UCR MAIL SERVICES

Addressing Mail to UCR

When sending mail to the university, be sure to include your name, building name and room number. All mail should be addressed to your building's individual address, not the central campus address (900 University Ave.). Mail Services will deliver your mail to your building's Resident Services Office, which will notify you when your mail is ready for pickup.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How to Address a Letter
  

  To address an envelope, you should write your information (return address) in the top-left corner and the recipient's information in the lower-middle. The postage stamp goes in the top-right corner.

  The place you're mailing to (recipient's address):

  1. Person you are writing to (if writing to a business, you can put "Attn:" first if you want it to go to a specific person)
     1. Example: ATTN: SCOTTIE BEAR
  2. Business name (if applicable; if not, skip this line)
  3. Street address, including unit, apartment or space number (if applicable). These space numbers can either go on the same line or on their own line one below
     1. If you are sending to a Post Office box, you should include either the Post Office box or the street address, but not both
     2. If the address you are sending to also has a directional, such as NW Main St, be sure to include that information
  4. City, State (2-letter abbreviation) and ZIP code (all on one line) with a comma between city and state, but no comma between state and ZIP
  5. Country (if not the same as your country)

  Your information (return address):

  1. Your name
  2. Your business name (if applicable; if not, skip this line)
  3. Your street address, including unit, apartment or space number (if applicable). These space numbers can either go on the same line or on their own line one below
  4. City, State (2-letter abbreviation) and ZIP code (all on one line) with a comma between city and state, but no comma between state and ZIP
  5. Country (if not the same as your recipient's country)

   

  Addressing Example

  ATTN: SCOTTIE BEAR UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE 900 UNIVERSITY AVE. RIVERSIDE, CA 92521

   

• How to Address a Package
  

  To address a package, you should write your information (return address) in the top-left corner and the recipient's information in the lower-middle. If you have a return label, place it on top of the package or on the longest edge.

  The place you're mailing to (recipient's address):

  1. Person you are writing to (if writing to a business, you can put "Attn:" first if you want it to go to a specific person)
     1. Example: ATTN: NORM T. NAVEL
  2. Business name (if applicable; if not, skip this line)
  3. Street address, including unit, apartment or space number (if applicable). These space numbers can either go on the same line or on their own line one below
     1. If you are sending to a Post Office box, you should include either the Post Office box or the street address, but not both
     2. If the address you are sending to also has a directional, such as NW Main St, be sure to include that information
  4. City, State (2-letter abbreviation) and ZIP code (all on one line) with a comma between city and state, but no comma between state and ZIP
  5. Country (if not the same as your country)

  Your information (return address):

  1. Your name
  2. Your business name (if applicable; if not, skip this line)
  3. Your street address, including unit, apartment or space number (if applicable). These space numbers can either go on the same line or on their own line one below
  4. City, State (2-letter abbreviation) and ZIP code (all on one line) with a comma between city and state, but no comma between state and ZIP
  5. Country (if not the same as your recipient's country)

  Addressing Example

  ATTN: NORM T. NAVEL UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE 900 UNIVERSITY AVE. RIVERSIDE, CA 92521

• How to Address a Postcard
  

  To address a postcard, you should write your information (return address) in the top-left corner and the recipient's information in the lower-middle. Many postcards have pre-printed lines on the back for your recipient's address, your address or for both. The postage stamp goes in the top-right corner.

