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UF MAIL SERVICES USER'S GUIDE
MAIL CENTER GENERAL INFORMATION
A. Introduction B. Locations and Hours of Operation C. Your Mailing Address/PO Box Number
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE MAIL A. Nonmachinable Letter Size Mail B. First-Class Mail C. First-Class Presort Mail D. Priority Mail E. Periodicals F. Presorted Standard Mail G. Package Services H. Express Mail I. International Mail
SPECIAL SERVICES A. Certified Mail B. Registered Mail C. Delivery Confirmation D. Signature Confirmation E. Insured Mail F. Return Receipts G. Reply Mail
PREPARING YOUR MAIL A. Addressing For Success B. Addressing Business Mail C. Enclosures D. Envelopes E. Parcels F. Self-Mailers G. Mail Processing Slips H. Endorsements
CAMPUS MAIL A. About Campus Mail B. Addressing C. Campus Envelopes D. Change of Address
RESIDENCE HALL MAIL
A. About Residence Hall Mail B. Addressing C. Residence Hall Addresses
APPENDIX Two-Letter State Abbreviations Directional Abbreviations Secondary Address Unit Indicators Street Designator Abbreviations
B. Locations and Hours of Operation
Main Branch Building 715 PO Box 112001 Ph: 352-392- Fax: 352-392-
Hours Monday–Friday 8:00 AM–5:00 PM Mail accepted until 3:30 PM
Health Science Center Branch MG009 Health Science Center PO Box 100001 Ph: 352-273- Fax: 352-392-
Hours Monday–Friday 7:30 AM–4:30 PM Mail accepted until 3:00 PM Contract Station: 8:00am–3:00 PM
C. Your Mailing Address/PO Box Number Each department has been assigned a six-digit PO Box number, as a mailing address. Be sure that all your correspondents have your PO Box number. It is your responsibility to update your correspondents with your correct mailing address (PO Box number).
Also, it is important to use your PO Box number in your return address, on all correspondence, business cards, and stationery. UF addresses with building names alone cannot be processed on automated equipment. It is important to note that the +4 portion of your ZIP Code is the last four digits of your PO Box. Below is an example of the proper address format.
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA UF MAIL SERVICES PO Box 112001 GAINESVILLE FL 32611-
Please note that a UF employee’s PO Box number may not be the department’s main (or only) PO Box number. When sending mail to an employee it is important to ask them for their PO Box number or use the UF Campus Directory to find their PO Box number.
Campus PO Box Lookup with the most up-to-date information is available on the UF Mail Services web page located at www.maildocserv.ufl.edu.
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE MAIL
The cost of mailing varies with each classification. The correct classification of a mailpiece’s processing category is crucial. The US Postal Service uses a shape-based rate structure, rather than one primarily based on weight. Once a piece of mail exceeds the maximum length, height, or thickness of one shape, it automatically gets classified as the next largest shape.
The processing category often determines (and limits) the rates, discounts, and preparation options for which your mailpiece will qualify. Some shapes, such as tubes and square envelopes, may require additional postage. Postcards, letters, large envelopes and packages are in different rate categories.
A. Nonmachinable Letter Size Mail A letter-size piece is nonmachinable if it has one or more of the following characteristics:
a. Has an aspect ratio (length divided by height) of less than 1.3 or more than 2.5. b. It is polybagged, polywrapped, or enclosed in any plastic material. c. Has a clasp, strings, buttons, or similar closure devices. d. Contains items that cause the thickness of the mailpiece to be uneven. e. Is too rigid. f. For pieces more than 4 1/4 inches high or 6 inches long, the thickness is less than 0.009‖. g. Has a delivery address parallel to the shorter dimension of the mailpiece. h. It is a self-mailer with a final folded edge perpendicular to the address if the piece is not correctly folded and secured. i. Booklet-type pieces with the bound edge (spine) along the shorter dimension of the piece or at the top, unless prepared correctly.
