Release Notes

Upcoming Releases

July 9, 2023: New USPS Ground Advantage Services

  • On July 9, 2023, USPS will introduce the new Ground Advantage™ and Ground Advantage Return services to replace its current First-Class and ground services (as described here). The PB Expedited APIs will provide new service IDs for the two new services and will discontinue the IDs for the deprecated services.

    Important

    PB Expedited Service IDs (serviceId) will change July 9, 2023.

    The following table shows the new and deprecated services and service IDs. You can also download a Pitney Bowes PDF that explains the changes.

    New Service

    New Service ID for Expedited

    Deprecated Service

    Deprecated
    Service ID

    Ground Advantage

    UGA

    First-Class Mail

    Parcel Select Ground
    Retail Ground

    FCM

    PRCLSEL
    STDPOST

    Ground Advantage Return

    UGAR

    First-Class Package Return Service

    Parcel Select Return Service

    FCM

    PRCLSEL

July 9, 2023: Required HAZMAT Parameter

  • Beginning July 9, 2023, PB Expedited and PB Standard are required to use the HAZMAT_TYPE input parameter in the following situations:

    PB Expedited: Shippers using the hazmat special service must use the HAZMAT_TYPE input parameter to specify the type of hazardous material in the shipment. For details, see HAZMAT-Flagged Items for PB Expedited.

    PB Standard: Shippers who previously used the hazmatDetails object must now instead use the hazmat special service and set the HAZMAT_TYPE input parameter to the type of hazardous material in the shipment. For details, see HAZMAT-Flagged Items for PB Standard.

Coming Soon: Seller ID for CBDS Marketplace Shippers

  • CBDS marketplace shippers must pass seller information when creating an outbound shipment. The marketplace shipper passes the seller ID through the new SELLER_ID shipment option and passes the seller’s address through the additionalAddresses array.

    A marketplace shipper is a shipper who uses the same SHIPPER_ID for all sellers and who gives each seller a unique seller ID that is shared with Pitney Bowes.

Changelog

Released on 2023-05-03

  • The CBDS U.S. Outbound Shipping Lanes have been updated. To download the spreadsheet, see Shipping Lanes.

Released on 2023-04-14

  • CBDS shippers can have multiple delivery solutions. When creating a shipment, a shipper chooses which solution to use for that shipment. The shipper specifies the solution through the new DELIVERY_SOLUTION shipment option.

  • CBDS shippers can print Container Labels for the shipment of containerized parcels to CBDS Hubs.

Released on 2023-04-11

  • The CBDS U.S. Outbound Shipping Lanes have been updated. To download the spreadsheet, see Shipping Lanes.

Released on 2023-04-06

Released on 2023-04-03

Released on 2023-03-09

  • The shipping lanes for CBDS Outbound shipping from the U.S. have been updated. To download the spreadsheet, see Shipping Lanes.

Released on 2023-02-28

Released on 2023-02-15

  • CBDS labels must be used within 14 days of creation.

Released on 2023-01-20

  • The shipping lanes for CBDS Outbound shipping from the U.S. have been updated.

Released on 2023-01-22

  • USPS no longer supports rates for Regional Box A (RBA) and Regional Box B (RBB). You can still use the physical boxes, but you must specify them as Packages (PKG) in the APIs.

Released on 2023-01-22

Released on 2023-01-22

  • The USPS holiday peak shipping surcharge ended January 22, 2023.

Released in 2022

  • Released on 2021-12-18

    • PB Standard Delivery 4X5 and 4X6 labels can now use the BMP format. See Standard Delivery Labels.

    • PB Expedited now includes the hazmat-electronics special service used when shipping used, damaged, or defective electronic devices containing or packaged with lithium batteries. For details, see the PB Expedited Considerations.

  • Released on 2022-11-18

    • The shipping lanes for CBDS Outbound shipping from the U.S. have been updated.

  • Released on 2022-10-31

    • The new CBDS Returns API provides return shipping from Canada to the U.S.

  • Released on 2022-10-03

    • The new CBDS Inbound API provides international shipping from an origin country to Canada.

    • The new Batch Container Labels API prints a batch of container labels for shipping containerized CBDS Inbound parcels to a U.S. Hub.

