Ò»±¾µÀÎÞÂë

Postal Services sells various denominations and styles of stamps and also offers First-Class, Media Mail*, Priority, Priority Express and Retail Ground* shipping options. Certified, Insurance, Registered, Return Receipt and Signature Required services are also available. Learn more about each in this overview of Ò»±¾µÀÎÞÂë's shipping options [pdf]. Please note that all parcels, even if prepaid, must be presented to a clerk for acceptance due to safety and security concerns. 

* Available for domestic shipments only. Certain restrictions apply.

When sending individual internal mail on the Pittsburgh campus, please address the mail and packages as follows:

Campus Mail
First and Last Name
SMC Number -OR- Department, Building and Room Number

All internal campus mail items must include a return address (a contact name plus a department name or SMC mailbox number). Separate internal campus mail from other outgoing mail to prevent it from accidentally being metered for postage. Mail items should be sealed or packaged securely like regular mail. If there is campus mail in special envelopes, such as invitations, please bundle the special mail and clearly mark it with a note as "campus mail." See below for details about sending large, internal mass mailings -- such as memos, fliers, announcements, or newsletters -- to the Pittsburgh campus.

Campus mail items received before noon will normally be delivered on the next business day. Items received after noon will normally be delivered in two business days. Hazardous items restricted by USPS cannot be sent through campus mail.

Confidential correspondence: Confidential matter should be mailed in a sealed envelope marked "Personal & Confidential" or "To be opened by Addressee Only."

Large items: Items larger than a standard USPS mail bin (14"x10"x10") require a Special Delivery Form [pdf]. Please see the Special Delivery service section below for additional information.

Other Ò»±¾µÀÎÞÂë campuses: See our incoming mail information for details about addressing items to other Ò»±¾µÀÎÞÂë locations.

Distribution of internal mass mailings -- such as memos, fliers, announcements or newsletters -- to the Pittsburgh campus must be prearranged and approved by Postal Services. Contact us three to five days before the distribution deadline for approval, scheduling and delivery details. Once the mailing has been approved, please follow these additional guidelines:

• If the mail will not be individually addressed, let us know to whom it should be sent (faculty, staff, students, etc.).
• If the mail will be addressed to faculty and staff, make sure the address has the recipient's name and department. Then, please sort the mail by department.
• If the mail will be addressed to students, make sure the address has the student's full name and student mail code (SMC) number. Please have the mail sorted by SMC.
• Do not have your mailings dropped off at Postal Services by an outside printing company, as mailings cannot be processed without knowing where they came from and where they go.

In most cases, internal mass mailings will be delivered within 48 hours of receipt.

Postal Services reserves the right to refuse mail distribution at any time. Campus mass mailings are only permitted by preferred vendors and organizations affiliated with Ò»±¾µÀÎÞÂë.

Campus mail envelopes are reusable and ideal for in-house mailings. When reusing a campus mail envelope, write the addressee's information in the first blank space after the most recent recipient's address and make certain that all previous markings have been masked or crossed out. This ensures your mail will be delivered to the intended recipient. Also be sure to include a return name and department.

Postal Services offers a Special Delivery service for a small fee. This service can be used for departments who need to have campus mail picked up or delivered before their next scheduled mail pickup/delivery, or for timely or sensitive mail for which the departments prefer to have a signature. Special deliveries must be prearranged through Postal Services. Please contact us before 10 a.m. to schedule a special delivery, or for emergency situations after 10 a.m.

Items larger than a standard USPS mail bin (14x10x10) will require a Special Delivery form. 

All special deliveries require a Special Delivery Form [pdf]. The Special Delivery fee is $15.00 per item.

Ò»±¾µÀÎÞÂë departments can purchase stamps from Postal Services and have them charged to your Oracle account. See information about our other services and supplies for details.

Postal Services offers a departmental metering service to all Ò»±¾µÀÎÞÂë affiliates. This is the quickest option for large-scale external mailings. Please ensure that each item is sealed, addressed and facing the same direction. If you are sending a standard #10 envelope, you may leave it unsealed, as our metering machine can seal them. You will need to include a completed Universal Requisition Form [pdf] with your request.

If you wish for us to pick up a large mailing with your campus mail, please contact us the day before with the details. Review our domestic and international mail policies for additional information. Please note that arrangements must be made prior to mail drop-off in order to accommodate a tracking number, if desired.

• If you can fold your mail in half and place it in a smaller envelope, you may save money.
• Use double-sided printing so that your envelope is thinner.
• Flat-rate packaging is available for free in the Postal Services lobby.
• Using Media Mail for books, film, printed music, play scripts, printed educational charts and computer-readable media can save you money. Please note that Media Mail is subject to inspection.
• Buy forever stamps to protect against future postage price increases.
• Screen your mailing list for unnecessary names, duplicate information and incomplete addresses.
• Do not over-insure. USPS will only pay the actual value of an item, not the declared value.
• Postcards are a cheaper way to send short messages or announcements.
• Type or machine-print all address information clearly. Omit all punctuation, and do not overlap address characters. Maintain a uniform left margin. 
• Put either the foreign country (in all capital letters) or the city, state and ZIP code on the bottom line. Use standard two-letter state abbreviations for addresses in the United States: