Mail Services

Handling all the University’s incoming and outgoing mail for employees and students. We strive to provide high-quality mail service that meets all your mailing and shipping needs.

Mailroom

Operating Times

Learn more
A pile of old, international letters on a white table

Mailing Procedures

Learn more
Drysdale Student Center

FAQs

Learn more
Drysdale

Our Team

Learn more

General Services

  • Outgoing prepaid packages via FedEx, UPS, and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS)
  • Shipment of international letters via UPS and USPS (current shipping rates)
  • Sale of official USPS stamps
  • Weekday mail delivery for staff, students, and faculty departments
  • Weekday processing and electronic notification of student packages
  • Notary services
  • Passport photos
  • Laminating services
  • On-campus mail delivery service

Note: We cannot accept non-prepaid packages or letters for shipment via FedEx.

Student Mailing Services

Your Student Mailbox

All first-year students are assigned mailbox numbers before their first semester, and transfer students also receive assigned mailboxes from the Mail Services staff.

How to find your mailbox number and access combination:

  • Log in to MyHive.
  • Click the user icon in the top‑right corner
  • Scroll down and select “Post Office”
  • Your mailbox number and combination will be displayed

We recommend checking your mailboxes daily and always locking them. If you encounter any issues, such as a broken mailbox or combination lock, please report them to Mail Services staff. You can also find mailbox and combination information at Mail Services, by scanning the QR code near the mailboxes, or by visiting myhive under the post office link.

Your Student Mailing Address

To ensure prompt delivery of your mail and packages, please use the following proper address format:

[Student Name] and [Mailbox Number]
University of Lynchburg
1501 Lakeside Drive
Lynchburg, VA 24501-3113

Incoming Mail and Packages for Students

Please note that letters, packages, and other mail sent through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), UPS, FedEx, DHL, and other carriers cannot be delivered directly to students or on-campus residences. Instead, all items must be collected from the University Mail Services service counter.

Check out our on-campus Mail Delivery Program below!

  • Incoming letters are typically processed and placed in students’ mailboxes by noon on weekdays, excluding observed holidays.
  • For incoming packages, Mail Services staff will process them upon arrival, Monday through Friday.
  • Perishable goods (both mail and packages) will be disposed of if not collected within seven days of their arrival.
Package Notification and Pickup

When your package is received and processed on campus, Mail Services will notify you through your University of Lynchburg email account that it is ready for pickup.

To ensure the integrity of the delivery process, you must present your University ID or a valid state-issued photo ID when picking up all packages at the Mail Services service counter.

Allowing Someone Else to Pick Up Mail

Yes, you can have someone else pick up your mail or package on your behalf. They will need to provide proof of permission, such as a text or email from you, authorizing them to claim the package. They must also present their University ID, which will be scanned instead of your ID card.

Emergency Package Pickup

Mail Services strives to process all packages received daily, and email notifications are sent upon processing. Packages must typically be picked up during regular service hours.

The only exception for after-hours package pickup is for packages containing medications. If you are notified that campus mail has received your package containing medications and you are unable to retrieve it during regular operating hours, please contact Campus Safety and Security. They will then contact the Retail & Licensing Manager, who will make arrangements for your medication package to be picked up.

Requests to retrieve other packages (not containing medications) after hours will incur a charge. If a supervisor or staff member is called in to deliver a non-medication package outside of scheduled hours, then the person or department picking up the package will be charged a minimum of 3.5 hours of overtime compensation, equating to a $100 minimum fee for services rendered.

Incoming Mail and Packages (Employees)

Processing of Incoming Mail

Mail Services staff process all incoming packages from USPS, FedEx, UPS, DHL, and other carriers upon arrival, Monday to Friday. Recipients are notified via their University of Lynchburg email address when a package is ready for pickup at the service window.

Please note: Letters, packages, and other mail sent through USPS, UPS, and FedEx cannot be delivered directly to students or on-campus residences. All items must be collected from the University Mail Services service counter.

Perishable packages will be disposed of after seven days if not picked up, per recommended best practices.

Misaddressed Mail Procedures

To ensure prompt and accurate delivery, it is the recipient’s responsibility to verify that their information is correct on all incoming packages and letters.

