LetterStream Blog

USPS Postage Rates Are Rising Again This July. Here’s What You Need to Know.

The First-Class stamp is about to rise by another five cents starting on July 13, 2025.

Here’s What You Need to Know

It’s happening again. Starting July 13, 2025, the United States Postal Service (USPS) will raise its postage prices. Luckily, this is the first increase of the year. In the past, USPS has been known to raise its prices twice in one year (both in January and July), but this year, they surprised us and gave us all a bit of a break in January. However, we couldn’t get too comfortable.

Bummer, we know.

So, if you’re mailing statements, notices, compliance letters, or Certified Mail, this change affects your bottom line. The good news? We’re being completely transparent with the cost, making it easy to understand and even easier to manage.

July 2025 USPS Postage Rate Increase: What’s Changing?

First, let’s look at what the USPS is changing this July:

First-Class Letters (1 oz): $0.73 → $0.78 (5¢ increase)
First-Class Metered Mail: $0.69 → $0.74 (5¢ increase)
International Letters (1 oz): $1.65 → $1.70 (5¢ increase)
First-Class Flats: $1.50 → $1.63 (13¢ increase)
Certified Mail: $4.85 → $5.30 (45¢ increase)
Certified ERR (Electronic Return Receipt): $2.62 → $2.82 (20¢ increase)
Extra Ounces (Letters): $0.28 → $0.29 (1¢ increase)
Extra Ounces (Flats): $1.50 → $1.63 (13¢ increase)
Postcards: $0.56 → $0.62 (6¢ increase)
Registered Mail: $21.75 → $23.40 ($1.65 increase)
Registered Mail International RR: $6.10 → $6.70 (60¢ increase)
Certificate of Mailing (firmbook): $2.20 → $2.40 (20¢ increase)
Marketing Mail: 37¢ increase

LetterStream’s New Pricing Effective July 13, 2025

Now, keep in mind, LetterStream isn’t raising service prices, but we will be increasing the rate of postage. Our updated pricing list includes the new postage rates only, nothing more, nothing hidden.

LetterStream’s pricing list with new postage rates included:

First-Class Letter: New price starting at $1.23
Flats: New price starting at $2.67
Certified Mail (no ERR): New price starting at $8.34 (Certified Mail includes Certified Mail postage increase of 45¢ plus First-Class postage increase of 5¢, making the total postage increase 50¢)
Certified Mail with Electronic Return Receipt: New price starting at $11.16 (Certified Mail ERR includes Certified Mail postage increase of 45¢ plus First-Class postage increase of 5¢, making the total postage increase 50¢, along with the 20¢ ERR increase, putting the total postage increase at 70¢ per letter)
Express Postcards: New price starting at $0.87
PRO Postcards: New price starting at $1.25 (Pro Postcards get the same amount as First-Class postage, which increased by 5¢)
International Letters: New price starting at $2.73
Marketing Mail: New price starting at $ 1.41
Registered Mail: New price starting at $35.88 (Registered mail always goes up by the Registered base increase, plus Registered International Return Receipt, and First-Class International (so this time around, first class int’l is going up by .05, int’l return receipt is going up by .60, and registered base is going up by 1.65, so the Registered Mail cost is going up by a total of 2.30)
Extra Ounces (Letters): New price going up to $0.29
Extra Ounces (Flats): New price going up to $1.63

To view a breakdown by product type, visit our products page.

Why This Matters for Your Business

If you’re sending hundreds—or thousands—of pieces of mail a month by snail mail, even a five-cent increase per item adds up. Here’s why now is the time to review your mailing operations:

Budget Smarter, Not Harder – Postage may seem like a minor line item—until it suddenly isn’t. A few cents here and there can quietly add thousands to your annual spend if you’re mailing at scale. This mid-year increase gives you a chance to reforecast your mailing budget, adjust client billing (if applicable), and avoid end-of-year sticker shock. The businesses that stay ahead of these changes are the ones that don’t lose sleep over them.
Reassess the Way You Mail – If your team is still printing documents, folding them by hand, stuffing envelopes, applying postage, and hauling bins to the post office—you’re not just paying more in postage now. You’re also spending time, labor, and resources on a process that could be handled in minutes. Higher USPS rates only amplify the cost of inefficiency. Now’s the perfect time to ask: Is your mailing strategy working for you, or slowing you down?
Communicate Across the Board – Postage hikes affect more than just your mailroom—they ripple through your budget, operations, and customer relationships. If you pass along mail costs to clients, it’s essential to communicate the new rates clearly and proactively. And internally, make sure your teams are aligned so there are no surprises when the next invoice goes out. A little transparency now builds a lot of trust later.
Shift to Smarter Delivery (Without Losing Control) – You don’t have to overhaul your business to modernize your mail. Whether you’re outsourcing Certified Mail, exploring First-Class automation, there are ways to mail smarter without reinventing the wheel. Let your team focus on high-value work, and let us handle the envelopes, postage, mailing and even tracking. You’ll gain time, control, and peace of mind.

