Postal & Parcel Services offers more than just outgoing metered mail.  We are responsible for the incoming US mail to each office on campus, business reply and postage due pieces, delivery and pick-up of all inter-departmental mail, preparation and shipping of the express and overnight packages, and much more.

• Campus Mail

• Business Reply

• Postage Due

• Customs Information

• Campus Express

• Capitol Complex Shuttle

• Hazardous Materials shipping

• Re-used packaging

• We do not...

Filling out a mail
instruction card:

• White card

• Green card

Campus Mail
All mail going from one campus location to another may be sent via Campus Mail.  Mail routes are run daily, with most buildings receiving one stop per day.  All incoming US and Campus Mail will be delivered to a specific location in your building.  Any outgoing mail you have at that time will be picked up for processing and delivery.

Outgoing Campus Mail received by 4:30 pm will be delivered the next business day. 

The ISU campus has a ZIP+4 system in place.  Please mark all mail with the +4 zip code numbers as part of the recipients address.  For example:

Jim Ziebold
Postal & Parcel Services
184 General Services Building
4005

Business Reply Mail
Business Reply Mail (BRM) uses preprinted First-Class Mail pieces for which you, not your customer, pay the return postage.  Postal & Parcel Services holds a BRM permit for the whole university, which allows us to help you keep fees down by combining the volumes of BRM from all the departments on campus.

The US Postal Service's specifications for business reply postcards and envelopes are very strict, ISU Printing Services can help you create these documents to assure the correct information is included (294-3601).

You will need to have a Postal barcode number set up in order to use this service.  Along with your return campus address, it will be printed directly on your business reply piece.

The USPS returns Business Reply Mail to us each day.  We then sort and return the mail to you with a slip noting the charges, number of pieces, and the P-number billed.

Postage Due
Incoming mail that does not have sufficient postage will be billed as Postage Due mail.  As many people receive mail through us, we have compiled a list of postal barcode numbers to bill for these charges (usually a general department fund account).  A slip noting the charges billed to that P-number will be forwarded on to the recipient along with the mail piece.

Customs Information
When shipping through the United States Postal Service, international packages that are bulky or oddly shaped OR greater than 1lb  must have a customs declaration attached.  We can provide this service if you let us know the contents and value of your package on the mail instruction card.

Small customs forms (Form 2976) are for packages weighing 1 to 4 lbs.
Large customs forms (Form 2976-A) are for packages weighing 4 lbs and over.

A detailed description of the contents should be filled in.  Approx value is required.

Campus Express
Small packages under 20 lbs. $4.00 flat fee (extra large or heavy items may have a higher charge).  Pickup and delivery on campus within hours. This is usually accomplished using student employees and is sometimes restricted because of staffing.

Hours of operation are: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. during normal University working business days.

Capitol Complex Shuttle
The University and the Iowa State Capitol Complex offices in Des Moines have a courier service.

Letters and small packets are picked up and delivered daily. There is no charge for this service.

All mail to the Capitol Complex must have an official university return address and a mailing address as though it were to be processed in the U. S. mail.

The envelope should bear the inscription (using a red felt-tip pen), "Capitol Complex, Local Mail", where the stamp would normally be applied.

Items sent through Capitol Complex do not require a mail instruction card. Items to be sent to the Capitol Complex may be placed in departmental outgoing mailboxes or taken to the mail center. Items must be at the mail center no later than 11:00 a.m. the day they are to be sent out. Items received after 11:00 a.m. will be dispatched the next working day.

Hazardous Materials Shipping
Some things were never meant to be mailed!  You must call Environmental Health & Safety (294-7417) BEFORE you ship potentially hazardous materials OR materials requiring non-regulated paperwork.  This is especially important for International shipping, as often the recipient must have import paperwork in order to receive some materials.  Hazardous materials may include:

Re-used Packaging
It is acceptable to re-use certain boxes for shipments, but please adhere to these guidelines:

Cross off or cover up any old barcodes or markings from previous use (this includes previous airbills or tracking numbers)

Hazardous materials labels must be completely obliterated if you intend to use the box for non haz-mat items.  This means removing the ENTIRE sticker (not just "most" of it) or completely covering it up (black tape is available if you do not have appropriate materials).

The box should still be in good condition.  Boxes with dents, tears, rips, holes, etc may be refused by our carriers.  They must deliver the packages in good condition, and it becomes difficult to determine when the damage occured if they receive a package that already looks beat up.

We Do Not...
We do not, or cannot provide the following services: