U.S. Postal Service

Inbound USPS

• US Postal Service (USPS) Priority, First Class, Standard and Third Class letters and parcels are delivered to the University between 7:00am and 8:00am. Priority Mail Express items are delivered between 7:00am and 3:00pm.
• All USPS items are sorted by extended zip code and delivered to the campus community throughout the day. Some items (Certified Mail, Priority Mail Express, etc.) require a signature at the time of delivery. 

Outbound USPS

• Outbound USPS shipments are picked up from the departments when mail and packages are delivered in the morning. If a pickup is needed after 12:00pm for urgent items, please contact the Workflow Coordinator.
• US Postal Service letters and parcels are picked up from the University Monday through Friday between 3:30pm and 4:00pm. All outbound items need to be at Distribution Services by 2:30pm to guarantee same day processing.

USPS Tips

• Find zip codes on the USPS Look Up a Zip Code web page.
• For simple cost savings, fold multi-page materials and put them into an envelope that meets the USPS standards for a letter. Large envelopes (aka flats) are charged at higher postage rates than letters.
• By US Postal Service standards:
  • A letter is rectangular, between 3-1/2” and 6-1/8” high, between 5” and 11-1/2” long and between 7/1000” (.007”) and 1/4” thick.
  • A flat (aka large envelope) exceeds any one of the letter measurements above, but does not exceed 12” high, 15” long or ¾” thick.
• Do not use red or dark colored envelopes for outgoing mail. The meter ink is red and will not be visible.
• The return address on all outbound USPS Mail must include the department name or extended zip code.

• Use Certified Mail to prove that you mailed an item; and, use Return Receipt to prove that the recipient received it. With a Return Receipt, the US Postal Service will capture a signature at the time of delivery that will be returned to the University electronically or via hard copy.

  In addition to the postage charges, the cost for each service is:
  Certified Mail
  - $3.55

  Return Receipt
  - $2.85 for hard copy receipt
  - $1.70 for email receipt

• Departments are responsible for preparing, addressing, completing and attaching required postal forms.
• When mailing more than 200 letters or 500 flats that have identical contents and envelopes, use the University’s Non-Profit or First Class indicia to qualify for the reduced postage rate. Please contact the Workflow Coordinator for the permit imprint indicia number. 
• When ordering newspaper, magazine or or other subscriptions, include your department name and extended zip code in the address.
• The University holds a Business Reply Mail (BRM) permit. Using this service enables a department to encourage customers to respond to surveys, payment requests or RSVPs by providing a pre-paid envelope or postcard so that they don’t have to pay for postage. The department only pays for the returned items. Please contact the Workflow Coordinator to engage with our Mail Design experts.
• Please seal envelopes before placing in the outbound staging area. If unable to seal, similar envelopes should be interleaved as shown in the images below: