Franking Labels Explained: Sizes, Types and How to Choose
If you have ever tried to feed a padded envelope or a parcel through a franking machine, you already know why franking labels exist. This guide covers what a franking label is, the difference between single cut and double sheet, why length matters more than most people expect, and how to identify the correct label for your machine before you order a box.
What a franking label is, and when you need one
A franking label is a blank, self-adhesive white label that your machine prints the postage impression onto. You peel it off the backing and stick it in the top right corner of the address side, exactly where a directly franked impression would sit.
Royal Mail requires that impression to be clear, complete and in the top right hand corner. A label is simply a way of meeting that requirement when printing straight onto the item is not practical.
There are four situations where a label is the right answer:
- Parcels and boxes. Anything that will not physically pass through the feed deck of your machine.
- Thick or padded packets. Jiffy bags and bubble-lined envelopes are usually too bulky to feed cleanly.
- Kraft, coloured or textured packaging. The impression needs a pale, clean background so Royal Mail's automated scanners can read it.
- Difficult stock. Glossy, laminated or heavily printed envelopes where ink adhesion is unreliable.
For everyday letters and large letters on plain white stock, franking directly is faster and cheaper per item. Our range of business envelopes is selected specifically to feed reliably.
Single cut labels versus double sheet labels
This is the first fork in the road, and it is decided by your machine, not by preference.
Single cut labels come as individual labels, each on its own backing, for machines with an automatic dispenser that pulls one label at a time. Most modern machines use this format, including the FP Mailing Postbase and Postbase Fusion range, Frama FX Series and the Neopost IS series.
Double sheet labels are supplied as a sheet carrying two labels side by side. You feed the sheet through, the machine franks both, and you tear them apart. Older and entry-level machines commonly use this format, and it is the cheaper of the two per label.
Feeding the wrong format is not a small inconvenience. A double sheet in a single cut dispenser will jam, and a single cut label fed where a sheet is expected usually produces a misaligned impression that Royal Mail may reject.
Short, long and extra long: why the size matters
Franking labels come in several lengths, and the one you need depends on how much your machine prints alongside the postage impression.
A standard short label, such as our universal double sheet labels, measures 150mm x 43mm. That is enough room for the postage impression plus a company logo or advertising slogan.
The moment you add a printed return address next to the logo, the impression gets wider and a short label will clip it. That is what long labels are for, at 175mm, and extra long labels, at 215mm, which suit machines like the Postbase One and the Postbase Fusion range when running a full return address.
The quickest way to check is to frank a test impression onto plain paper and measure it. Past 150mm you need a long label; past 175mm you need extra long. A clipped impression is a rejected item, so it is worth the thirty seconds.
How to identify the correct label for your machine
Work through these three checks in order and you will get it right first time:
- Find your exact model name. Not just "Postbase" but "Postbase Qi6" or "Postbase Fusion Advanced". The label that fits one model in a family often does not fit another.
- Check the format. If your machine has a label hopper that dispenses automatically, you need single cut. If you hand-feed a sheet, you need double sheet.
- Measure your impression. Frank a test print and measure the printed width to choose between standard, long and extra long.
We list franking labels by machine model rather than generic size, with brand pages for Pitney Bowes and FP Mailing Postbase machines.
What franking labels actually cost per item
Labels are a small line on the mailroom budget, but the per-unit figure moves quite a lot with box size.
Taking our universal double sheet labels as an example, at the time of writing a box of 200 is £9.99, a box of 500 is £14.99 and a box of 1,000 is £26.99. That works out at 5.0p, 3.0p and 2.7p per label respectively, so the 1,000 box cuts the unit cost by roughly 46% against repeat 200 boxes.
Single cut labels sit slightly higher. FP Mailing Postbase single franking labels are £12.99 for 200 and £27.99 for 1,000, which is 6.5p against 2.8p per label.
Labels are cheap in bulk and expensive in dribs and drabs. If you frank more than a handful of parcels a week, the larger box pays for itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use any franking labels in my machine?
No. Franking labels are machine-specific, and the two variables that matter are format (single cut for machines with an automatic dispenser, double sheet for hand-fed machines) and length (standard, long at 175mm, or extra long at 215mm, depending on how wide your franking impression prints). Using the wrong label typically causes jams or a clipped impression that Royal Mail can reject.
Do franking labels have to be white?
Yes, in practice. Royal Mail's automated sorting equipment needs a pale, uncluttered background to read the franking impression cleanly, so franking labels are supplied in white. This is also why labels are used on kraft, coloured and padded packaging, where franking directly would leave the impression on a dark or textured surface.
How do I know if I need long or extra long franking labels?
Frank a test impression onto a plain sheet of paper and measure the total printed width. Under 150mm and a standard label is fine; past 150mm you need a 175mm long label; past 175mm you need a 215mm extra long label. Machines that print a return address alongside a logo are the usual reason for needing the longer sizes.
Where exactly should a franking label go on a parcel?
Stick it in the top right hand corner of the address side, on a flat clean area of the packaging. Avoid seams, tape joints and edges where it can lift, and keep it clear of other barcodes or carrier labels so scanners do not pick up the wrong mark.
Do franking labels have a shelf life?
The label itself does not expire, but the adhesive degrades over time and much faster in warm or damp conditions, which leads to labels lifting off parcels in transit. Store boxes flat and sealed somewhere cool and dry, and rotate your stock so the oldest box is used first. Labels kept properly in an office environment will be fine for well over a year.
Choosing with confidence
Franking labels cause a disproportionate amount of mailroom frustration when the wrong ones arrive. Identify your exact model, confirm single cut or double sheet, measure your impression width once, and the decision is settled for good.
Browse the full range of franking labels by machine model, with boxes of 200, 500 and 1,000 available across most models.