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Submit requests for the following:
- Lab Alcohol Ordering
- Meter Barcode Change
- Special Mailing
- Stamp Ordering
- Business Reply Mail Artwork
What is Mail Metering and Billing?
Metering is a method used by the university to pay for postage without using stamps.
After pickup, mail is metered with a printed postage mark—a digital stamp showing the sender has paid.
Billing is the method used to track and charge postage costs.
Each department has a billing code, and postage costs are charged to that account when mail is sent through the university mail center.
Metering Procedure
Mail and Receiving Services charges for outgoing mail at preset rates for letters and large envelopes weighing up to 13 ounces.
Mail received by 4 p.m. is processed the same day and sent off campus for sorting and barcoding before delivery to the downtown post office that evening.
Billing Procedure
Mail Services will not accept department mail for metering without a current billing barcode. Please check with your department to learn the proper code for your department. Postage costs are billed through Workday, and detailed postage reports are uploaded to a Box folder for departmental access.
If you need a barcode assigned or modified, please complete the meter barcode request form. A Mail Services team member will contact you after the form has been submitted.
Departments requiring multiple billing accounts should contact Mail and Receiving Services to establish proper billing procedures. A nominal service fee applies to most types of mail.
Types of Mail
- Print and secure your barcode forms (with your account and charge information) to the mail with rubber bands.
- Business-size (#10) envelopes do not have to be sealed. We prefer the flaps to be “shingled” with flaps up.
- If you have a 9″ x 12″ or 10″ x 13″ envelope with the flap on the top (the long edge), we can seal it at the same time we meter, as long as it is no more than 1/2″ in thickness.
- All mail will be sealed if it is not received sealed. Please seal bulky-oversized pieces.
- Mail trays and tubs are available for large mailings.
- Mail services can pick up your overnight domestic packages with your preprinted forms.
- Each package will be weighed and delivered to a drop box or pick-up location.
- Please complete the specific form of the service you desire, with your own account number if you have one. If not, we can send by Federal Express or USPS Express Mail and charge back for the service fee.
- We can provide Federal Express, UPS, DHL and Express Mail forms and supplies.
- Mail services can provide ground services to you.
- Please indicate the desired service on the mail service form.
- Also, indicate the dollar amount on the form if insurance is required.
- Various flat rate Priority Mail envelopes and boxes are available.
- If you want to track a Priority Mail item, please inform Mail Services.
- Provides you with a receipt at the time of mailing and a record of delivery.
- Certified mail is a good choice when you want to prove that you mailed something and that it was received.
- Items travel as First Class Mail.
- Must use with certified or registered mail. Service provides a signed receipt that is mailed to the sender with the signature and date of delivery.
- A highly secure form of delivery that is documented at each step of the way.
- Registered mail is best for sending documents or items that have an intrinsic value, where security is important.
- Mail takes approximately one day longer than certified mail to arrive as it has to be accounted for at each step along the way.
- This mail is kept under lock and key during its journey.
- For rates, please call Lauriette Brady at 935-7948 or email at lmbrady@wustl.edu.
- Forms must be completed and attached to the mail. Please note on the Certified Mail white portion of the receipt, the name and box number if you want it returned to you in campus mail with the USPS official round stamp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Using presort or metered mail helps the university qualify for lower postage rates, saving money on outgoing mail.
If you’re sending a large batch of letters or packages, coordinate with the Mail Center in advance. This helps schedule metering, pickup times, and ensures your mailing is processed efficiently.
Only include the street address, city, state, and ZIP code on the last two lines of the address. Any “Attention” lines or special instructions should go at the top of the address block. Learn more about addressing standards here.
Yes. Leave at least ⅝ inch (5/8″) of blank space at the bottom of a #10 envelope. This space is required for postal barcoding and helps the USPS process mail accurately.
Make sure the entire address is visible through the window and that no other text shows in the window area. Misaligned addresses can cause delivery delays.
Avoid using red or dark-colored paper stock for envelopes or inserts. These colors can interfere with postal scanners.
Yes. Always include a return address with your department’s Mail Stop Code (MSC). This allows undeliverable mail to be returned or redirected quickly.