You’ve prepared your mail pieces, the appropriate postage has been applied, and all you have left to do is enter them into the mail stream. When you’re mailing pieces with the USPS, there are a number of ways to do this.
If you’re a household mailer sending simple First-Class letters, you might just leave them in your mailbox with the flag up or drop them into a blue collection box somewhere.
However, if you’re mailing important documents for your firm with extra services like Certified Mail, you’ll likely want definitive proof that your pieces successfully made it into the mail stream, leaving nothing to chance. After all, there could be legal consequences if any one of those pieces doesn’t make it to the intended recipient, and you won’t want to be held responsible. This speaks to the importance of proof of acceptance, and that is where PS Form 3877 comes into play.
What is PS Form 3877?
PS Form 3877, also known as the Firm Mailing Book for Accountable Mail, is used when three or more pieces with extra services are presented for mailing at one time. It is most commonly used with certified mail pieces. The 3877 lists each mail piece that is being sent as well as some basic information about each piece, including the recipient address, tracking number, extra services selected, and the appropriate fees for the piece. Rather than having to generate individual mailing receipts for each article in the mailing, the 3877 compiles them all onto one form that becomes the mailer’s single receipt for all the pieces.
Here’s how it works. The mailer compiles all of his pieces along with a completed 3877 and brings them to the post office. When presented to the window clerk, the clerk approves and postmarks the 3877 with a round-dated stamp. It is then returned to the mailer as proof of acceptance. This is what the form looks like:
Why should I use one?
But why go through the hassle of bringing your pieces to the post office and getting the 3877 stamped? Couldn’t you just drop them in a blue collection box, dust off your hands, and walk away?
Yes, you could. And your pieces would probably make it into the mail stream, receive an acceptance scan, and make their way to their destination. However, when dealing with critical business communications, such as legal notices, debt collections, or health care records, you don’t want to leave that to chance.
And, thankfully, you don’t have to. Getting the 3877 stamped at the post office ensures you are able to hold the USPS accountable for your mail pieces. So, if any of your pieces are lost, damaged, or encounter some other problem in the mail stream, you can show them your 3877 as a receipt that proves the piece was accepted by the USPS.
When you’re sending certified mail, a receipt is included in the fee for the extra service. When using the traditional hardcopy forms for Certified Mail, PS Form 3800 is stamped and returned to the mailer as the receipt.
However, generating these mailing receipts for each piece in a large batch would be cumbersome and tedious. As described, the 3877 acts as the replacement for all those individual 3800 forms. And without receiving that round-dated stamp from the USPS, you’re simply not leveraging the full capability of Certified Mail.
What about the proof of acceptance PDF I get from Easy Send?
When you create mail pieces in Easy Send, you can choose to receive an email notification with a proof of acceptance (POA) document attached when your piece receives its first scan from the USPS. You can see an example of a POA here.
This document is generated by Easy Send and simply informs you when your piece receives its first scan from the USPS. While this POA document acts as a helpful notification for the mailer, it’s not a detailed receipt, and it’s not a replacement for the 3877. Relying on the POA document as your sole form of proof of acceptance assumes that every one of your mail pieces will receive its first scan without any issues. Unfortunately, this is sometimes not the case.
Claims made by other digital solutions for certified mail often complicate this topic. Many go as far as to say that the POA document they provide will allow you to ‘skip the trip to the post office’ and act as your one and only form of proof of acceptance. Messages like these should be taken with extreme caution. They fail to mention that you’re also giving up your real acceptance receipt for your important certified mail pieces in the process.
Can you skip the trip to the post office? Yes, you can. But you’ll also be giving up the best form of evidence and assurance that the USPS took possession of your mail pieces. This is crucial if something happens to them in the mail stream.
How do I use a 3877 with Easy Send?
Fortunately, Easy Send makes the whole process of using a 3877 as easy as it gets. Easy Send eliminates the need to fill out the form by hand by providing you with a digital copy that’s complete with all your piece information. Here’s all you need to do:
Step 1: Create form
After creating all of the mail pieces you’d like to include on your 3877, navigate to Create Forms and select all of those pieces. When you click Create Postal Forms, you’ll have the opportunity to select the 3877 as a form you wish to create.
Step 2: Print form
After the form has been created, you’ll be prompted to print it by clicking the Print button in the upper right.
Step 3: Mail pieces
Finally, bring your 3877 along with your mail pieces to the post office and present them to the window clerk. After approval, the clerk will postmark the 3877 with a round-dated stamp. It will then be returned to you as proof of acceptance.
Can PS Form 5630 be used in place of PS Form 3877?
In short, no. It is better to think of PS Form 5630 as an enhancement that offers additional features. It is not a replacement for PS Form 3877.
PS Form 5630, also known as the SCAN Form, features a single master barcode that represents all articles in the mailing. Once that single barcode is scanned by the window clerk, all associated pieces receive an “Acceptance” event from the USPS.
The 5630 is very helpful for mailers that send large batches of pieces, as it ensures every piece in the mailing receives an “Acceptance” event right away. However, it is important to note that the USPS employee is not required to count the articles included in the mailing for verification, and the form does not receive a round-dated stamp. It also does not list piece information in detail like the 3877.
For these reasons, the 5630 does not act as a replacement for the 3877. Though, when used in conjunction with the 3877, it does offer an additional benefit. That is, in addition to having the 3877 as evidence that the USPS took possession of your piece, the piece is sure to have an “Acceptance” event recorded in the USPS database.
Whether you use the 3877 along with the 5630 or just the 3877, you’ll rest easy knowing your business critical mail is fully accounted for.