What Happens to Return to Sender Mail

All you need to do is write “RETURN TO SENDER” on the front of the envelope and put it back in your mailbox. Your postal worker will take care of it for you from there. If you’ve returned several pieces of mail for the same person and are still getting them, you may need to be more direct.

What happens when your mail is returned to sender?

Returned to sender is a common policy used by post carriers to handle items that could not be delivered. If an item could not be delivered for any reason, the item would be sent back to the indicated return address. The item contains insufficient postage. The addressee has moved without providing a forwarding address.

How long will the post office hold my mail before returning it to the sender?

USPS Hold Mail® requests must be for a minimum of 3 days and a maximum of 30 days. If you need mail held longer than 30 days, please sign up for a USPS Forward Mail service. USPS Hold Mail requests are not necessary for Post Office Box™ customers, as mail delivered to a PO Box™ is allowed to accumulate up to 30 days.