  The place you're mailing to (recipient's address):

  1. Person you are writing to
  2. Street address, including unit, apartment or space number (if applicable). These space numbers can either go on the same line or on their own line one below
     1. If you are sending to a Post Office box, you should include either the Post Office box or the street address, but not both
     2. If the address you are sending to also has a directional, such as NW Main St, be sure to include that information
  3. City, State (2-letter abbreviation) and ZIP code (all on one line) with a comma between city and state, but no comma between state and ZIP
  4. Country (if not the same as your country)

  Your information (return address):

  1. Your name
  2. Your street address, including unit, apartment or space number (if applicable). These space numbers can either go on the same line or on their own line one below
  3. City, State (2-letter abbreviation) and ZIP code (all on one line) with a comma between city and state, but no comma between state and ZIP
  4. Country (if not the same as your recipient's country)

  Addressing Example

  ATTN: WILD DONKEYS UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE 900 UNIVERSITY AVE. RIVERSIDE, CA 92521

• How to Address International Mail

  To send a piece of mail internationally, you should write your information (including your country name) in the top-left corner and the recipient's information (including their country name) in the lower-middle. The postage stamp goes in the top-right corner.

  The place you're mailing to (recipient's address):

  1. Person you are writing to (if writing to a business, you can put "Attn:" first if you want it to go to a specific person)
     1. Example: Attn: Scottie Bear
  2. Business name (if applicable; if not, skip this line)
  3. Street address, including unit, apartment or space number (if applicable). These space numbers can either go on the same line or on their own line one below
     1. If the address you are sending to also has a directional, such as NW Main St, be sure to include that information
  4. City/town name (or other subdivision, such as province, county, state, etc.) and postal code
  5. Country name (in uppercase letters)

  Your information (return address):

  1. Your name
  2. Your business name (if applicable; if not, skip this line)
  3. Your street address, including unit, apartment or space number (if applicable). These space numbers can either go on the same line or on their own line one below
  4. City, State (2-letter abbreviation) and ZIP code (all on one line) with a comma between city and state, but no comma between state and ZIP
  5. Country name (in uppercase letters)

  Addressing Example

  HIS MAJESTY THE KING BUCKINGHAM PALACE LONDON SW1A 1AA ENGLAND

• Important Tips & Tricks

  Addressing

  • If you are sending to a Post Office box, you should include either the Post Office box or the street address, but not both.
  • If the address you are sending to includes a directional, such as NW Main St, include that information to ensure it is delivered to the correct address.
  • To find a ZIP code, you can use the Post Office's lookup tool.
  • The Post Office also offers a list of common abbreviations for locations and directions.
  • Align both your address and your recipient's address with the longest side.
  • Consider placing an additional packing slip inside your package with your recipient's name and address so the package can still be delivered if the exterior label comes off.
  • Print both your address and your recipient's address on the same (front) side of the envelope or package.
  • For international mail:
    • Write all addresses/names in uppercase letters.
    • For addresses in Arabic, Chinese, Cyrillic, Greek, Hebrew, Japanese or Russian, provide an English translation of the addressee's full name and complete address, if possible.
    • If possible, keep addresses to no more than five lines.
    • Only write the country name (no abbreviations) on the last line of the address.
    • Foreign postal codes (if applicable) should appear on the line directly above the destination country.

  Postage

  • The postage amount depends on the size/weight of what you're mailing, as well as how quickly you want it to arrive.
  • Additional services (signature on delivery, insurance, etc.) will add additional costs/fees.
  •  If your piece of mail exceeds the maximum length, height or thickness for one category, it automatically gets classified as the next-largest shape. For example, a letter that is more than 1/4" thick will be charged as a large envelope.
  • Unusual shapes (such as square envelopes) or difficult-to-process mail (such as envelopes where the address is written parallel to the shorter edge) will require additional postage
  • To determine the cost, "length" of a package always refers to its longest side

  Packaging

  • Do not seal packages with duct tape or masking tape, as these can lift off and catch on other boxes, unsealing yours! Instead, use 2-inch-wide clear or brown packaging tape.
  • Do not place oddly shaped or stiff items, such as pens, keys or letter openers, in letter envelopes, as the Post Office will not be able to feed them through their machines. Put these items in boxes or between pieces of cardboard in larger envelopes (manila envelopes, bubble mailers, etc.).
  • If you are mailing fragile/breakable items, write "fragile" on your package.
  • If you are mailing food or other items that may spoil, write "perishable" on your package.