There is an additional charge on each piece of mail that is found to be nonmachinable. In addition, pieces which are less than 3 1/2‖ in height or 5‖ in length or .007‖ in thickness (thickness of a postcard) are non-mailable in the U.S. Postal Service.
C. First-Class Presort Mail Mailings consisting of 500 or more First-Class pieces may qualify for a postal discount if arranged in presort ZIP Code order. UF Mail Services maintains a First-Class presort permit for this type of discounted postage. For basic presorting instructions, see ―BASICS OF PRESORTING‖ in the ―Presorted Standard Mail‖ section. For more information about presort training, contact a University Postal Manager.
D. Priority Mail (delivery date not guaranteed) All First-Class mail over 13 oz. and not exceeding 70 lbs. is considered Priority Mail and at the option of the mailer, any mail weighing 13 oz. or less may be mailed as Priority Mail. Priority Mail is a two day service between 64 major markets (i.e. Atlanta to Dallas or Chicago to New York). Priority Mail prices are charged per pound; any fraction of a pound is rounded up to the next whole pound. There is no minimum weight limitation but there is a flat rate charged on mail weighing one pound or less. Average delivery time is 1 -3 days.
When using Priority Mail, we recommend use of Priority Mail envelopes. The U.S. Postal Service provides free Priority Mail supplies: cardboard and Tyvek envelopes, boxes, stickers and tape. If you need any Priority Mail supplies for your department, please call UF Mail Services Main Branch at 392-1134 or the Health Science Center Branch at 273-5022.
Use Priority Mail when two to three day service is desired. Use Flat Rate Priority Envelopes when possible. They’re free and allow mailing any weight of material for the 1 lb. rate.
E. Periodicals Periodicals is a class of mail consisting of magazines, newspapers, or other publications formed of printed sheets that are issued at least four times a year at regular, specified intervals from a known office of publication. Periodicals usually must have a legitimate list of subscribers and requesters. For more information, contact UF Mail Services.
F. Presorted Standard Mail
The USPS has made a major commitment to processing mail via ―automation,‖ which includes the processing of mail by Optical Character Readers and Barcode Sorters. The USPS offers postage discounts on mail that qualifies for automation processing.
To qualify mail for automation discounts strict quantity, address and design criteria must be met. Addresses must be in ―standardized‖ formats, have ZIP+4 codes, and be barcoded and sorted to various levels. Mailing pieces must meet standards of paper quality, specific sizes, and designs and bear an accurate delivery point POSTNET barcode or Intelligent Mail barcode encoded with the correct delivery point routing code. UF Mail Services can process your mailing or offer bulk mail training through the USPS to help you meet these USPS automation requirements. For more information on automating your mail, call a University Postal Manager.
MAP OF APPROXIMATE DELIVERY TIME FOR STANDARD MAIL
For basic presorting instructions see ―BASICS OF PRESORTING‖, below. Additional Bulk Mail training is also available through USPS.
Standard Class Bulk Rate mail is faster to prepare by UF Mail Services for delivery to the U.S. Postal Service if the UF permit is printed on the mail piece. An example is shown below. Be sure to contact a University Postal Manager for the correct permit information. Also, to qualify for non-profit rates, ‖University of Florida‖ must appear on the first or second line of the return address.
BASICS OF PRESORTING
The primary step required for presorting is to sort your mailing by the 5-digit ZIP Code. This can be done by printing addresses in Zip Code order. You will also need to complete the Mail Center Distribution Request Form.
Each piece must have a complete delivery address with the correct ZIP Code or ZIP+4 Code. ZIP Codes must be updated using a USPS-approved method less than 95 days before mailing.
e. Count the number of pieces in the packages and record the 5-digit ZIP Codes and number of pieces on your tally sheet. Put the packages aside.