Let LetterStream Handle the Heavy Lifting

Unfortunately, we can’t stop USPS from raising prices, but we can make sending mail a lot easier, faster, and more reliable.

Here are some benefits of having an account with LetterStream:

Upload a document and send it in under 2 minutes
Track Certified Mail right from inside of your account
No minimums, no monthly fees
Store and access all your job history and PDFs digitally
Add multiple users and manage accounts easily
Get fast, accurate and reliable mailing, every time
Trips to the Post Office are a thing of the past

Considering Email Instead? We’ve Got That Too.

We get it—when postage goes up (again), the idea of going digital gets a little more appealing. If you’re rethinking how you send statements, notices, or other business-critical documents, you’re not alone, and you don’t have to leave LetterStream to make the switch.

In addition to our full suite of print and mail services, we also offer eDoc Delivery, a simple way to send your documents via email, straight from your LetterStream account. This service can be done in place of or in addition to your regular UPSP mailings.

To learn more visit our free 24/7 online Chatbot for pricing and next steps.

Don’t Let the Postage Hike Slow You Down

Mail is still essential for business and it doesn’t have to be a burden. With LetterStream, you can send smarter, stay ahead of pricing changes, and focus on what actually moves your business forward.

For more information regarding the July 2025 price increase, visit the USPS website or you can download the list of rate changes here.

LetterStream offers bulk printing and mailing services allowing companies to send physical mail online. Whether it’s online Certified Mail, First-Class Mail, FedEx 2Day, or postcards, we give both small businesses and large corporations that time and freedom back to work on tasks that better serve the company. If you’re interested in creating a free account, you can do so here.

How to Leverage Physical Mail for Legal Compliance

Legal teams can easily send Certified Mail online.

If there’s one thing legal teams, healthcare administrators, and financial institutions can agree on, it’s this: compliance is non-negotiable.

And while the world has gone increasingly digital, there’s a reason physical mail still shows up in the most regulated industries. Sometimes, sending a letter isn’t just a formality—it’s a legal requirement.

But not all physical mail processes are created equal. If your current system involves manually printing, stuffing, and mailing important documents from the back office, you might be introducing more risk than protection.

Here’s how a modern print and mail service can help your business use physical mail not just to check boxes, but to prove compliance at every turn.

Physical Mail and Compliance: Why It Still Matters

Let’s talk accountability. In many industries, proof of delivery isn’t optional—it’s essential. That’s especially true when you’re:

Sending client notifications about policy changes
Delivering privacy updates under HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
Mailing court documents, notices of action, or time-sensitive appeals
Issuing audit letters or collection notifications

Digital delivery has its place, sure—but email often doesn’t hold up in court, especially without read receipts or authentication. Physical mail, particularly Certified Mail online, gives you a record of delivery, timestamps, and peace of mind.

And when those letters can be sent, tracked, and confirmed without ever leaving your desk? That’s when compliance meets convenience.

Certified Mail Online = Instant Legal Backup

Let’s say you need to prove that a legal notice was sent on a specific date. With traditional in-house methods, you’re relying on someone to save a tracking number, scan a receipt, and file it correctly. That’s a lot of human error.

With online Certified Mail, like the service provided by LetterStream, each letter is tracked automatically, and confirmation is stored digitally. There’s even an option to choose an Electronic Return Receipt (Certified Mail green card, but online). No envelopes to seal. No receipts to lose. Just mail sent out fast.

You can even access your tracking number right in your account without ever having to type it in.

Avoiding Risk with HIPAA-Compliant Mail Handling

Healthcare organizations are under intense pressure to maintain compliance around patient communications. From billing statements to test results to benefits information, every document must be handled with care.

LetterStream’s secure print and mail operations ensure that sensitive data is encrypted and processed under strict protocols. That includes:

Access control
Document-level tracking
Secure data transmission and storage
Envelope masking for privacy
Process logs for audit trails

If you’re still printing these documents in an open office, it’s time to ask: is your mail truly HIPAA-compliant? A third-party platform built for business-critical mail reduces the risk—and keeps you focused on patients, not paper jams.

Finance, Law, and Real Estate: Timing Is Everything

In industries where deadlines are legally binding, your mail strategy is a compliance strategy.

Miss a filing deadline? Lose a delivery record? That’s more than a headache—it can be a liability.

With a cloud-based SaaS platform, you can even automate regular mailings (like monthly statements, notices, or legal documents) through our API and have access to time-stamped records for every mailpiece. Tools like StreamLogic™ even let you set up recurring logic that ensures compliance deadlines are met—without last-minute scrambles.

Building a Defensible Audit Trail

The more regulated your industry, the more valuable your audit trail becomes. Think of it like a seatbelt—you don’t need it until you really need it.

A modern print and mail service allows you to:

Access digital proofs of delivery
Track Certified Mail documents from upload to mailbox
Verify timestamps and user actions
Store records securely for future reference

That means if an auditor, regulator, or client ever needs documentation, it’s not a panic—it’s a quick lookup.

