Outgoing Mail Services

Mail Services handles the processing and distribution of all outgoing mail, both U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and campus mail, for the UC Berkeley campus. It acts as a liaison with the USPS and other carriers to ensure that the UC Berkeley campus gets the most competitive mail or shipping rates and the best possible service.

In order to guarantee the successful delivery and optimal mail rate for your outgoing mail piece, Mail Services advises that you adhere to the address format and placement recommended by the USPS. You can also take advantage of other mechanisms offered by the USPS to reduce the cost of your outgoing mail, such as Automation Compatible Mail and Barcoding.

A Mail Services representative can help you determine the appropriate mail class and rate for your outward-bound domestic or international mailing. If you’re communicating with another campus department or UC campus or lab, we will ensure your mail piece reaches its destination as quickly as possible.

Department Responsibilities for Outgoing Mail

In order to facilitate the smooth flow of outgoing USPS and campus mail, Mail Services works in close cooperation with campus departments to efficiently service the ultimate customer – individual faculty, staff and students. Campus departments are tasked with the following key responsibilities:

• Maintain a departmental "mail stop," a location where Mail Service can pick up outgoing U.S. and campus mail. The preference is a single location in each building, and a shared space in the case of multi-department buildings. This location can be a room, a section of a room, or lobby lock boxes. Where a shared location is not feasible, each department may retain a separate mail stop.
• Provide clearly marked trays, boxes or bins for incoming U.S. mail and campus mail, outgoing campus mail, and outgoing U.S. mail.
• Inform Mail Services of any major events that may affect mail processing; e.g., department reorganizations, name changes or relocations.
• Encourage individuals to comply with recommended practices for addressing outgoing U.S. mail in order to receive optimal service from both Mail Services and the USPS.
• Collect and prepare the department's outgoing U.S. mail and campus mail in time for the scheduled mail pickup and delivery time, and separate it as follows:
  • Separate campus mail, domestic mail and international mail. Ensure all international mail is in an envelope or package.
  • Separate all U.S. mail and bundle by chartstring/speed type using rubber bands or string.
  • Ensure all U.S. mail has a chartstring/speed type on the left hand corner or side of each mail piece.

Please note: if you don’t follow these guidelines consistently, you may experience delays in processing, errors in recharging, or additional charges

Delivery Times

Mail Services provides one delivery per department per day in mid to late morning. At this time, incoming USPS and campus mail is delivered, and outgoing USPS and campus mail is collected. There is no charge for this service, with the exception of Auxiliary Enterprises (see the Rates and Services section).

A regularly scheduled second daily delivery/pickup can be arranged for an additional charge. Please call 643-MAIL for more information.

If you have missed a regularly scheduled pickup for a FASTMAIL or U.S. mail piece, you can either use one of the late mailboxes placed in strategic campus locations, or a USPS campus mailbox.