Step 2: Make 3-Digit Packages a. When there are 10 or more pieces to the same 3-digit ZIP Code prefix (first three numbers of zip code), band them into packages (up to 6 inches thick). b. Label each package with a green label ―3.‖ Place label in lower left corner of top envelope.
c. Count the number of pieces in the packages and record the 3-digit ZIP Codes and number of pieces on your tally sheet. Put the packages aside
Step 3: Make ADC Packages
Package together any remaining pieces going to the same postal processing facility (area distribution center, or ADC). Because ADCs sort mail for many different ZIP Codes, ADC packages can contain mail for as few as two or three 3-digit areas or as many as ten or eleven 3- digit areas.
a. Find the ADCs by using a current labeling list. Contact the Mail Center for a correct list for the type of mailing you are doing. b. When there are 10 or more pieces to the same ADC, band them into packages (up to 6 inches thick). Use column A of the labeling list to package 3-Digit code prefixes in their appropriate group (each row is a group). a. Label the packages with a pink label ―A‖. Place label in lower left corner of top envelope.
c. Count the number of pieces in the packages and record the ADC and number of pieces on your tally sheet. Put the packages aside
Step 4: Make Mixed ADC Packages a. Package any remaining pieces regardless of destination Zip Codes into groups up to 6 inches thick. For Mixed ADC packages you may have groups of fewer than 10 pieces. b. Label each package with a tan label ―MXD‖. Place label in lower left corner of top envelope.
d. Count the number of pieces in the packages and record ―Mixed ADC‖ and number of pieces on your tally sheet.
Step 5: Separate Packages into 3-Digit ZIP Code Areas to Determine Rate Eligibility a. Separate all of the 5-digit and 3-digit packages into 3-digit areas and count the total number of pieces that are going to each 3-digit area. b. Put aside the ADC (pink ―A‖) packages in their own trays and mixed (tan ―MXD‖) packages in their own trays.
Separate Packages Into Trays.
For Letters: The 150-Piece Rule for 3/5 Rate Eligibility For letters, the postage rate you pay depends on whether you have at least 150 pieces to a single 3-digit ZIP Code area.
For letters, this 150-piece rule is how quantity can affect the rate you pay. If you have a few less than 150 pieces to a 5-digit ZIP Code, you may want to add a few pieces of mail to that ZIP Code. 5-digit trays and 3-digit trays get the same postage rate, so it’s more important to ―make the quantity‖ with your 3-digit trays.
- Put all of your 5-digit and 3-digit packages into groups by each 3-digit ZIP Code area.
- Using the tally sheet, count the number of pieces to each 3-digit ZIP Code area. These pieces could be in 5-digit packages or 3-digit packages.
- If you have at least 150 pieces to a single 3-digit ZIP Code area, then the pieces in those 5-digit and 3-digit packages will qualify for the lower Standard Mail 3/5 letter rate. Begin putting your packages to the same 5-digit destination into 5-digit trays. These trays will contain only 5-digit (―D‖) packages. Just like you grouped pieces to the same destination into the same package, in this step you’ll group packages to the same destination into the same tray.
G. Package Services The following items are considered Package Services:
Library Materials Packages or Parcels Bound Printed Matter Sound Recordings Merchandise Computer Media Books Films Video Tapes
MAP OF APPROXIMATE DELIVERY TIME FOR PACKAGE SERVICES
There is no minimum weight for Package Services. A single piece of Parcel Post, Media Mail, and Library Mail can weigh no more than 70 lbs. A single piece of Bound Printed Matter can weigh no more than 15 lbs. Items that measure more than 108 inches but not more than 130 inches in combined length and girth (distance around the thickest part) pay the oversized rate regardless of weight.
Generally parcels are limited to 70 lbs. and 108‖ in length and girth combined. Mailpieces sent as Parcel Post, however, may reach up to 130 inches in combined length and girth. Discounts are available for mailings of 200 or more pieces. Contact UF Mail Services for more information. Parcel Post and two sub-categories of Package Services mail that might save postage are described below. Parcel Post Used for gifts and general merchandise, Parcel Post shipments may also contain books and other printed matter weighing 70 pounds or less. Average delivery time is 2 -8 days.