Physical Mail as a Competitive Advantage

Ironically, in a digital-first world, being able to show your clients that you take physical, trackable communication seriously builds trust.

You’re not just checking compliance boxes—you’re communicating credibility.

Whether you’re notifying residents in a class-action case or sending annual policy disclosures to thousands of clients, snal mail creates a paper trail. One that says: We’re not cutting corners.

What to Look for in a Compliant Mail Partner

Not all platforms are built with compliance in mind. When choosing a partner, make sure they offer:

Encrypted data handling
Automated Certified Mail options
Secure physical facilities
Internal safeguards against human error
Real-time delivery data
U.S.-based processing centers

Yes, we do all of that—and we do it fast.

Final Thought: When the Law Says “Prove It”

Legal compliance isn’t something to scramble for when things go wrong. It should be baked into your systems—your everyday process, your standard operating procedure.

When your mail strategy supports that, you’re not just meeting expectations, you’re exceeding them.

LetterStream offers bulk printing and mailing services, allowing companies to send physical mail online. Whether it’s online Certified Mail, First-Class Mail, FedEx 2Day, or postcards, we give both small businesses and large corporations that time and freedom back to work on tasks that better serve the company. If you’re interested in creating a free account, you can do so here.

How to Improve Company Culture With Your Mailing Strategy

Ever seen a company that still prints invoices one at a time, seals them by hand, and hopes they don’t run out of envelopes again this week?

It might seem harmless—or even charming—but here’s the truth: the way your business handles its mail says more about your internal culture than you might realize.

Whether you’re a growing healthcare practice, a multi-location law firm, or a property management company juggling thousands of statements, your mailing strategy reflects your values. Speed. Precision. Accountability. Flexibility. It’s all there, hidden in the way you send that Certified Mail notice or First-Class billing reminder.

So, what does your mail say about you?

Your Operations Are a Mirror

Let’s say your office manager spends two hours a day printing, folding, and stuffing envelopes. That’s not just inefficiency—it’s culture signaling. It says you’re okay with manual tasks eating up valuable time. It suggests you might be slow to adopt automation, or that you prioritize tradition over scale.

Now flip the script. Imagine a streamlined system where someone uploads a document, clicks a button, and it’s out the door—automatically tracked, printed, and handled. That doesn’t just save time. It communicates trust in technology, intentionality in operations, and care for your people’s time.

And yes, it says you’re serious about getting important documents where they need to go—without excuses.

The Hidden Impact on Employee Experience

Culture isn’t just what you say in your handbook—it’s how your team feels when they show up to work. If your staff is bogged down with printer jams and envelope glue, they’re not doing their best work. They’re surviving the work.

When companies use a print and mail service to handle time-consuming document delivery, they free up space for employees to focus on meaningful tasks. That shift sends a message: We value your time. We want your role to scale with the business. We invest in tools that support your success.

It’s one of the quietest, most powerful morale boosters out there.

Trust Starts with Precision

If your mail is inconsistent, delayed, or missing tracking info, your customers notice—even if they never say a word. Slow mail can erode trust, especially when dealing with invoices, legal notices, or anything compliance-related.

Automating your Certified Mail online or First-Class notices communicates professionalism. It shows that you don’t just say you care about details—you prove it with reliable, traceable systems.

A modern mail strategy shows you value transparency and accuracy. It reinforces that you’re a company people can count on.

Adaptability Matters More Than Ever

Let’s talk about 2020. (Briefly, promise.)

The businesses that adapted—who already had scalable systems in place or pivoted quickly—came out stronger. Those clinging to in-person processes struggled. Your mail strategy needs to be as adaptable as your business model.

Using an online platform to send mail allows your team to upload and send from anywhere. Whether they’re at headquarters, in a remote office, or working from a laptop at home, the system stays the same. That’s culture. That’s flexibility. That’s long-term thinking.

What Industry Leaders Are Already Doing

Forward-thinking organizations in legal, healthcare, and property management already rely on automated platforms like LetterStream. Not because it’s trendy, but because it’s smart.

They’ve realized that outsourcing print and mail doesn’t just solve a logistics problem. It sets the tone for how their business operates: efficiently, reliably, and without bottlenecks.

Plus, they get access to features like StreamLogic™ to automate recurring sends, track every mailpiece, and get real-time delivery data.

That’s not just better mail—that’s a better organization.

Where to Begin: Start Small, Then Scale

You don’t have to overhaul everything overnight. Start by identifying your most repetitive, high-volume mailing tasks:

Monthly statements
Legal notices
Internal HR documents
Certified Mail to clients or vendors

From there, integrate a print and mail service that lets your team send them online, with tracking and delivery confirmation. Over time, you’ll build a smarter, more resilient mail operation—and a more empowered team.

Culture Is in the Details

At the end of the day, your mailing strategy is about more than envelopes and paper trays. It’s a reflection of what you stand for.

Do you prioritize people’s time?
Are you ready to scale?
Do you invest in the right tools for the job?

