Post offices require postage stamps on letters to confirm payment for their services, so you do need stamps to send a letter. But what will happen if you send the letter without a postage stamp?
Click to send stamp-free letters up to 70% cheaper
Yes, you do need stamps to mail a letter both for domestic and international routes. The number of letter stamps will depend on the weight, size and destination (domestic or international). Post offices require this proof that postage was paid to help them scan and orient the letter further.
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- Shipping with Royal Mail
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Whenever you are posting letter, it is important that you address them right to ensure they arrive to the desired destination without problem. Click on the button below to find out how to correctly address a letter.
Do I need to stamp my letter when shipping with Eurosender?
If you want to send a letter without a stamp, at Eurosender, we have the right solution for you, and you never have to worry if you forgot to stamp a letter, or how many stamps you need! With our Express Document service, the courier will pick up the envelope from your house and deliver it to the address within 72h, worldwide and stamp-free!
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What happens when you forget a postage stamp and send the letter without it?
After you place the letter in the mail collection box, it goes to a post office department where it gets sorted using automated equipment. If there is no stamp on your envelope, a special scanner will detect it, and the letter will be attributed to a separate category of mail. It will then be sent to a dedicated employee who checks for missing postage stamps on letters.
If you also need information about writing the return address on the envelope, and what happens if you forgot to write it down, read our blog here.
In case you forgot to put a postage stamp on the letter you already sent somewhere, it will be:
- returned to you (the sender), or;
- the receiver will have to pay for the missing stamp.
The price the receiver will have to pay depends on the post office. In most cases, the receiver will pay a fee that equals the price of the stamp for the letter, but it can also happen that they need to pay a surcharge for insufficient postage for the unstamped letter.
If the receiver refuses to pay, the letter will be returned to you as the sender. You, as the initial sender, will then have to cover the required fees.
Read more about:
- Shipping anonymously
- Shipping under a pseudonym
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- All about shipping labels
How long does it take for unstamped mail to be returned to the sender?
The length of delivery back to the sender depends on the destination. Usually, it may take up to a couple of days for the unstamped envelope to be returned to the sender. Check out the estimated delivery time with courier companies here.
Here is what you can do if you forgot to put a postage stamp on the letter
- Refer to the local postman;
- Contact the post office;
- Inform the addressee about the case.
There is no guarantee that the matter will be solved with success, but you can explain the situation to either of the suggested and ask them to return the letter to you so you can put a stamp on it.
Can you send an unstamped letter without a return address?
Generally, there is no law forbidding you from sending unstamped letters. If you send an unstamped letter without a return address, the envelope will be delivered to the destination address marked on the envelope. Then, the receiver will have to pay the postage fee.
If the addressee refuses to accept it or to pay, in the absence of the return address, the envelope will be delivered to a dead letter office – a department at the post office where unclaimed letters are collected.
Click to send stamp-free letters up to 70% cheaper
How to track a letter without a return address?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a direct way to track a letter without a return address or a missing bar code. What you can do in such a case is to contact the post office or the courier and ask if it is possible that they further check the matter on your behalf. They may be able to trace down the processing centre that the letter was last found at.
FAQs
In most cases, the receiver will pay a fee that equals the price of the stamp for the letter, but it can also happen that they need to pay a surcharge for insufficient postage for the unstamped letter. If the receiver refuses to pay, the letter will be returned to you as the sender.
What happens if you mail a letter without enough postage? ›
Matter of any class, including that for which special services are indicated, received at either the office of mailing or office of address without postage, is endorsed “Returned for Postage” and is returned to the sender without an attempt at delivery.
What happens if you post a letter without a stamp? ›
Either the letter is returned to you (as the sender) or the receiver of the letter will have to pay for the missing stamp in order to get hold of it. Recommended reading: Eurosender explains: “The price the receiver will have to pay depends on the post office.
What happens if you don't use a postage stamp? ›
Return to Sender
Any letter identified as having insufficient postage gets sent back to the sender, as the postal service is unable to deliver such letters. It is your responsibility to affix the correct postage and resubmit the letter.
Can you put a letter in a mailbox without a stamp? ›
Federal law prohibits anyone from putting materials into a mailbox without postage, according to the United States Postal Service — that covers anything from Christmas cards to cupcakes.
What happens to post with insufficient postage? ›
The Role of the Post Office and Delivery Office
If the postage discrepancy is minor, your posted item might still proceed with a slight delay. However, significant shortfalls result in the recipient receiving a notice, detailing the additional cost and any administrative fees required to release the letter.
How long does it take for mail to be returned for insufficient postage? ›
Pretty quick. Insufficient postage gets noticed right away so the mail is returned to the sender with a notice of insufficient postage. If it gets through the sorting process it could conceivably be sent to the proper address with a note saying “postage due”.
What happens to mail if there is no stamp? ›
You either pay it or it will end up in dead letter department. With no stamp or return address, it will be sent on to the addressee marked “postage due.” If the addressee refuses it, it will likely be sent to the ddad letter office.
What happens to letters that don't have stamps? ›
It is a bad idea to send letters without stamps. USPS has automated equipment for sorting mail that detects mailpieces with no stamps. Any letter without a stamp is assigned to a specific mail category and sent to a dedicated employee. USPS either returns such letters to the sender or the recipient has to pay postage.
How do I know if my letter has enough postage? ›
If your letter is a standard-sized envelope and weighs 3.5 ounces or less, you will need one stamp. Large envelopes. This includes 9x12, legal, and manila envelopes, Two stamps are needed for the first ounce, and postage will be an additional $0.20 cents after.
The letter will be returned, postage due, to your address. (Assuming you wrote your return address on the envelope.) Actually, some people use this policy to get free delivery… write a random address on the envelope, then put the address you want the letter to go to as the return address, then don't stamp it.
Do I need a stamp to send a letter? ›
You need to place three simple things on your envelope: A stamp: Place a stamp in the top right-hand corner of your envelope. Destination address: Who are you sending the letter to? The destination address, or the address of the person you're sending a letter to, goes in the center of your envelope.
What happens if you accidentally mail a letter without a stamp? ›
In most cases, the receiver will pay a fee that equals the price of the stamp for the letter, but it can also happen that they need to pay a surcharge for insufficient postage for the unstamped letter. If the receiver refuses to pay, the letter will be returned to you as the sender.
What happens if I forget to put a stamp on a letter? ›
Either the letter is returned to you (as the sender) or the receiver of the letter will have to pay for the missing stamp in order to get hold of it. Recommended reading: Eurosender explains: “The price the receiver will have to pay depends on the post office.
What letters don't need stamps? ›
PPI envelopes are widely used to save time in your mail room as there is no need for stamps as the postage is already pre printed. The most useful application for PPI is return envelopes.
What happens if I underpay postage? ›
If a postage discrepancy is detected, the USPS will automatically collect for underpaid postage, or refund for overpaid postage.
How do I know if my envelope needs extra postage? ›
Customers must affix additional postage when mailing letters weighing in excess of 1 ounce and/or letters subject to the nonmachinable surcharge or mailpieces subject to another rate of postage (e.g., large envelopes or packages).
How do I know if I have enough stamps on my envelope? ›
If your letter is a standard-sized envelope and weighs 3.5 ounces or less, you will need one stamp. Large envelopes. This includes 9x12, legal, and manila envelopes, Two stamps are needed for the first ounce, and postage will be an additional $0.20 cents after.
How many pages can be mailed without extra postage? ›
TIP: As a rule of thumb, you can send 1 oz (4 sheets of printer paper and a business-sized envelope) for 1 First-Class Mail® Forever® stamp (currently $0.73). The postage for a large envelope (or flat) starts at $1.50 for 1 oz.
