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Department Mail

department mail

Department mail is received and route sorted at the mail and package warehouse, then distributed daily to departments, faculty, and staff located on the Blacksburg campus.


Department Mail Guidelines

All mail sent to Mail Services requires a completed transaction card, click here to download the PDF.

To ensure an address can be machine read, the following guidelines are recommended:

  • Make sure the return address is in the top left corner of the envelope.
  • Use a printer or typewriter to write the address in block lettering. Use Courier as the font type at 10 or 12 point size. The characters must not touch and must not be in italics.
  • The city, state, and zip code should be the last line of the address. The street address should be the next–to–last line. The lines of the address should be evenly spaced.
  • Write the street address, city, and state in capital letters without punctuation.
  • The entire street address should be on a single line including secondary information, such as an apartment number. If a street has a North, South, East, or West designation, use standard postal abbreviations.
  • Write the address in the center of the envelope. When using labels, make sure the labels are attached horizontally and not skewed either up or down. Check to see that the address is not partially hidden in an envelope with a transparent window.
  • The surface of postcards / envelopes must not be glossy or dark finish; otherwise, the postage ink will not dry or show up and will be returned to your department.

Separating Mail

  • All letters and flats to be metered must be turned the same direction in the mail tray/hod. This increases the speed of metering the mail piece and ensure that the mail will be processed that day.
  • There is no advantage to separating Blacksburg (local) mail from other United States Postal Service mail.
  • All first class, international mail, and campus mail should be separated.
  • A separate transaction card should be filled out for each class of mail.

Envelope Sealing

Departmental Mail is capable of sealing letter–sized envelopes with the flaps folded up or down; leaving the flaps up is preferred.


External Mail

Critical First Class Mail must be at Virginia Tech Mail Services by 12 p.m. to guarantee same day processing. 

Regular First Class Mail must be at Virginia Tech Mail Services before 2 p.m. for same day processing. Mail received after 2 p.m. may be held for next day processing, excluding weekends.

Large mailings may be dropped of at Virginia Tech Mail Services, 1425 South Main Street between 7:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 1 - 4 p.m.

Internal Mail

Mail carriers deliver pieces of university mail to various departments on the Blacksburg, Virginia campus. There is no charge for internal mail.

To expedite delivery, employees are asked to address university mail as follows:

Joe Hokie
Department Name (your mail code)  (LINK)

All international deliveries must have a destination telephone number, complete street address, and postal code of the destination country.

Best Practices:
  • Letter mail should be placed in plastic letter trays. The letters should be stood on edge, all oriented in the same direction.
  • Large envelopes should be placed in deep plastic tubs. The envelopes should lay flat, and should be oriented in the same direction.
  • If you have three or more trays or plastic tubs, they will need to be transported in a hamper, which is a large cart with canvas sides.
USPS Letter Mail
  • USPS Letter Mail must meet the requirements set by USPS.
  • Seal and Meter: Only use top flap envelopes. Ensure that all flaps are either fully open or completely closed.
  • For large envelopes, they should be sealed and laid flat. Additionally, all envelopes should be oriented in the same direction.
USPS - other than letters: 
  • Large envelopes that are rigid or contain pens, etc.
  • Flat rate envelopes and boxes
  • Tubes and boxes
  • Padded envelopes and pouches (Meter strips count)
Large Volume Mailing Request:

To schedule a pickup for your large volume mailing, kindly fill out the form below. Please note that a minimum advance notice of three days is required. We will deliver any necessary supplies and equipment 2–3 days prior to your scheduled pickup date.





















Contact Us!

Department Mail
departmentmail@vt.edu
Hours: 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.