When your mail says yes to all of those questions—your company culture becomes something your employees and clients actually feel. And that makes all the difference.

How Schools and Institutions Can Easily Get Mail Sent Out

LetterStream helps schools and institutions send mail online.

The back-to-school season doesn’t just mean new pencils, packed cafeterias, and orientation emails—it also means a mountain of critical mail. Universities, community colleges, K–12 schools, and trade institutions are flooded with time-sensitive documents: financial aid letters, tuition statements, admissions decisions, policy updates, transcripts… you name it.

And if you’re still relying on in-house printers, overworked office staff, or worse—hoping the copier doesn’t jam again—it’s time to rethink your strategy.

Because yes, you can send mail online. And for schools, that’s not just a convenience—it’s a necessity.

Why Physical Mail Still Rules in Education

While email is convenient, important communications for educational institutions still depend on print. Why? Because mail adds formality, visibility, and compliance, especially when it comes to:

Financial aid decisions (FERPA-compliant formats, dated proofs of delivery)
Transcripts and graduation paperwork (often require original signatures or secure handling)
Admissions packets (first impressions matter—and physical mail carries weight)
Policy updates or disciplinary notices (Certified Mail ensures legal protection)

Even in 2025, there are moments where digital just doesn’t cut it. And that’s where a modern print and mail service comes in.

A Better Way to Send School Mail: Online Platforms Built for Volume and Urgency

Imagine this: your admissions team uploads a PDF. It’s printed, stuffed, sorted, and sent—without you ever touching a printer. That’s what platforms like LetterStream offer: scalable mail automation that’s FERPA-friendly and built for accuracy.

Whether you’re sending 25 dorm move-in letters or 25,000 tuition notices, LetterStream can handle it, tracking each piece with delivery confirmation (using Certified Mail online) and keeping your staff free for more strategic work.

No supply closet stocking. No copier repairs. No “who forgot to seal the envelopes?” chaos.

Start-of-Year Chaos? Not Anymore.

The beginning of a semester brings serious mail traffic. Here’s what’s typically on your list:

Financial aid re-approvals
Parking permits and ID badge instructions
Class schedule confirmations
Housing assignments and rule packets
Student conduct updates
Billing notices for late tuition payments

That’s… a lot. And if you’re managing all of that in-house, your administrative staff is likely overwhelmed before you even begin.

By using a send mail online solution, you’re not just improving operations—you’re protecting your team’s sanity.

Bonus Points for Compliance (Yes, That’s a Thing)

FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) compliance isn’t optional. Neither is securely handling sensitive documents that include personal, academic, or financial data.

LetterStream’s systems are built to keep your mail secure and your records in line with industry regulations. You get audit trails, tracking numbers, and digital proofs of delivery. Need to send a transcript with Certified Mail? Done.

Oh, and we keep your data encrypted and protected—so IT can rest easy too.

From Admissions to Alumni: Supporting the Entire Student Journey

Let’s not forget the departments beyond admissions:

Registrar → Sends graduation verification, transcript requests, and enrollment status updates
Housing → Sends room assignments, checklists, and policy reminders
Financial Aid → Sends FAFSA status letters, disbursement timelines, and appeals notices
Student Conduct → Sends disciplinary notices and appeals by Certified Mail
Alumni Relations → Sends reunion invites, updates, and donation letters

Each department has mail needs—and different audiences to reach. However, with a centralized print and mail service, you can route everything through one streamlined platform.

The Real Win? Your People Focus on People

Most educational institutions don’t hire admin teams to fold letters and feed paper into trays. They hire them to support students, solve problems, and lead change.

When you move your mail operations online, you give your team the chance to do just that.

Less folding. More focus. Better service.

The Final Grade

Let’s be honest—printing and mailing shouldn’t feel like detention. Whether you’re prepping for move-in day or midterms, your students and faculty deserve systems that work. Modern, compliant, trackable, and fast.

Make the switch this semester. Your staff will thank you. And your copier? It can finally retire in peace.

How to Leverage Letterstream’s API to Send Mail Online

LetterStream’s API helps businesses automate sending mail online.

Still uploading spreadsheets and manually sending documents through a dashboard?

If your systems can talk to each other—but your mail still depends on someone hitting “print”—you’re leaving time, accuracy, and efficiency on the table.

Modern businesses aren’t just adopting digital tools. They’re connecting them. And if you’re still managing physical mail as a separate, manual process, it might be time to bring it into the fold—through automation.

That’s where the LetterStream API comes in.

Meet the LetterStream API: Built for Real Business Workflows

Our Application Programming Interface (API) allows you to trigger physical mail jobs—First-Class, and Certified Mail—directly from your own systems. No more logging in. No more uploading. Just a clean, secure handoff from your database or CRM to the mailbox.

In other words: your software sends the job. LetterStream handles the rest.

Use cases include:

Triggering Certified Mail when a case status changes in your legal software
Automatically mailing statements from your billing platform each month
Sending notices from your internal tools without needing a dashboard or admin

It’s the kind of automation that turns “How do we send this?” into “It’s already sent.”