Media Mail Media Mail service is a cost efficient way to mail books, sound recordings, recorded video tapes, printed music, and recorded computer-readable media (CDs, DVDs, diskettes). Media Mail can not contain advertising except for incidental announcements of books. The maximum weight for Media Mail is 70 lbs. Average delivery time is 2 -8 days.
Only the articles listed below may be mailed at this rate.
Books of at least 8 pages. Loose leaf pages and their binders consisting of medical information for distribution to doctors, hospitals, medical schools, and medical students. Computer readable media. 16mm or narrower width films and film catalogs. Films and catalogs sent to or from commercial theaters do not qualify Printed music, whether in bound or sheet form. Objective test materials. Sound recordings and guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such recording (video recordings and player piano rolls are classified as sound recordings). Playscripts and manuscripts for books, periodicals and music. Educational reference charts.
Each piece must be marked ‖Media Mail‖. Enclosures, such as invoices are permitted.
Library Mail Library Mail mail is mail that meets the standards for Standard Mail and those below. Library Mail postage is based on the weight of each addressed piece without regard to zone. Average delivery time is 2 -8 days.
H. Express Mail Express Mail is an expedited Domestic mail service for shipping any mailable matter, with guaranteed delivery, subject to the Postal Services standards. Material mailed in the USPS- provided Express Mail Flat Rate envelope is charged the same rate, regardless of the actual weight of the piece or its destination. For other packaging, including USPS provided envelopes and boxes, Express Mail postage is charged according to its weight and zone. All packages must use an Express Mail label.
This money-back guaranteed overnight or two-day service includes tracking, proof of delivery, and insurance up to $100. Additional insurance up to $5,000 may be purchased for merchandise. Sunday and Holiday delivery is available to many destinations for an additional charge.
Express Mail Next Day Delivery may not be available at, or between, all Post Offices or at all times of deposit. Express Mail Second Day Delivery is available to any 3-digit or 5-digit ZIP Code destination not listed in the Next Day Delivery directory. Express Mail Second Day Delivery items are delivered to the addressee by Noon or 3 PM. on the second delivery day. For information on delivery standards for your shipments consult UF Mail or the USPS web site. Do not place Express Mail in the campus mail system. With our current delivery schedule to the US Post Office, Express mail needs to be at the Mail Center by 4:30.
Due to the higher cost of mailing via this service please be sure this is the most appropriate service for your needs. For Example if next day delivery is not required Priority or First-Class mail may be a better choice.
These examples show how mailing services can be combined to meet your needs.
EXAMPLE 1- Sending a valuable item - For this example a 3 ounce item valued at $325 is being sent to Zone 4. Below are three possible options:
Option A- Express Mail Express Mail automatically includes insurance up to $100 and guarantees delivery in 1 to 2 days. Additional insurance may be purchased. The sender will also receive a mailing receipt and confirmation that the package has been delivered and has been signed for by the recipient. Cost: $18.50 or if it will fit into an Express Mail Flat Rate Envelope $17.
Option B- First-Class Mail Package with Registered Mail First-Class Mail offers delivery at a low cost and can be combined with Registered Mail, a service that provides the highest level of mail security during transit. Insurance can be purchased for items up to $25,000 in material, but not sentimental, value. Cost: First-Class Postage (for 3 oz.) $1.56, Registered Mail (for $325 Value) $13.10. Total $14.66.
Option C- First-Class Mail Package with Insurance First-Class Mail offers delivery at a low cost and can be combined with insurance for up to $5,000. Insured Mail will cover the item’s material value should the piece get lost or damaged, but it cannot cover its sentimental value. Cost: First-Class Postage (for 3 oz.) $1.56, Insurance (for $325 Value) $5.70. Total $7.26.
