What USPS PLANET Code is
USPS PLANET (Postal Alpha Numeric Encoding Technique) is a height-modulated postal barcode the USPS formerly used to track mail pieces through its delivery-confirmation system. The USPS retired PLANET in 2013 in favor of Intelligent Mail; bwip-js still renders it correctly against the original specification for historical, archival, or legacy-system compatibility purposes.
Generate it now
Enter your 11 or 13-digit tracking code to see a live preview -- bwip-js computes and appends the check digit for you.
Valid input
The value must be exactly 11 or 13 digits ("USPS PLANET must be 11 or 13 digits excluding check digit"), digits only. By default, bwip-js computes its own check digit from your data; turning on "validatecheck" requires a trailing check digit and rejects a mismatch.
Key options
Supported options include includetext (show the human-readable digit line; default false) and validatecheck (verify an existing trailing check digit instead of computing one).
Output and printing
Export SVG or PNG for archival mail-piece reproduction or legacy-system testing.
Common uses
USPS PLANET is now a legacy format -- bwip-js's own support is useful for reproducing historical mail pieces or testing legacy mail-processing systems, not for new USPS automation, which uses Intelligent Mail instead.
Example
See the live preview above, seeded with a bwip-js-verified valid 11-digit value.
Size guidance
bwip-js's own real default bar height, when height is left unset, is 0.125 inch (about 3.2mm).
Troubleshooting
A rejected value is usually the wrong digit count (11 or 13 excluding the check digit), a non-digit character, or -- with validatecheck on -- a trailing check digit that does not match bwip-js's own computed value.
Related formats
Related formats: USPS POSTNET (a comparable retired height-modulated postal barcode) and USPS Intelligent Mail (the current USPS automation barcode that replaced both).
FAQ
Should I use PLANET Code for new USPS mail automation?
No -- the USPS retired PLANET Code in 2013. New USPS automation uses Intelligent Mail Barcode instead. This generator is useful for historical reproduction or legacy-system compatibility, not for barcoding new mail pieces.