What Can You Automate with the LetterStream API?

Once integrated, the API allows you to:

Create mailing jobs in real time
Upload PDFs and addresses directly from your system
Specify mail class (First-Class, and Certified Mail online)
Monitor job status through webhooks or queries
Access delivery confirmations, return receipts, and tracking data automatically

It’s flexible, lightweight, and developer-friendly—built with clean documentation, real code samples, and the support your team actually wants (instead of a 72-page manual with no index).

Need to get HIPAA notices out fast? Want tracking for every customer notice sent as Certified Mail? Done.

Real-World Example: A Law Firm Gets Its Thursdays Back

A midsize legal firm once spent every Thursday printing, assembling, and mailing compliance letters. Tracking Certified Mail was a manual task involving green cards and spreadsheets.

Now, as soon as a case hits a specific milestone in their legal software, a Certified Mail job is sent automatically through the API. It includes:

The correct recipient
A templated letter
Real-time tracking
Optional electronic return receipt

No late nights. No manual entry. Just automated compliance—and a team that gets to leave the office on time.

Why It’s About More Than Time-Saving

Sure, automation saves time. But when you’re sending critical, regulated, or time-sensitive mail, it also reduces risk. Manual processes come with built-in error potential.

For industries like:

Healthcare (HIPAA timelines and privacy requirements)
Legal (court deadlines and delivery proof)
Finance (statement timing and compliance notices)
HOAs (violation notices, ballot delivery, late fees)

…the LetterStream API provides a secure, trackable, and documented system for sending mail online, with the confidence of a digital audit trail.

No Platform Overhaul Required

This isn’t a rip-and-replace. You don’t have to change your CRM, build a new dashboard, or train your entire team.

In fact, you don’t even have to start big.

Many of our customers begin by automating one simple use case—like sending First-Class statements each month—and scale from there.

Need help from our team? We’ve got you.

Why Our Smartest Customers Use the API

It’s not just about convenience. It’s about building systems that:

Reduce human error
Create consistency across teams
Maintain compliance
Free up time for high-impact work

Instead of reacting to last-minute mail needs, your business can operate with proactive, automated workflows that scale with you—without breaking under pressure. That’s the real win.

LetterStream makes print and mail a breeze!

How to Prepare For the New USPS Postage Increase

Heads-up: USPS is raising postage prices on July 13, 2025, and yes—this affects your mail spend.

Starting July 13, 2025, the United States Postal Service (USPS) is raising its rates again. And while we’re not here to gripe about it (okay, maybe a little), it’s important that anyone sending business-critical mail knows exactly what this means—and what it doesn’t.

Because while USPS postage rates are going up, we’ve got one important update on our end: we’re not increasing our prices at LetterStream. But we will be adjusting the postage portion of your job to match the new USPS rates.

So let’s break it down in plain English.

What’s Changing with USPS Postage in July 2025?

USPS has announced a postage rate hike effective July 13, 2025. This includes increases to:

Forever stamps (1‑oz letters, retail): 73¢ → 78¢ (+5¢)
Metered letters (1‑oz): 69¢ → 74¢ (+5¢)
Domestic postcards: 56¢ → 62¢ (+6¢)
International letters/postcards (1‑oz): $1.65 → $1.70 (+5¢)
Additional ounce (letters): 28¢ → 29¢ (+1¢)

Everyone keeps asking why? Why does the USPS keep raising prices and the truth is, USPS cites inflation, transportation costs, and their Delivering for America 10-year plan, which is essentially their roadmap for becoming more self-sustaining and less reliant on congressional funding. (It’s ambitious. We’ll give them that.) The good news in all this, Certified Mail did NOT get a price increase, at least this time around.

📌 Source: U.S. Postal Service Recommends New Prices for July – Newsroom – About.usps.com

How Will This Impact Your Business Mail?

If you’re a business owner, HOA board, attorney, property manager, or anyone who relies on sending physical mail—this change affects you. Whether you send 50 invoices a week or 5,000 statements a month, higher postage means higher mailing costs… that’s why it’s important to plan for it.

LetterStream’s software automatically reflects the most current USPS rates, so you’ll always be working with accurate numbers. No guesswork. No surprises. But the important part is this: our print and processing prices aren’t changing.

The only increase you’ll see is the actual postage cost passed through from USPS.

**Wait, You’re Not Raising Prices?**

Correct. We’re keeping our service prices exactly the same.

We’re not in the business of sneaking in price hikes every time USPS makes a move. This doesn’t mean we won’t ever raise our prices in the future, but it would be because it makes sense for our business, not because the USPS upped their prices again. The only thing you’ll see go up on your invoice is the postage itself—because that’s the part we don’t control. We print it, we add postage, and we mail it, but we don’t drive the mail trucks to get it to its destination.

In other words, you still get the same streamlined, secure, high-quality print and mail service without paying more for it—even when the postage does its thing.