Option A is best if speed is the main goal. Option B is best if the item has more sentimental value or replacement is not possible. Option C is best if simply insuring the item’s value is the main goal.
EXAMPLE 2- Sending an Important Document – For this example the document weighs 1 oz.
Option A - Express Mail Express Mail will arrive at many locations the day after it is mailed. Express Mail also provides the sender with proof that she mailed the document, the ability to track it online or by phone, and notification that it was delivered. The sender can also request a copy of the recipient’s signature. Cost: Express Mail Flat Rate Envelope $17.50.
Option B - Priority Mail with Confirmation Service Priority Mail will get the document to its destination in 2 to 3 days. The sender could add Delivery Confirmation, which lets her obtain delivery information online or by phone. If the sender uses Signature Confirmation she gets the same delivery information, plus she can request a copy of the recipient’s signature. Cost: Priority Mail $4.95, Delivery Confirmation $0.70 Total $5. OR Priority Mail $4.95, Signature Confirmation $2.35 Total $7.
Option C - First-Class Mail with Certified Mail and Return Receipt First-Class Mail will get the document to its destination in 1 to 3 days. Certified Mail with Return Receipt will give the sender proof that she mailed the document and will return a card to her with the date it was delivered and the signature of the person who received it. Cost: First-Class Mail (letter) 0.44, Certified Mail $2.80, Return receipt $2.30 Total $5..
Option A is best if it has to arrive the next day. Option C is best if having a copy of the signature returned to prove that the document was delivered, and to get the lowest price are the main goals.
Express Mail International is an extremely reliable and fast delivery service available from the U.S. Postal Service with service guaranteed to select destinations. Express Mail International is available between the United States and over 190 countries with 3 to 5 average business day delivery to major destinations. Always check for country-specific prohibitions, restrictions and observations before mailing using the USPS price calculator: http://postcalc.usps.gov/. Now you may use domestic Express Mail packaging, including Flat-Rate envelopes, for international shipping.
Express Mail International provides shipment of letters, documents, and other mailable items and carries document reconstruction insurance at no additional cost. Also, merchandise is insured against loss, damage, or rifling up to $100 at no added charge. Additional insurance coverage may be purchased. You may mail items weighing up to 70 lb to some countries. Express Mail International can be delivered seven days a week including holidays at no extra charge. A flat rate envelope is available for Express Mail International shipments.
Date-certain service is guaranteed to Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Spain (except Canary Islands), and Korea, Republic of (South Korea). International deliveries vary by country of destination. Delivery times average two to three business days to major business centers. However, items are not insured against delay in delivery since the U.S. Postal Service has no control over foreign delivery systems.
Do not place critical mail for this service in the campus mail system. To assure same day mailing, Express Mail International must be handed to a UF Mail Services clerk by 3:30 PM (3:00 PM at the Health Center). Express Mail International can also be placed in any Express Mailbox (one is available in the Reitz Union) or taken directly to a U.S. Post Office if the correct postage has been applied.
I. International Mail Most items are mailable to foreign countries. However, there are certain restrictions. It is important that mailers contact UF Mail Services to determine the proper classification and documentation required.
If customs regulations are not followed and documentation is not exact, the item will be impounded by customs until the addressee makes arrangements for clearance and the payment of duty required for the release of the item. Customs rules are the same whether mail is sent by USPS or other couriers.
Second Class International Mail Use this service for international delivery if:
- The mailpiece weighs one lb. or less (If the mailpiece weighs more than one pound, contact a University Postal Manager for other mailing options.)
- No special services are needed (i.e. insurance or registered)
- The mailpiece is a letter (including envelopes up to 8 12‖ x11‖ in size)
Customs Forms Customs forms are not required on First Class Mail International items that weigh less than 16 ounces and do not have potentially dutiable contents.
Any printed matter or any mail over 16 oz. going outside of the U.S. must have a customs declaration.
CUSTOMS FORM 2976
CUSTOMS FORM 2976-A