  • Mail or packages addressed to the University without a specific individual or department will first be directed to the Finance Office. The Finance Office will open and verify the contents to determine the intended recipient, then return the items to Mail Services for delivery.
  • Generically Addressed Packages:
    • These packages will be held for 14 days.
    • If unclaimed, USPS packages will be returned to the sender.
    • Packages from other vendors (such as UPS, FedEx, DHL) will be held for six months, after which they may be disposed of at the discretion of the Operations leadership.
  • Generically Addressed Letters:
    • All generically addressed, untraceable letter mail for which no reasonable recipient can be identified will be kept separate until the end of the same week.
    • The following Monday, this unclaimed letter mail will be given to the senior leadership of the Operations team to be opened and directed to the correct recipient.
    • If the Operations cannot find a reasonable justification to direct the mail to a particular individual or department, then the mail will either be resealed and returned to the sender or disposed of if deemed to be junk mail.
    • If you believe a generically addressed letter has arrived for you, you may contact [email protected] with the sender’s name and estimated mailing time (e.g., postmark date) for staff review.
On-campus Mail

Distribution

Mail Services staff are responsible for distributing all interoffice and on-campus mail to student and departmental mailboxes, Monday through Friday, as soon as possible. Weekday mail delivery is provided for staff, students, and faculty departments.

Sources

The campus mail system is utilized by students, employees (staff and faculty departments) for sending mail within the University. Departments are required to provide a departmental account number for mailing charges for outgoing mail.

Mass Notices

For any mailbox distribution of 50 pieces or more, the items must be sorted in numerical order for delivery to the mailboxes. 

Sender Identification

The sender’s name and department/campus mailbox number must appear on all campus mail. This is crucial for enabling Mail Services staff to return undeliverable mail to the sender without needing to open it.

Prohibited Items

It is important to note that cash should never be sent through the Campus Mail system. The University of Lynchburg Mail Services is not responsible for the loss of money or valuables sent through this system.

Addressing On-Campus Mail

Proper addressing ensures prompt delivery of on-campus mail.

  • Interdepartmental Mail: This mail should be enclosed in a campus mail envelope with the addressee’s full name and department/building name. Alternatively, a standard envelope marked “C/M” can be used, along with the individual’s full name and department.
  • Campus Mail to Students: All correspondence sent to students via campus mail must include their full name and mailbox number. Mail lacking this information may be delayed or returned to the sending department. If sending multiple pieces to students, these should be ordered sequentially by mailbox number.
    • Example: Student Name Box #___
  • Campus Mail to Faculty/Staff: Mail intended for faculty and staff members should include their full name and department.
    • Example: Faculty/Staff Full Name, Department/Office Name

Flyers and Announcements

When distributing flyers and announcements through the campus mail system, specific guidelines apply:

  • When ordering 8 1/2″ x 11″ flyers for distribution to all student mailboxes, please request that they be tri-folded.
  • Unaddressed announcements and flyers can be no larger than 8.5 x 11 inches and no smaller than 4.25 x 5.5 inches (postcard size). Full-sheet announcements must be trifold.

Return Address

All mail sent through the campus mail system must include a return name and department. This ensures that undeliverable mail can be returned to the sender/department without Mail Services staff needing to open it.

Tracking & Lost Packages

Package Tracking

For your convenience, links to the official shipper websites are provided below for the most common carriers, allowing you to track your packages:

Inquiring About a Lost Package

Before inquiring about a lost package, it is essential that you have the following information readily available:

  • The method of shipment.
  • The tracking number.
  • The addressee information.

Having these details will assist Mail Services staff in investigating your package’s status.

A pile of old, international letters on a white table

Outgoing Mail and Packages

General Procedures

For all outgoing mail and packages:

  • Outgoing prepaid packages can be sent via FedEx, UPS, and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).
  • We cannot accept non-prepaid packages or letters for shipment via FedEx.
  • The return address and department name should be placed in the upper left-hand corner of all outgoing mail.
  • All outgoing mail should be placed in an appropriately sized envelope. If envelopes are not sealed, they need to be nested so that all the flaps are open, one on top of another.
  • Boxes should be well secured with packing tape. If a box is being reused, it should not have stickers or numbers from previous mailings. If you cannot remove them, please mark out any labels or stickers with a permanent marker.
  • A complete mailing address should be placed in the middle to lower half of the front of the box.
  • The upper right-hand corner should be free of tape or writing so that the proper postage may be affixed.
  • All outgoing mail must be dropped off at Mail Services by 3 p.m. daily for same-day processing. Mail collected or turned in after this deadline will be processed on the next business day.
Shipping Costs

Payment for Shipping Services

Payment for shipping services is limited to debit or credit cards. Cash or checks are not accepted.