Why Postage Still Matters (Even in 2025)

You might be thinking, “Why does postage even matter in the digital age?”

Here’s the truth: physical mail still drives results when it comes to things like:

Legal and compliance notices
Certified Mail® tracking
HOA violation letters and annual meeting announcements
Invoices, checks, and account statements
Election mail, ballots, and secure communication

Digital can get lost in spam folders or unread inboxes. Mail gets opened, signed for, and taken seriously. But yes, you do need to keep up with postage changes—and know who’s actually handling your mail behind the scenes.

Preparing for the USPS July Price Increase

Here’s what we recommend:

Double-check your mailing budget – If you’re running recurring mailings or compliance letters, bake in the new postage rate starting mid-July.
Audit your mailings – Are you still sending return envelopes? Duplicating statements? Mailing to outdated addresses? This is a great time to streamline.
Use a platform like ours – If you’re still printing and stamping in-house, you’re not just absorbing postage increases—you’re paying in time, labor, and headaches.

Now’s the time to automate your print and mail process, make sure you’re sending the right pieces, and stop manually adjusting for rate changes.

Let’s Keep This Simple

To recap:

USPS postage is going up on July 13, 2025
LetterStream is not raising its prices
Your postage cost will reflect the new USPS rates automatically
Your mail will still go out fast, accurate, and tracked—without you lifting a finger

If you’ve never tried sending mail online with LetterStream, now’s a good time to make the switch.

We’ll keep printing, you stay focused on what matters because LetterStream makes print and mail a breeze!

The Security Behind Online Printing and Mailing Services at LetterStream

Let’s talk security in mailing.

Not the “reset your password again” kind of security—I’m talking about the kind that makes sure your sensitive mail gets where it’s supposed to go, without detours, delays, or drama.

Because here’s the thing: when you send important mail—statements, violation notices, ballots, financial docs—you’re not just trusting us with paper. You’re trusting us with information. And that trust is everything.

So let me pull back the curtain a bit on how security actually works around here at LetterStream.

Not Just a Mailroom—A Lockbox with Printers

People tend to imagine online printing and mailing as this kind of vague cloud system—some portal, a few clicks, and poof! Your mail is out.

And yes, that’s basically how easy it is to send with us. But behind the curtain? It’s more like a highly controlled environment with restricted access, audit trails, secure handling practices, and daily internal checks. Think Fort Knox meets FedEx meets a team that drinks too much coffee and really loves precision.

We don’t let just anyone near your data or your mail. Our employees undergo background checks. Our building has access control. Our systems have layers of protection—digital and physical. Every file that comes through is tracked, logged, encrypted, and then processed with care. We’re not messing around.

We Take Privacy Seriously—And Personally

Here’s something else you should know: LetterStream does not share or sell customer information—period.

Your data stays your data. We don’t mine it, market it, or pass it off to third-party vendors. From the moment you upload your job to the moment it’s mailed, everything stays in our secure environment. We handle it ourselves—from file receipt to final postage—because we believe your privacy isn’t just a feature, it’s a non-negotiable promise.

If you’re curious, this philosophy is baked into how we serve sensitive industries like HOAs, legal offices, financial services, and healthcare.

Your Files Don’t Roam

Unlike sending attachments via email or bouncing files between vendors, your documents stay in one secure ecosystem. When you upload them to LetterStream, they don’t leave our environment. We’re the ones printing, inserting, sealing, and mailing them. No third-party handoffs. No “we’ll get back to you.” No weird delays.

Which also means—fewer opportunities for error. (And honestly, way less stress.)

Certified Mail, First-Class, and Everything in Between—All Logged, All Secure

If you’re sending Certified Mail or First-Class Mail with us (and a lot of our customers are), you already know how critical it is that every piece goes out correctly, with tracking to back it up. But that’s only half the story.

We track every order internally too. Our systems log not only what was printed and mailed, but also when, how, by whom, and through what exact process. We’re basically your out-of-house compliance department.

Want to go deeper into how Certified Mail works? Read this: Why Certified Mail is Better Managed Online

We Keep the Data, But We Don’t Keep the Data

Here’s how it works: by default, we retain your jobs and documents indefinitely. Why? Because most of our clients like having a digital paper trail they can revisit any time. That said, if you’d rather not hang onto your files forever, we’ve got options. Account owners can configure their settings to automatically purge old jobs after a set period. So yes, you can keep everything—or nothing. Your call.

The Human Layer of Security

We also train our team not just on operations, but on why it all matters. That part doesn’t show up on an audit form, but it’s how you build a culture of care. Everyone here understands that we’re handling real information from real people—often at really high stakes.

That’s what makes the difference. That’s what makes it secure.

So, Is Online Printing and Mailing Secure?

When you’re doing it with LetterStream? Yes. Fully. End-to-end. Auditable. Traceable. Lock-it-down kind of secure.

We know trust isn’t a feature—it’s earned. So we show up every day ready to earn it.

If you’re new here and want to see how this all works in action, start here.

