The mailer is responsible for the correct endorsement and placement of the endorsement on each mailpiece to provide delivery instruction or to request an ancillary service (forwarding, return, or address correction), subject to the corresponding standards for use and availability. Placement of endorsement on the mailpiece is determined as follows:

• A retention period specified by the mailer must be placed directly above the return address.
• Any ancillary service endorsement (e.g., Address Service Requested, Forwarding Service Requested, Return Service Requested, Change Service Requested) must be placed in one of these four positions:
  • Directly below the return address.
  • Directly above the delivery address area (which includes the delivery address block and any related non-address elements such as a barcode, keyline, or optional endorsement line).
  • Directly to the left of the postage area and below or to the left of any price marking.
  • Directly below the postage area and below any price marking.
• The carrier release endorsement “CARRIER – LEAVE IF NO RESPONSE” must appear directly to the left of the postage area (preferred) or be placed directly below the return address.
• A minimum ¼ inch clear space must appear between any other printing and the carrier release endorsement.
• If an ancillary service endorsement is used, the carrier release endorsement must be separated from the ancillary service endorsement by the equivalent of one blank line of the type size used.

Return Address
When a printed ancillary service endorsement is used, or a request is embedded within an Intelligent Mail barcode, a domestic return address must be placed in the upper left corner of the address side of the mailpiece or the upper left corner of the addressing area. If the return address is multiple delivery addresses, it must show a unit designator (apartment number or something of the sort).

Class of Mail
There are multiple different mailing classes to choose from when you are mailing. These classes are determined by things like whether you are a non-profit or not, how many pieces you want to mail, and how much you are willing to pay to get it out quickly. You can choose from:

• Priority Mail Express
• Priority Mail
• First-Class
• USPS Marketing Mail
• Non-profit (must be an established non-profit organization with mailing permit)

Each class has its own benefit so it is wise to find out which one will be the best for your mailing.

Postal regulations are a very complex topic and unfortunately, the USPS changes the regulations frequently. We are here to help with any questions and can even guide you through the mailing process. Some information within this article may be subject to change. We have tried to compile the most important pieces of information for you to have a successful mail drop. Things like barcodes, stamps, indicias, dimensional standards, etc. are important to allow for a smooth flowing process through the post office and hopefully, our information will give you good insight on how to correctly set up a mail piece.