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ENDORSEMENTS
Central Mail phone 384-3802, fax 384-3806


Postal endorsements draw more questions from our customers than any other topic, but they are really very simple. Printed below the return address, the endorsement instructs the Postal Service where to deliver a mail piece if that address is incorrect or the recipient has moved. The options are to return or to forward a mail piece. Use one of the following endorsements to tell the Postal Service which option to use for the mail you send:

Return service requested
"Return Service Requested" tells the Postal Service to return the mail to you and is the most cost-effective endorsement. When you use it, the Postal Service returns First-Class and Standard mail and gives the reason for nondelivery. There are no additional fees for returning First-Class mail. However, the appropriate single-piece postage is charged for Standard mail.

Address service requested
"Address Service Requested" tells the Postal Service to forward the mail to the addressee for twelve months following a move. You will receive a separate notice of the new address and be charged a seventy-cent address correction fee for First-Class and Standard mail. After twelve months or if the piece is undeliverable, the Postal Service returns the mail to you at no charge, with the new address or the reason for nondelivery attached on First-Class mail. It charges the weighted fee for Standard mail.

All endorsements must meet the following specifications:
  • Endorsements must have a minimum 8-point type size,
  • must stand out clearly against the background,
  • have a 1/4-inch clear space above, below, and on both sides,
  • and be located below return address, immediately above delivery address, left of the postage area and below any rate marking, or below postage area and below any rate marking.
Check the U.S. Postal Service website for more information.




www.uiowa.edu/~fuscmail/reference/usps/endorsmt.htm
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Updated June 28, 2005, by the web administrator. Contact the Central Mail Services manager with questions or comments.
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