USPSPrint

How to Print a USPS Label from a QR Code

USPS QR codes let you skip printing entirely. When buying a label via Click-N-Ship, select the QR code option. You get a QR code via email or SMS. Bring your phone with the QR code to any post office and a clerk scans it, prints the label, and attaches it to your package — all free.

Step-by-step

  1. 1

    Buy a label via USPS Click-N-Ship with QR option

    At usps.com/ship/online, buy the label. Select 'Send me a QR code' during checkout. You receive the QR via email within minutes.

  2. 2

    Bring your phone to any post office

    Any USPS retail location (branches with retail counters) accepts QR codes. No appointment needed.

  3. 3

    Show QR code to the clerk

    The clerk scans the QR code with their handheld scanner. The label prints from their printer and attaches to your package.

  4. 4

    Drop off the package

    The package is accepted immediately — the clerk's scan is the Acceptance scan. You're done.

Frequently asked questions

Is QR code label printing free?
Yes — totally free at any post office.
Can I use a QR code on my phone's screen?
Yes. Show the QR from your phone screen, or print the email if you prefer. Either works.
Can I use QR codes for FedEx and UPS too?
FedEx has a similar system. UPS less commonly — most UPS retail locations require a printed label or accept drop-offs with pre-attached labels.
What if the post office is closed?
QR codes are only usable during retail hours. For 24/7 service, use a blue collection box with a printed label instead.
Which carriers accept QR codes instead of printed labels?
All three majors run printerless programs: USPS Label Broker (show the code at a Post Office counter), UPS printerless drop-offs at The UPS Store and participating Access Points, and FedEx QR codes printable at FedEx Office and many OnSite locations. The merchant or platform generating your label chooses whether to offer the QR option — you can't convert an ordinary PDF label into a QR yourself.
Do label QR codes expire?
Yes — QR codes carry validity windows (commonly a week or two, varying by carrier and program). A code that expires before drop-off needs regenerating from wherever it came from: the retailer's returns page, the marketplace order, or the platform that issued it. Screenshot the code when you receive it, but don't sit on it for a month.
Is there any cost to QR-code printing at the counter?
No — the printing is part of the service at participating locations. The constraint is location eligibility, not price: smaller postal counters and some franchise locations lack Label Broker printing, so check the carrier's location finder for 'label printing' capability before the trip.

Related Guides

All · Print
How to Print a Shipping Label Without a Printer
All · Print
How to Print a Shipping Label from Your Phone

Create a New Shipping Label

Free label maker for USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL.

Make a Label Free →
← All shipping guides