    • The shipping lanes for CBDS Outbound shipping from the U.S. have been updated.

  • Released on 2022-09-17

  • Released on 2022-08-18

  • Released on 2022-08-11

  • Released on 2022-07-28

  • Released on 2022-07-18

    • CBDS now provides domestic shipping within Canada.

    • CBDS has opened the new Richmond, British Columbia hub. See Canada Hubs.

  • Released on 2022-06-30

  • Released on 2022-05-07

  • Released on 2022-04-30

    • The Standard Returns API now provides the option to return QR Codes as URLs. This is in addition to the option to return QR Codes as Base64-encoded strings.

  • Released on 2022-04-16

    • The NDC (Network Distribution Center) now shows at the bottom of the label.

    • The Tracking Webhook lets you limit events to certain carriers.

  • Released on 2022-04-13

  • Released on 2022-04-03

    • The Rates and Shipments APIs return new special services for non-standard sizes if the new USPS fees for non-standard sizes apply.

  • Released on 2022-03-25

    • The CBDS Track Shipments page has a new URL: https://trackpb.shipment.co/track/.

      The old URL (https://tracking.pb.com) redirects to the new URL, but we strongly urge you to update your code to use the new URL.

  • Released on 2022-03-03

    • The default merchant that comes with developer account is now enabled by default to print PB Standard labels on Sandbox.

  • Released on 2022-01-20

    • The Add Tracking Events API now uses the value PBCS to indicate PB Standard as the carrier. For backward compatibility, the API still accepts previous values.

Released in 2021

  • Released on 2021-12-18

  • Released on 2021-12-06

    • The carrier query parameter is optional in the Track a Package API, except for PB Standard labels. PB Standard labels require the carrier query parameter.

  • Released on 2021-11-14

    • The Transaction Reports API now provides the referralCode query parameter which lets you query based on the referral code a merchant used to sign up.

  • Released on 2021-11-01

    • The Merchant Object now has the paymentServicesAccountId to indicate the account used to fund postage and the paymentServicesAccountIdActive field to indicate whether the account is active.

  • Released on 2021-10-23

  • Released on 2021-09-15

    • The APIs now use PBCS to indicate PB Standard as the carrier.

  • Released on 2021-08-01

    • Developer Hub uses new URLs. See the links in the Developer Account section of the API Overview.

  • Released on 2021-07-15

    • FedEx 4X6 labels can now use the ZPL2 file format. See FedEx Labels.

    • UPS 4X6 labels can now use the ZPL2 and GIF file formats. See UPS Labels.

  • Released on 2021-07-01

  • Released on 2021-06-19

  • Released on 2021-06-19

    • The new customs.customsInfo.importerCustomsReferenceType field supports the new EU rules on VAT and IOSS numbers.

  • Released on 2021-06-15

    • The subdomain portion of all base URLs has changed. For current base URLs, see API Environments.

  • Released on 2021-06-08

  • Released on 2021-06-01

  • Released on 2021-05-22

    • Tracking now provides additional status information, including event descriptions targeted specifically to buyers or sellers.

    • Transaction Reports now query on transaction status through the new printStatus parameter.

  • Released on 2021-05-01

    • The Tracking Webhook now returns PB Standard transactions.

  • Released on 2021-04-15

    • The Intelligent Mail Indicia (IMI) on the upper right corner of USPS labels now uses IMI-Standard (IMI-STD) instead of IMI-Minimum (IMI-MIN).

  • Released on 2021-03-31

  • Released on 2021-03-02

  • Released on 2021-02-26

    • The Pickup API now includes the pickupSummary.returnShipment field to indicate the pickup includes a return shipment.

  • Released on 2021-02-20

  • Released on 2021-02-04

  • Released on 2021-02-01

  • Released on 2021-01-29

  • Released on 2021-01-27

  • Released on 2021-01-09

    • The Create SCAN Form API now ignores empty Strings in the parcelTrackingNumbers array and prints the SCAN form without throwing an error.

  • Released on 2021-01-04

Released in 2020

  • Released on 2020-10-18

  • Released on 2020-10-14

    • The Rates API returns rates for PB Standard Delivery parcels.

