Can You Mail a USPS Package Without a Shipping Label?

Although sending a package through the United States Postal Service seems like a simple task, the process can seem less straightforward when you don’t have a shipping label ready to attach. So, can you mail a USPS package without a shipping label?

A shipping label is the primary identifier of a package. It contains information about the sender and recipient, as well as a barcode linking to the package’s information in the carrier’s system, enabling automatic processing and allowing customers to track their shipments. The shipping label also indicates the level of service and typically serves as proof of postage payment.

So, the most straightforward answer to the question, “Can you mail a USPS package without a shipping label?” is “no.” You can’t just write the recipient’s address on an unlabeled package and expect USPS to accept it as-is and deliver it to the recipient. A shipping label must be generated one way or another, and you will also need to pay for postage because USPS currently offers no simple way for recipients to pay for shipping upon delivery.

The typical way to label a package is to take it to a post office, provide the sender’s and recipient’s information to an employee, and have them weigh and measure the package, collect postage, issue a shipping label, and attach it to the package. Technically, this qualifies as “mailing a package without a shipping label” because you don’t need to purchase a label before shipping your package. However, this method requires you to be present at a post office in person.

Another possible interpretation of “shipping a USPS package without a shipping label” is when you purchase a label but don’t have a printer to print it. If you purchased the label via USPS Click-N-Ship, you can select the “Print later at Post Office” option instead of printing the label right away. You will then receive an email containing a QR code followed by an 8-10-character alphanumeric ID, also known as a Label Broker ID.

With a Label Broker ID, you can ship your package from a post office that supports Label Broker. You can have a post office employee scan the QR code at the retail counter or print the label yourself using a Label Broker self-service kiosk, if available.

Click-N-Ship users can also have shipping labels printed and delivered to their physical address by a letter carrier. To do so, add Label Delivery Service when creating a shipping label online via Click-N-Ship. This option has two main drawbacks. First, the service costs money. As of August 2026, the label delivery fee is $1.65 per label. Second, you have to wait for the label to be delivered, which is not ideal if your package is time-sensitive.

However, Click-N-Ship is not the only way to purchase USPS shipping labels online. If you use a third-party shipping platform, such as PostageMaker, for discounts or another reason, save the purchased label as a PDF and find a place to print it. For example, you could email the label to a friend with a printer or go to a library.