Cost of Shipping

  • Shipping costs vary based on the package’s weight, overall dimensions, and the zip codes/countries of both the recipient and sender.
  • We do NOT accept cash or check. Only Credit or debit cards are accepted.
  • You can get a real-time cost estimate and print official USPS mailing labels by visiting the USPS website.
  • For personal packages, the actual shipping cost is due at the time of shipping.

Stamps

Official USPS stamps are available for sale at the Mail Services counter. 

International Mail
  • Outgoing mail or packages designated for locations outside the U.S. must be properly marked and bundled together.
  • Senders are encouraged to coordinate international mailings with the Mail Services staff to ensure accuracy for prompt delivery.
  • Shipment of international letters is available via UPS and USPS.
  • When preparing mail, you should separate domestic mail from international mail.
Special Guidelines for University Departments

For University departments utilizing Mail Services for outgoing mail:

  • Provide the departmental account number for mailing charges on the front of each bundle or container of outgoing mail.
  • Separate mail that needs to be metered from inter-campus mail, stamped mail, and envelopes/postcards marked “no postage necessary”.
  • Separate sealed envelopes from unsealed envelopes.
  • Envelopes must be addressed side up and right side up (as opposed to upside down) and flaps pointing down.
  • Do not tuck flaps into envelopes if unsealed and intended for recipients off-campus.
  • Large envelopes (6 1/8″ by 11 1/2″ or larger) must be separated from other mail and stacked flat, not on end.
  • Do not stamp account numbers or place any other markings in the upper right-hand corner of any piece of mail where the postage is to be applied.
  • For high-volume, date-sensitive mailings, you must arrange with Mail Services at least two weeks in advance for processing and dispatch purposes. Failure to notify Mail Services can result in insufficient funds, processing delays, and any incurred fees being charged back to the responsible department.
  • Costs for University-related packages are charged back to the sending department on a monthly basis.
Buildings, trees, and people walking at sunset

Visit Us

Find us on the second floor of Drysdale Student Center near the Westover Room dining area. We’re open Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. during the academic year (8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. during breaks) and closed on weekends and University holidays. Reach us at 434.544.8191 or [email protected].
Questions?
Mailroom

On-Campus Mail Delivery Program

Mail Services now offers convenient on-campus delivery through the Hornet Shop! Choose a one-time delivery or a semester subscription for unlimited service. Once your package arrives, simply schedule your drop-off and meet us at your residence hall or designated location. It’s quick, easy, and designed to make your semester stress-free.
Learn More

FAQs

Photos must have a neutral facial expression with both eyes open and mouth closed.

Yes, a valid form of identification is required for documents to be notarized. Valid forms of identification include a driver’s license, military ID, or passport.

You do not need to make an appointment. The mailroom is available to take passport photos from 8:30am to 4:30pm.

No, an appointment is not needed.

Notarized documents help prevent fraud, ensure significant legal value, and protect all parties involved.

You will receive your printed passport photo within minutes of the photo being taken.

A set of 2×2 passport photos will cost $14.99. Card only

Mail Services will notify you via your University email. Collect your package at the Mail Services counter after receiving their notification (not the seller’s or carrier’s). Bring your University ID card.

No. All mail and packages must go through University Mail Services. Students pick up their mail and packages at the mailroom (2nd floor, Drysdale Student Center).

Mail Services accepts prepaid outgoing packages for FedEx, UPS, and USPS.

Domestic shipping is available via UPS and U.S. Postal Service (USPS). International letters can also be shipped via UPS or USPS. Payment is accepted by cash or check. FedEx shipping is not available.

Staff are available during specified weekday operating hours. The Mail Room is closed on weekends and holidays.

You do not need to bring anything with you.

Do not wear glasses, headphones, masks, uniforms, hats, or head coverings (unless they are for religious or medical purposes).

Wear clothing that you would normally wear. You may wear jewelry and do not need to remove facial piercings.

Documents that cannot be notarized include birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, and a proof of life certificate.

Some documents that may be notarized include legal documents, real estate documents, financial documents, and documents from another state or country.

A notary is a public-appointed official who serves as an impartial witness when important documents are signed by verifying identities and ensuring the signer’s awareness and willingness to sign.

Outgoing mail turned in before noon on weekdays is processed the same day. Mail turned in the afternoon is processed on the next business day.

Mail Services staff process U.S. Postal Service mail during weekday hours, excluding holidays, and distribute it as soon as possible.

Passport photos will be taken in the mailroom, located on the 2nd floor of Drysdale Student Center.

Documents may be notarized for various reasons such as ensuring authenticity, trust, and legality by having a third party witness.

Navigation for

Mail Services

Quick Links
Links
view raw