    • PB Standard Returns labels now print custom logos and additional sizes and formats.

  • Released on 2020-09-20

    • The trackingStatus query parameter in Transaction Reports can now take a value of ALL to return all tracking statuses.

  • Released on 2020-09-10

  • Released on 2020-08-30

    • Get Transaction Reports now query on tracking status through the trackingStatus query parameter. Transaction Reports also now return the induction postal code.

  • Released on 2020-08-26

  • Released on 2020-08-08

    • Void a Shipment no longer requires a request body. The API provides query parameters for passing all values.

  • Released on 2020-07-18

    • Get Transaction Reports now return adjustment reasons of duplicate and usedRefundedLabel in line with expanded coverage by USPS Automated Package Verification.

  • Released on 2020-07-01

  • Released on 2020-06-30

  • Released on 2020-06-10

  • Released on 2020-05-19

  • Released on 2020-05-16

  • Released on 2020-04-15

    • When you print an IMb label for an FCM letter or flat, Pitney Bowes now creates a “Label created” tracking event.

  • Released on 2020-04-11

    Released on 2020-04-06

  • Released on 2020-03-31

    • CBDS now supports shipment to Canada of ID8000 commodities. For details, see this FAQ.

  • Released on 2020-03-07

  • Released on 2020-02-23

  • Released on 2020-02-15

  • Released on 2020-02-12

  • Released on 2020-01-14

    • The Tracking API tracks PB Standard parcels using the carrier query parameter. The API reports both PB Standard and USPS tracking events.

    • If you onboard merchants through Merchant Portal and retrieve account details through the Merchant Authorization API, you can now use the optional paymentMethod query parameter to specify which payment methods to make available.

  • Released on 2020-01-04

    • Merchants can now print PB Presort Labels for U.S. Territories, U.S. Possessions, and Freely Associated States. This is in addition to previous support for APO/FPO/DPO.

Released in 2019

  • Released on 2019-12-05

  • Released on 2019-11-14

    • If you use the APAC Services to print PB Standard Delivery labels as PDFs, the PDFs are returned as Base64-encoded strings, not as URLs.

    • CBDS now provides the Prepay Express (PBXPE) service.

  • Released on 2019-10-30

    • Pitney Bowes has changed the domain for retrieving PDF labels and manifests.

  • Released on 2019-10-24

    • PB Standard shipments can use 4X4 labels. See PB Standard Labels.

    • USPS 4X6 domestic labels can use 300 DPI. See the resolution field in the Documents Object.

    • A merchant’s PB Postage Account can have a negative account balance in certain circumstances (such as after an APV transaction). In such cases, the merchant will not be able to print a label until the postage account is refilled.

  • Released on 2019-10-04

    • CBDS now provides the Postpay Standard (PBXUS) service.

  • Released on 2019-10-03

    • The Transaction Reports API returns CREDIT ADJUSTMENT and DEBIT ADJUSTMENT transactions to indicate manual adjustments to postage accounts.

  • Released on 2019-10-01

  • Released on 2019-09-30

    • If a merchant has multiple carriers, the Get Merchant Accounts API now returns information on the merchant’s carrier accounts.

  • Released on 2019-09-07

    • PB Presort labels for Standard Mail flats can now include human-readable tracking information. See the PRINT_IMBREADABLE_BARCODE shipment option.

    • PB Presort labels for flats can now print an Electronic Service Requested endorsement. See the NON_DELIVERY_OPTION shipment option.

    • PB Presort labels for flats can now print a custom message. See the PRINT_CUSTOM_MESSAGE_1 shipment option.

  • Released on 2019-07-27

    • You can now set the DPI of a PB Standard Delivery label using the documents.resolution field. See Documents Object.

  • Released on 2019-07-25

    • ACH is now available on request as a payment method for a merchant’s PB Postage Account.

  • Released on 2019-07-17

  • Released on 2019-07-11

  • Released on 2019-07-09

  • Released on 2019-06-15

  • Released on 2019-06-06

    • CBDS now integrates with the APIs.

    • Tracking now returns information on First-Class Mail letters and flats. FCM letters and flats use IMb labels.

