A mailing machine includes a transport mechanism for transporting mail pieces along a transport path. Also included in the mailing machine are a printing device for printing a postage indicia on the mail pieces transported by the transport mechanism, and a print control mechanism coupled to the printing device to control the printing device. The postage indicia includes a barcode. The mailing machine further includes a reading device located along the transport path to read the barcode. The mailing machine also includes a comparing mechanism coupled to the print control mechanism and the reading device to compare data read from the barcode by the reading device with data received by the comparing mechanism from the print control mechanism.