<PAGE>
 
     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 19, 1996
                                                           Registration No. 333-
 
==================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549
                               _________________

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                             _____________________

                             METROMAIL CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                DELAWARE                                  13-3015410
    (State or other jurisdiction of          (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.
     incorporation or organization)

          360 EAST 22ND STREET                             60148
           LOMBARD, ILLINOIS                             (Zip Code)
(Address of principal executive offices)

                             METROMAIL CORPORATION
                           1996 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
                      1996 BROAD-BASED EMPLOYEE STOCK PLAN
                           (Full title of the plans)

                               THOMAS J. QUARLES
                             SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT,
                GENERAL COUNSEL AND CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
                             METROMAIL CORPORATION
                              360 EAST 22ND STREET
                            LOMBARD, ILLINOIS 60148
                                 (708) 620-3300
                     (Name, address, and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)

                          ____________________________

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
===========================================================================================
                                             Proposed        Proposed
     Title of              Amount            maximum         maximum          Amount of
 Securities to be           to be            offering       aggregate      registration fee
    registered           registered         price per        offering
                                              share           price
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                 <C>                    <C>           <C>               <C>
 
Common Stock,            1,600,000         $20.50,       $33,615,750(2)     $11,592
$.01 par value           shares(1)         $22.125(2)
 
===========================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1)  This registration statement also covers an additional and indeterminate
     number of shares as may become issuable because of the provisions of the
     Plan relating to adjustments for changes resulting from stock dividends,
     stock splits and similar changes.

(2)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee and,
     pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933, based upon (i) as
     to options to purchase 1,098,000 shares of Common Stock, a $20.50 purchase
     price per share and (ii) as to 502,000 shares of Common Stock, the average
     of the high and low sale prices of the Common Stock reported in the New
     York Stock Exchange Composite transactions on June 14, 1996.
================================================================================
<PAGE>
 
                                    PART II
                          INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT


ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

    The following documents heretofore filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") by Metromail Corporation (the "Company")
are incorporated herein by reference:

    (a) The Company's Prospectus dated June 13, 1996, filed pursuant to Rule
424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act of
1933");

    (b) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), since 
December 31, 1995; and

    (c) The description of the Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the
Company which is contained in a registration statement filed under Section 12 of
the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of
updating such description.

    All documents filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, after the date of this
Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to
this Registration Statement which indicates that all securities offered hereby
have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall
be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and
to be a part hereof from the respective dates of filing of such documents.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

    Not applicable.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

    Not applicable.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

    Reference is made to Section 145 ("Section 145") of the General Corporation
Law of the State of Delaware (the "Delaware GCL") which provides for
indemnification of directors and officers in certain circumstances.

    In accordance with Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware GCL, the Company's
Third Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the "Certificate of Incorporation")
provides that directors shall not be personally liable for monetary damages for
breaches of their fiduciary duty as directors except for (i) breaches of their
duty of loyalty to the Company or its stockholders, (ii) acts or omissions not
in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or knowing violations of
law, (iii) certain transactions under Section 174 of the Delaware GCL (unlawful
payment of dividends) or (iv) transactions from which a director derives an
improper personal benefit.

    The Certificate of Incorporation of the Company provides for indemnification
of directors and officers to the full extent provided by the Delaware GCL, as
amended from time to time.  It states that the indemnification provided therein
shall not be deemed exclusive.  The Company may maintain insurance on behalf of
any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company,
or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise
against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Company would have
the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss,
under the provisions of the Delaware GCL.
<PAGE>
 
    Pursuant to Section 145 and the Certificate of Incorporation, the Company
maintains directors' and officers' liability insurance coverage.


ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

    Not applicable.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

EXHIBIT
  NO.                                   DESCRIPTION
- -------                                 -----------

4(a)           Third Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company
               (incorporated by reference to Registration Statement on Form S-1
               (File No. 333-2042), Exhibit 3.1).
4(b)           By-laws of the Company (incorporated by reference to Registration
               Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-2042), Exhibit 3.2).
5              Opinion of Sidley & Austin.
23(a)          Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP.
23(b)          Consent of Sidley & Austin (contained in Exhibit 5 hereto).
24             Powers of Attorney.

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

    (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

    (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to the registration statement;

    (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities
        Act of 1933;

   (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the
        effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-
        effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
        represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the
        registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or
        decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of
        securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any
        deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering
        range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the
        Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in
        volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the
        maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of
        Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement;

  (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of
        distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or
        any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information required
to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant
pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are
incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

    (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities
Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof;

                                     II-2
<PAGE>
 
    (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any
of the securities being registered which remained unsold at the termination of
the offering.