  • Released on 2019-06-01

    • UPS integration. You can now integrate a merchant’s existing UPS account with the APIs. The APIs provide the following new operations for integrating UPS accounts: Add a Carrier Account, Get Carrier License Agreement.

    • Shipping to APO/FPO/DPO destinations using the Bound Printed Matter (BPM) service is now supported. Parcels ship using the PKG parcel type and the PB Presort carrier service.

  • Released on 2019-05-13

    • The v4.0 Transaction Reports now return Postage Fund information within the hour.

    • The v4.0 Transaction Reports provide the new shipDetails query parameter to let you choose the level of detail to return.

  • Released on 2019-04-20

  • Released on 2019-03-16

  • Released on 2019-02-19

  • Released on 2019-02-09

    • Improved error messages for address validation.

  • Released on 2019-02-01

    • Merchants can now use the Refill API to add funds to their PB Postage Accounts.

  • Released on 2019-01-29

    • To bolster security of the APIs, Pitney Bowes made a change to deserialize incoming requests.

  • Released on 2019-01-27

    • The APIs provide the option to use a standard error format. See Error Object.

Released in 2018

  • Released on 2018-11-22

    • CN 22 and CP 72 customs forms accommodate more characters in the To and From address blocks by allowing lowercase characters.

  • Released on 2018-10-27

    • You can specify the DPI for PNG shipping labels using the documents.resolution field. See Documents Object.

    • PB Standard shipments can print 4X5 labels.

  • Released on 2018-09-29

    • You can subscribe a PB Standard shipment to receive provisioned notifications by including the NOTIFICATIONS special service in the PB Standard Delivery request.

    • You can print custom messages on PB Standard labels using the PRINT_CUSTOM_MESSAGE_2 shipment option.

  • Released on 2018-08-23

  • Released on 2018-08-17

    • The new references field maps client-generated identifiers to fields in the PB Standard package record.

  • Released on 2018-07-29

    • Support for USPS carrier route codes. See the carrierRoute definition in the Address Object.

  • Released on 2018-06-15

  • Released on 2018-05-26

    • The Rates and Shipment APIs determine the best rate for a soft pack by looking at different pricing options.

  • Released on 2018-05-11

  • Released on 2018-04-19

  • Released on 2018-03-09

    • The new Get Account Balances API retrieves the current balances for a PB Postage Account and PB Line of Credit.

  • Released on 2018-02-20

  • Released on 2018-01-21

    • First-Class Mail International (FCMI) shipments may contain only documents, not goods.

  • Released on 2018-01-07

Released in 2017

  • Released on 2017-09-16

  • Released on 2017-08-26

    • The Create Shipment API generates a single-ply customs declaration form for shipments to APO/FPO/DPO destinations and to participating countries.

  • Released on 2017-07-22

  • Released on 2017-07-09

    • The new Suggest Addresses API provides address suggestions, when they’re available.

    • The new Get Carrier Rules API retrieves USPS rules for domestic and international shipments.

    • When using the Rate Parcel API, you can leave out the parcelType, serviceId, or both, allowing merchants to find rates for multiple parcel types and services with one call. You can also specify special services in the rate request and obtain the special service fee in the response.

    • The Rate Parcel and Create Shipment APIs support DVD Flat Rate Boxes and Large Video Flat Rate Boxes.

  • Released on 2017-06-10

    • The Parcel Object includes two new fields for specifying the value of the parcel: valueOfGoods and currencyCode.

    • The Create Shipment API automatically reassigns values in the parcel.dimension object to ensure length is the longest dimension, followed by height, followed by width.

    • The Create Shipment API generates customs forms for U.S. territories, possessions, and Freely Associated States.

    • The Create Shipment API returns an error if the declared value for customs exceeds $400 for either of the following two services: First-Class Mail International, First-Class Package International Service.

  • Released on 2017-05-31

    • Adult Signature Required and Adult Signature Restricted Delivery are supported with the Rate Parcel and Create Shipment APIs.

    • The Create Manifest API allows you to both list shipments and specify a Shipper ID.

  • Released on 2017-05-12

    • The Create Manifest API now lets you filter shipments based on their inductionPostalCode.