First Class Mail

First Class Mail is material wholly or partially handwritten, including carbons, postcards, completed forms, statements, invoices, and typewritten or computer-processed correspondence. This is what most people have in mind when they mail something through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).

All mail-able matter may be sent as First Class Mail with the exception of certain items shown in the Domestic Mail Manual C010.9.0. In addition, the following items may be mailed only as First Class or Express Mail: matter that is written or typewritten, matter that is closed against postal inspection, matter having the character of actual and personal correspondence, bills and statements of account.

First Class Mail receives expeditious handling and transportation in an effort to achieve the following service objectives: overnight delivery between the point of mailing and the locally designated cities and sectional centers, second-day delivery for locally designated states, third-day delivery for the remainder of the United States. The USPS does not guarantee the delivery of First Class Mail.

ASU Departments:  Mail with the nonprofit stamp cannot be sent First Class. 

First Class Mail must have the following items listed correctly:

• Sender’s information in the top left corner
• Recipient’s information in the center
• The recipient’s information must be high enough on the mailing to allow room for postal service barcodes and zip code  stamps. If the recipient information is too low on mailings, the machines at the post office will send it back to ASU instead of to the recipient.
• There must be room on the top right side of all mailings for postage imprinting.

All outgoing mail and packages, must have a return address including the name of the individual that is sending the item.

Please do not use glossy or slick envelopes, as this causes the postage ink to smear. Please do not us pink or red envelopes, as our red ink will not show on envelopes. If you are using red or pink envelopes, a stamp would be a better option.

Bulk permit imprint should only be used on items being processed as bulk mail. It cannot be used on any other class of mail, such as first class.

Schedule

Currently, USPS collects all outgoing mail once daily at 3:15 p.m. All outgoing USPS mail brought to Mail Services by 2:30 p.m. will be processed the same day. However, unusual peak periods, equipment down time, and situations beyond our control could cause your mail processing to be delayed, though this is not a common occurrence.