Mail Preparation

Due to heightened security and liability, no personal mail may be received or distributed through University Postal Services.
Only legitimate University business mail will be processed.
Improperly sorted or prepared mail will result in delays and could result in the return of your mail.

General Preparation

The primary sort of the University's mail must be done at the department level. Campus mail, stamped mail and mail requiring metering by University Postal Services must all be kept separate. In addition, mail requiring metering must be separated and bundled by account number.

All mail to be processed through Postal Services MUST have a University of Arizona return address, including your department PO Box Number and account number on the envelope or parcel.

Sealing Policy

  • Departments should seal individual mail and small bundles of letters (25 or less). Larger bundles of letters, if nested (flaps open) and rubber-banded, will be sealed by Postal Services. Our machines can only seal standard #10 business envelopes.
  • For security of your mail, all bulky #10 business envelopes should be sealed by your department.
  • Departments must seal all flats. Flats are envelopes that are larger than the standard #10 envelope. These should be sealed with tape or glue, not staples. Do not use envelopes with metal clasps.

Endorsements

All flats, packages, and foreign mail must be endorsed with the appropriate type of service. Mail without an endorsement will be sent First Class.

Sample endorsements: First Class, Library Rate, Air Mail, Printed Matter, Parcel Post, Book Rate

Preparation Tips

  1. Eliminate hand-printed or hand-addressed mail.
  2. Use the correct mailing address with the Department, Suite, Floor, one letter directionals and complete zip+4 whenever possible. Use upper case letters with no punctuation, except for a dash between the zip and the plus 4 (e.g. 87542-5401).
  3. Use fixed pitch, evenly spaced characters rather than proportional fonts. (All characters take the same amount of space).
  4. Align all characters to the left. Do not center.
  5. Place the address no higher than 2-3/4 inches from the bottom of the envelope.
  6. Eliminate extraneous print around, and especially to the left, of the address. Keep all space clear to the left, right, and below the address.
  7. Be sure the address is fully visible in window envelopes and doesn't slip out of sight if jogged up, down or sideways. Extraneous print must not be visible through the window.
  8. Never use red envelopes, it interferes with the red ink the Post Office uses to cancel the stamp.

Size and Weight

All pieces must be at least .007 inch thick, up to 1/4 inch thick, and must be:

  1. Rectangular in shape,
  2. Height at least 3-1/2 inches, and
  3. Length at least 5 inches

Pieces greater than 1/4 inch thick can be mailed if they measure less than 3-1/2 by 5 inches.

Letter mail and its contents need to be reasonably flexible and flat to ensure proper transport through our equipment and the USPS automated system. Because they can cause damage to mail and the equipment, pens, pencils, keys, booster buttons, lapel pins and other rigid items should not be included in letter mail. To assure delivery of this type of mail, please use padded mailers.

First Class mail and single piece Third Class mail weighing one ounce or less that exceeds the dimensions below is considered non-standard by the USPS and is subject to a surcharge ($0.11 per piece) in addition to the applicable postage:

  • Length - 11-1/2 inches,
  • Height - 6-1/8 inches,
  • Thickness - 1/4 inches, OR
  • The length divided by the height is not between 1.3 and 2.5 inclusive.

USPS will not accept packages over 70 pounds.

Certified and Registered Mail

Certified Mail provides the sender with a mailing receipt and electronic verification that an article was delivered or that a delivery attempt was made. Example usage would be for important documents or paperwork. Refer to the USPS Certified Mail FAQ for more information

Certified Mail must use USPS Form 3800. Refer to the links below for assistance with completing this form.

Registered Mail is secure form of USPS mail service for domestic or international shipping. Example usage would be for high value contents. Refer to the USPS Registered Mail FAQ for more information.

Business Reply and Bulk Mail

Business Reply and Bulk Mail must meet strict requirements set forth by the USPS. Please use contracted Printing and Mailing Service Vendors for assistance.