    (b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

    (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of
the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of
1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                     II-3
<PAGE>
 
                                   SIGNATURES


    The Registrant.  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Chicago, State of Illinois on this 18th day of
June, 1996.


                                       METROMAIL CORPORATION


                                       By:  /s/ Barton L. Faber
                                          -----------------------------------
                                          Barton L. Faber
                                          Chairman



    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.


        SIGNATURE                        TITLE(S)               DATE
        ---------                        --------               ----


  /s/ Barton L. Faber         Chairman and Director             June 18, 1996
- ---------------------------    (principal executive officer)
        Barton L. Faber


            *                 President and Chief               June 18, 1996
- ---------------------------    Executive Officer and Director
        Susan L. Henricks


            *                 Senior Vice President and Chief   June 18, 1996
- ---------------------------     Financial Officer (principal
        Ronald G. Eidell        financial officer)

            *                 Vice President, Finance (chief    June 18, 1996
- ---------------------------     accounting officer)
        Kenneth A. Glowacki

            *                 Director                          June 18, 1996
- ---------------------------
        Peter F. Murphy

            *                 Director                          June 18, 1996
- ---------------------------
        Jonathan P. Ward



*By   /s/ Barton L. Faber
    -----------------------
          Barton L. Faber
          Attorney-in-Fact


                                     II-4
<PAGE>
 
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
                                 -------------

EXHIBIT                                                             
NUMBER                DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT                        
- ------                ----------------------                             

4(a)         Third Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the
             Company (incorporated by reference to Registration
             Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-2042), Exhibit
             3.1).

4(b)         By-laws of the Company (incorporated by reference to
             Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-2042),
             Exhibit 3.2).

5*           Opinion of Sidley & Austin.

23(a)*       Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP.

23(b)*       Consent of Sidley & Austin (contained in Exhibit 5
             hereto).

24*          Powers of Attorney.


________________________
*Filed herewith


                                     II-5
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 15431}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "METROMAIL CORP", "cik": "0000737755", "assigned-sic": "7311", "irs-number": "133015410", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0531"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-06265", "film-number": "96582822"}, "business-address": {"street1": "360 E 22ND ST", "city": "LOMBARD", "state": "IL", "zip": "60148", "phone": "7086203300"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "360 E 22ND ST", "city": "LOMBARD", "state": "IL", "zip": "60148"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 19, 1996
                                                           Registration No. 333-
 
==================================================================
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549
                               _________________

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                             _____________________

                             METROMAIL CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                DELAWARE                                  13-3015410
    (State or other jurisdiction of          (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.
     incorporation or organization)

          360 EAST 22ND STREET                             60148
           LOMBARD, ILLINOIS                             (Zip Code)
(Address of principal executive offices)

                             METROMAIL CORPORATION
                           1996 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
                      1996 BROAD-BASED EMPLOYEE STOCK PLAN
                           (Full title of the plans)

                               THOMAS J. QUARLES
                             SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT,
                GENERAL COUNSEL AND CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
                             METROMAIL CORPORATION
                              360 EAST 22ND STREET
                            LOMBARD, ILLINOIS 60148
                                 (708) 620-3300
                     (Name, address, and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)

                          ____________________________

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
===========================================================================================
                                             Proposed        Proposed
     Title of              Amount            maximum         maximum          Amount of
 Securities to be           to be            offering       aggregate      registration fee
    registered           registered         price per        offering
                                              share           price
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock,            1,600,000         $20.50,       $33,615,750(2)     $11,592
$.01 par value           shares(1)         $22.125(2)
 
===========================================================================================
(1)  This registration statement also covers an additional and indeterminate
     number of shares as may become issuable because of the provisions of the
     Plan relating to adjustments for changes resulting from stock dividends,
     stock splits and similar changes.

(2)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee and,
     pursuant to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933, based upon (i) as
     to options to purchase 1,098,000 shares of Common Stock, a $20.50 purchase
     price per share and (ii) as to 502,000 shares of Common Stock, the average
     of the high and low sale prices of the Common Stock reported in the New
     York Stock Exchange Composite transactions on June 14, 1996.
================================================================================
PART II
                          INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

    The following documents heretofore filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") by Metromail Corporation (the "Company")
are incorporated herein by reference:

    (a) The Company's Prospectus dated June 13, 1996, filed pursuant to Rule
424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act of
1933");

    (b) All other reports filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), since 
December 31, 1995; and

    (c) The description of the Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the
Company which is contained in a registration statement filed under Section 12 of
the Exchange Act, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of
updating such description.

    All documents filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, after the date of this
Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to
this Registration Statement which indicates that all securities offered hereby
have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall
be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and
to be a part hereof from the respective dates of filing of such documents.

ITEM 4.  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

    Not applicable.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

    Not applicable.

ITEM 6.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

    Reference is made to Section 145 ("Section 145") of the General Corporation
Law of the State of Delaware (the "Delaware GCL") which provides for
indemnification of directors and officers in certain circumstances.

    In accordance with Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware GCL, the Company's
Third Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the "Certificate of Incorporation")
provides that directors shall not be personally liable for monetary damages for
breaches of their fiduciary duty as directors except for (i) breaches of their
duty of loyalty to the Company or its stockholders, (ii) acts or omissions not
in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or knowing violations of
law, (iii) certain transactions under Section 174 of the Delaware GCL (unlawful
payment of dividends) or (iv) transactions from which a director derives an
improper personal benefit.

    The Certificate of Incorporation of the Company provides for indemnification
of directors and officers to the full extent provided by the Delaware GCL, as
amended from time to time.  It states that the indemnification provided therein
shall not be deemed exclusive.  The Company may maintain insurance on behalf of
any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company,
or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise
against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Company would have
the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss,
under the provisions of the Delaware GCL.
Pursuant to Section 145 and the Certificate of Incorporation, the Company
maintains directors' and officers' liability insurance coverage.

ITEM 7.  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

    Not applicable.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

EXHIBIT
  NO.                                   DESCRIPTION
- -------                                 -----------

4(a)           Third Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company
               (incorporated by reference to Registration Statement on Form S-1
               (File No. 333-2042), Exhibit 3.1).
4(b)           By-laws of the Company (incorporated by reference to Registration
               Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-2042), Exhibit 3.2).
5              Opinion of Sidley & Austin.
23(a)          Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP.
23(b)          Consent of Sidley & Austin (contained in Exhibit 5 hereto).
24             Powers of Attorney.

ITEM 9.  UNDERTAKINGS.

    (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

    (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to the registration statement;

    (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities
        Act of 1933;

   (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the
        effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-
        effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
        represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the
        registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or
        decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of
        securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any
        deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering
        range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the
        Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in
        volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the
        maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of
        Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement;

  (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of
        distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or
        any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8, and the information required
to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant
pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are
incorporated by reference in the registration statement.

    (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities
Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof;

                                     II-2
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any
of the securities being registered which remained unsold at the termination of
the offering.

    (b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's
annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is
incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

    (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of
the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of
1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                     II-3
SIGNATURES

    The Registrant.  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Chicago, State of Illinois on this 18th day of
June, 1996.

                                       METROMAIL CORPORATION

                                       By:  /s/ Barton L. Faber
                                          -----------------------------------
                                          Barton L. Faber
                                          Chairman

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

        SIGNATURE                        TITLE(S)               DATE
        ---------                        --------               ----

  /s/ Barton L. Faber         Chairman and Director             June 18, 1996
- ---------------------------    (principal executive officer)
        Barton L. Faber

            *                 President and Chief               June 18, 1996
- ---------------------------    Executive Officer and Director
        Susan L. Henricks

            *                 Senior Vice President and Chief   June 18, 1996
- ---------------------------     Financial Officer (principal
        Ronald G. Eidell        financial officer)

            *                 Vice President, Finance (chief    June 18, 1996
- ---------------------------     accounting officer)
        Kenneth A. Glowacki

            *                 Director                          June 18, 1996
- ---------------------------
        Peter F. Murphy

            *                 Director                          June 18, 1996
- ---------------------------
        Jonathan P. Ward

*By   /s/ Barton L. Faber
    -----------------------
          Barton L. Faber
          Attorney-in-Fact

                                     II-4
EXHIBIT INDEX
                                 -------------

EXHIBIT                                                             
NUMBER                DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT                        
- ------                ----------------------                             

4(a)         Third Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the
             Company (incorporated by reference to Registration
             Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-2042), Exhibit
             3.1).

4(b)         By-laws of the Company (incorporated by reference to
             Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-2042),
             Exhibit 3.2).

5*           Opinion of Sidley & Austin.

23(a)*       Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP.

23(b)*       Consent of Sidley & Austin (contained in Exhibit 5
             hereto).

24*          Powers of Attorney.

________________________
*Filed herewith

                                     II-5