How to Design Your Own U.S. Postage Stamp

Designing your own stamps is done through the United States Postal Service.

People choose to customize United States postage stamps for many different reasons. Sometimes it is done for a wedding, a birth of a child or even for a graduation. Personalized stamps are also created many times for business purposes as a way of advertising. Designing your own postage stamps is an easy process requiring only a picture and a computer.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Photo or image

Instructions

1. Choose a photo you would like to use for the stamp. This can be a photo of a couple, a child or baby, a place or a business image. If it is for a wedding, a photo of the couple is chosen. The stamps are then used for wedding invitations and reply cards.

2. Log on to the website of the United States Postal Service (USPS). All companies offering customized postage stamps are listed on this site through their links. On the USPS website, click on "All Products and Services," then "Customized Postage." This takes you directly to the different companies offering customers a way to design their own postage stamps.

3. Choose which company to use. There are four primary companies offering USPS-recognized designable stamps. All four companies, including one called Zazzle, charge the same price for sheets of stamps; however, each charges a slightly different rate for shipping. Stamps are ordered in many different sizes and denominations. After a company is chosen, follow the simple steps required to begin the process.

4. Upload the chosen photo or image to the website. If the picture is already on the computer, it is simply uploaded to the site. If the picture is on a camera or paper, the picture must be uploaded through the camera or scanned into the computer system.

5. Place the order. These companies allow the customer to choose from various sizes, including small, medium and large stamps. The prices vary by size and are offered in sheets of 20 stamps. For larger orders, the prices of the stamps decrease. Customers may choose from different denominations of stamps and different quantities.

References

• United States Postal Service: Customized Postage