Easily Send Postcards Online and Why They Work

You know what’s wild? Postcards still work.

Even in a world of cluttered inboxes, push notifications constantly going off, Slack pings, and at least one text thread you forgot to answer last week—an old-fashioned postcard still finds a way to be seen. Touched. Read. Maybe even pinned to the fridge.

We send a lot of mail here, and let me tell you: business postcards punch way above their weight.

This is especially true when you’re not just sending them to say hi—you’re using them to remind, alert, warn, or get someone’s attention fast, especially from a business perspective.

Let’s break this down.

Why send postcards in the first place?

Because they skip the envelope. That’s it. That’s the post.
(Just kidding—but also kind of not.)

Okay, here it is. When someone pulls a postcard out of their mailbox, your message is right there. No extra steps, no tearing it open, no wondering if it’s junk. Whether it’s a reminder for an HOA meeting, a past-due notice, or a friendly “Hey, don’t forget,” a postcard is the fastest way to get seen.

And bonus: they’re usually cheaper than full letters, which adds up if you’re sending hundreds (or thousands).

Ok, so what’s the catch?

Honestly? The only catch used to be that you had to design them, print them, cut them, stamp them, and then physically go to the Post Office to send them. Or you had to pay to have someone else do the first part to then have them send the postcards to you, and then again, you still have to go to the Post Office to send them off.

But we built not one but two postcard options that solve all that—so you can literally upload a file, pick your postcard, and let us do the heavy lifting. (Like, within 24–48 hours kind of fast.)

What are the two postcard options?

Glad you asked. They’ve got very official names: Express and PRO.
Here’s the simplest way to think about them:

📨 Express Postcard

Size: 4.25″ x 5.5″
Image on one side
Black-and-white or color
Printed on 80# white paper
Quarter-inch white margin
Simple, fast, gets the job done
Great for reminders, updates, or “hey, you missed a payment” types of messages
Mailed First-Class

Think of this one as your reliable little workhorse. No fuss, just results.

Learn more about Express Postcards here: High Quality Postcards | Full Bleed Color | Easy To Use – LetterStream

📣 PRO Postcard

Size: 5.5″ x 8.5″
Full-color, full-bleed on both sides
Bigger, bolder, and much more “look at me”
Printed on 120# premium paper
Best for announcements, events, or anything visual you want to pop
Mailed First-Class

This one? This is your show pony. It’s got stage presence.

Learn more about Pro Postcards here: High Quality Postcards | Full Bleed Color | Easy To Use – LetterStream

But how hard is it to actually send one?

Here’s the magic:
It takes less time than it does to complain about your postage meter.

You just:

Upload your PDF (front/back or just one side)
Upload your addresses
Pick Express or PRO
Hit send

That’s it. No minimums. No templates to wrestle with. No Post Office runs. We’ll even show you a real-time proof online before you approve it.

Let LetterStream send your postcards for you

You’ve got enough to do. If you need to get a clear, important message in front of someone—fast—skip the envelope and go with a postcard. And even better, skip doing it all yourself!

If you’ve got a message to send, we’ve got a postcard for it. Click here to create a free account and start sending your postcards instantly.

(And yes, you really can send one right now. We’re ready when you are.)

Certified Mail Is the ‘Read Receipt’ That Actually Means Something

Here’s a fun little game: go search your inbox or text messages for “read receipt.” Now, try to remember the last time that actually meant something.

Can’t think of one? Same.

Because while email and text read receipts might give you a tiny dopamine hit, “Ooh! They saw it!”—they don’t hold up in a courtroom, a compliance audit, or even in a conversation where someone swears they never got your message.

But you know what does?

Certified Mail. And yes, it’s still alive, well, and wildly underrated in 2025.

Email Is a Great Tool—Until It’s Not

Look, we’re not anti-email. It’s fast, free, and fine for 90% of your communication. But the moment you need real accountability, something legally trackable, something your future self won’t regret. Just know: email isn’t it.

That’s when Certified Mail steps in like the responsible older sibling who keeps receipts.

Here are some examples:

Need proof a client actually got that legal notice?
Need to confirm a resident received the HOA violation letter you sent last week?
Need to settle a dispute without playing “he said, she said?”

Cue Certified Mail.

Certified Mail is your “We did our job” card. It comes with tracking, timestamped delivery and delivery attempts, and a return receipt if you want it. It’s not just a message—it’s your lifeline for your business.

What Certified Mail Does That Email and First-Class Mail Can’t

Let’s break it down. Because not all mail—and definitely not all “read receipts”—are created equal.

Sure, First-Class Mail is already a big step up from email—it’s physical, it gets business-critical mail where it needs to go, and shows that you took the time to send something real. And for most business mailings, it’s plenty and good enough.

But when you’re dealing with business-critical communication, where the stakes are high, timelines matter, or legal protection is a must, Certified Mail adds to the paper trail. The timestamps, the proof of sending, the receipts and the signature make all the difference when it comes to these types of mailings.

That’s the difference between “We sent it” and “We can prove it.”

