejected or surcharged?
The usual causes are a faded or incomplete impression, a barcode obscured by tape or a fold, a label applied to a non-flat or glossy surface, or the wrong postage being franked for the item's format. Check the print quality first, as low ink is the most common single cause.
Are compatible franking labels as good as the manufacturer's own?
Good compatible labels are manufactured to the same size, cut and print specification as the originals, so they feed and scan identically while costing significantly less. The important thing is that they are franking-grade and matched to your exact machine model.
Franking labels are a small line item that quietly protects a much bigger one: the postage you have already paid. Stock the right label for your machine, keep the ink topped up, and apply the label flat in the top right corner, and your parcels will move through the network exactly as your letters do. Browse our franking machine labels and model-matched ink cartridges at Franking Ink, or get in touch if you are not sure which label your machine takes.