• Separate all International mail from Domestic mail.
• Separate Campus, Stamped, and Metered mail.
• Large mailings must be in postal service trays or buckets. Our driver has a supply of these containers on the truck, or call us and we will drop off as many as you need. Our driver will not pick up mail in any other container.
• Have your departmental account code on your mail. For larger mailings, the account code is only needed on the top piece of mail.
• Rubber band as much mail as possible.
• Include name, building, and department on Inter-Campus mail.
• Please call ahead for large mailings.

By following these steps, your mail can be processed quickly and accurately.

Some things cannot be mailed or can be mailed only in small quantities for safety and legal reasons. Also, some items can jam or damage the mailing machines and can cause serious injury to the Mail Center employees and equipment. The U.S. Postal Service® lists the following items:

• Aerosol cans
• Alcoholic beverages
• Ammunition
• Drug paraphernalia
• Fireworks
• Flammable or explosive materials
• Glass chips
• Illegal or infectious substances
• Metal pieces
• Lottery tickets
• Paper clips
• Poisonous materials
• Sand

Envelopes and cards less than 3-1/2" in height or 5" in length are also classified as non-mailables and may be returned to sender. Also, all foreign countries impose various restrictions. It is recommended that when mailing questionable items to U.S. or foreign destinations, the sender should call the Mail Service Center at ext. 6292 or Student Mail Center at ext. 2707 for assistance.  Visit the USPS® website for further information.

The United States Postal Service allows you to calculate postage right from your computer for Domestic, International and Business postage if you know the size, shape, weight and zip code information.

Go to USPS® postage calculating services

Go to USPS® Rates and Fees

Postage Savings Tips

• Screen your mailing list for unnecessary names, duplicates and incomplete addresses.
• Use “Certified™” instead of “Registered™” mail whenever possible. It costs less and also provides a receipt and notice of delivery to the sender.
• Do not over-insure. The post office and UPS® will pay only the actual value of an item, not the declared value.
• Use postcards for short messages or announcements. The cost is 1/3 less than sending an envelope.
• Combine mailings when possible into a larger envelope for distribution at the location.
• Use Business Reply™ envelopes provided by vendors, instead of department envelopes.
• Fax the information instead of using Express mail™ when time is crucial.
• Request Library™, Book™ or Media Mail™ rate whenever possible. Savings can be as much as 50% of the cost of 1st Class™ mail.
• Use inter-office envelopes for on-campus mail. Use regular business envelopes for off-campus mailings only.
• Use Non-profit/Bulk Rate™ whenever possible; savings can be as much as 20 cents per mail piece.

The Rensselaer Mail Service uses the U.S. Post Office's Priority Mail Express™ for our overnight delivery service. It is their fastest domestic service, with limited exceptions, available 365 days a year.™

When sending mail internationally, it is important that your letter or parcel be properly addressed. All parcels, packages, and padded envelopes must have the proper completed Customs Forms attached, before sending via the RPI Mail Services. Please click on the link to this website, to find out which form you will need.  For more information on Customs Forms with the US Postal Service, please click here.

Below are some guidelines to ensure that your mail arrives at its destination:

• It is recommended that you print your delivery addresses in all uppercase letters. If possible, addresses should have no more than five lines.
• The full address should be typed or legibly written in English — using Roman letters and Arabic numeral — on only one side of the item. An address in a foreign language is permitted if the names of the city, province, and country are also indicated in English.
• The last line of the address block area must include only the complete country name (no abbreviations) written in uppercase letters.
• Foreign postal codes, if used, should be placed on the line above the destination country. Some countries prefer that the postal code follow the name, while others prefer that it precede the city or town name. For example:

LINE 1: NAME OF ADDRESSEE
LINE 2: STREET ADDRESS OR POST OFFICE BOX NUMBER
LINE 3: CITY/TOWN NAME, PRINCIPAL SUBDIVISION AND POSTAL CODE
LINE 4: COUNTRY NAME

• As a precaution, senders should place a card with the names and addresses of the sender and addressee inside parcels.
• Using a return address on all mail is strongly recommended. Your name and address, including ZIP Code and country of origin, should be shown in the upper left corner of the address side on all mail. This ensures that an undeliverable item can be returned, if necessary.

Restrictions for international mail

Some items are prohibited from being mailed internationally by the either the country of origin, the destination country, or both. The United States Postal Service provides online information regarding nonmailable domestic items and the individual country prohibitions, restrictions and limitations.