There’s something powerful about receiving Certified Mail. It doesn’t just say “we sent this”—it says “this matters.”

Certified Mail Isn’t Just for Lawyers Anymore

To this day, Certified Mail is essential for lawyers. A lot of our customers are lawyers, and for good reason. But it’s expanding and becoming more common in other industries as well. Here’s where we see it the most (and keep in mind, it’s suitable for any and all industries in the end).

HOAs: sending annual meeting notices, fines, and certified compliance letters
Law firms: protecting themselves (and their clients) with documented delivery
Construction companies: mailing lien notices, pay apps, and change orders
Financial services: delivering statements and disclosures with proof

These are make-or-break communications, and no one wants to “hope the email went through” when dollars, deadlines, or disputes are involved.

You Don’t Have to Wait in Line to Send Certified Mail

Now here’s where it gets good: Certified Mail doesn’t have to be annoying anymore.

No more filling out paperwork. No more green cards. No more standing in line behind someone shipping a ton of documents at the Post Office, making your wait time even longer. No more typing in long tracking numbers to see where your Certified letter is.

You can send Certified Mail online in just a couple of minutes with LetterStream. You upload your documents, and we print it, stuff the Certified envelope, apply postage, mail it, and track it. You get the confirmation, and you can track it all from within your account. The recipient gets the message. No drama. No guessing. No “maybe they saw it.” Just the real kind of “read receipt.”

If It’s Important, Send It Certified Mail

If your future self needs proof, send it as Certified. If your company wants peace of mind, send Certified. If you’re tired of wondering whether something got there or not…you get the idea. Just send it as Certified Mail, plain and simple.

Why?

Because “I never got it” stops working the second you’ve got tracking, delivery confirmation, and a return receipt in hand or in our case an Electronic Return Receipt online.

And that folks, is something email just can’t do.

Need to send Certified Mail without the Post Office hassle?
We’ve got you. Learn more about how to send Certified Mail online here.

LetterStream offers bulk printing and mailing services, allowing companies to send physical mail online. Whether it’s online USPS Certified Mail, First-Class Mail, FedEx 2Day, or postcards, we give both small businesses and large corporations the time and freedom back to work on tasks that better serve the company. If you’re interested in creating a free account, you can do so here.

Here’s the Truth About Sending Certified Mail to a P.O. Box

You’d think mailing something to a P.O. Box, especially Certified Mail, would be simple, right? Just drop it off, USPS does their thing, the person picks it up, end of story.

But if you’ve ever tried tracking a Certified letter headed to a P.O. Box, you probably ran into a moment of “Wait… what is happening here?” Can I actually send Certified Mail to a PO Box?

We get this question a lot. So let’s break it down.

Yes, Certified Mail Goes to P.O. Boxes. No, It Doesn’t Work Quite the Same Way.

The short answer is yes, USPS does deliver Certified Mail to P.O. Boxes, but the process is a little different from delivering to someone’s front porch.

Instead of dropping it in the box like regular mail, USPS places a notice slip inside the recipient’s P.O. Box. That slip tells them they have a Certified Mail item waiting—and they need to come to the counter and sign for it. No signature, no delivery.

So while the address is technically correct and reachable, the final handoff still requires a human being to show up and sign.

Why Tracking Can Get Confusing

If you’re watching tracking updates like a hawk (understandable when deadlines or legal requirements are involved), here’s what you’ll see:

Delivered to Agent or Notice Left – This means the slip went into the P.O. Box. The mailpiece is sitting behind the counter waiting for pickup.
Awaiting Pickup – Still waiting on the recipient to sign for it.
Picked Up – Once they head to the post office and claim it.

This is where people get tripped up. That first scan—”Delivered to Agent”—is not the same as “Delivered to Recipient.” It just means the first step was completed. The accountability piece (that signature) is still pending.

What If They Never Pick It Up?

If the recipient never comes in to sign for it, USPS will make a few attempts and eventually return the letter to you as unclaimed. That’s one reason why time-sensitive Certified Mail (like legal notices or compliance documents) should be sent early enough to account for delays.

You can also request a Return Receipt or Electronic Return Receipt when sending Certified Mail to a P.O. Box—just know that it’ll only be returned once the item is picked up and signed for.

And Yes, Businesses Do This All the Time

Plenty of government agencies, law offices, HOAs, and medical providers send Certified Mail to P.O. Boxes. Some recipients even prefer it for privacy or convenience. The key is just knowing what to expect from the process and planning around the potential lag if the person doesn’t grab their mail daily.

If you’re sending Certified Mail through a platform like LetterStream, the tracking dashboard makes it a lot easier to monitor all this without having to constantly refresh USPS pages.

So, Can You Send Certified Mail to a P.O. Box?

Can you send Certified Mail to a P.O. Box? Absolutely. Just remember, it’s not quite “drop and done.” There’s a process. A signature. A wait. But it’s still one of the most trusted, accountable ways to send mail—especially when what you’re sending actually matters.