How Long Does It Take To Send a Letter? Read Our Article To Find Out!

iEditorial Note: These blog posts represent the opinion of DoNotPay’s Writers, but each person’s situation and circumstances vary greatly. As a result, you should make sure to do your own independent research. Because everyone is unique, our self-help tools are never guaranteed to help with any specific situation. DoNotPay is not a law firm and is not licensed to practice law. DoNotPay provides a platform for legal information and self-help.

Snail Mail Delivery Time—How Long Does It Take To Send a Letter?

If you’re sending mail for the first time, you’re probably wondering, “How long does it take to send a letter?” The answer to this question is far from simple because it depends on various aspects. You can consult DoNotPay’s guide to learn more about snail mail delivery time.

Want to take care of the mailing process as quickly and effortlessly as possible? to find out how to mail your letters online and avoid wasting hours in front of the post office. We will handle postage stamps, letter addressing, and many other pesky tasks on your behalf.

Determining the Mail Delivery Time

The mail delivery time depends on multiple factors, including:

  1. Mail class—each mail class guarantees a different delivery time window. The higher the postage price, the sooner your letter will reach the recipient (in most cases)
  2. Destination—mailing letters internationally or to another state in the U.S. takes more time than sending mail locally. Mail delivery is also slower in rural areas
  3. The USPS mail volume—mail volume is usually increased during holidays, which means that the delivery time is longer. You should take that into consideration when mailing holiday cards to your loved ones

If your mail is certified, you can track it online to find out where it is and if it got delivered.

How Long Does Snail Mail Take in the U.S.?

Delivery time in the U.S. varies between one and seven business days, depending on the mail class you choose:

Mail ClassDelivery Time
First Class MailOne to three business days
Priority Mail
Priority Mail ExpressOvernight to two days
Media MailTwo to eight business days

How Long Does It Take To Send a Letter Internationally?

Take a look at the table below to see how long it takes to send letters overseas:

Mail ClassDelivery Time
First Class Mail InternationalVaries by destination
Priority Mail InternationalSix to ten business days
Priority Mail Express InternationalThree to five business days
Global Express GuaranteedOne to three business days
Airmail M-BagsVaries by destination

Do People Still Use Snail Mail?

Even though mailing a letter is much slower than sending an email, the USPS still has a lot of work. People prefer using snail mail to:

  • Serve court papers
  • Send important documents and business contracts
  • File forms with the government
  • Apply for universities, scholarships, federal grants, fee waivers, financial aid, and similar
  • Cancel certain subscriptions and memberships (e.g., LA Fitness)
  • Manage isolation and express their feelings through hand-written letters

The main problem with snail mail is that it is time-consuming, and the whole process can be annoying. To handle mailing in under five minutes, you should rely on DoNotPay.

Forget All About Complicated Mailing Procedures! Send Your Mail Online With DoNotPay

DoNotPay has created a product that makes sending letters by mail less frustrating. By using our app to mail your letter, you don’t have to worry about addressing, postage stamps, or trips to the post office.

You can mail letters online by completing these four steps:

  1. Choose our Send Mail product
  2. Enter the required info
  3. Upload your letter in one of the supported formats:
    • JPG
    • PDF
    • PNG
    • HTML

The file you upload should exceed 20 MB. When you click on Submit, DoNotPay will mail your letter or any other document to the recipient right away. Your mail will be delivered no later than seven business days after you use our app.

Do you want to track your mail? To do so, visit your DoNotPay account and click on the My Disputes page.

Not Sure How To Format Your Letter? Check Out Our Simple Guide!

If you’re not sure how to format your letter or which sections to include, you will find the following table useful:

SectionsInformal LettersFormal Letters
The sender’s info

/

Write your name, full address, and contact info on the left side of the letter
Date

Include the date of writing the letter in the top-right corner

Record the date of writing
The recipient’s info

-

Structure the recipient’s info like this:
  • Company (if applicable)
  • Title, name, and job position
  • Full address
SalutationOpen the letter with an informal greeting. These are some options:
  • Hello
  • Hi
  • Dear + first name
Start your letter with a formal salutation, for example:
  • Dear Mr./Ms. + last name
  • Dear + full name
  • To Whom It May Concern
Body of the letterOrganize the letter however you wantYou should introduce yourself and the topic of your letter in a few sentences.

Divide the letter into a few paragraphs to make it easy to read.

Thank the reader and ask for the answer at the end of the letter

ClosingFinish the letter with an informal closing, such as:
  • Ciao
  • Love
  • Kisses
  • Hugs
Choose a suitable formal closing. Most people finish their letters with:
  • Sincerely
  • Yours truly
  • Kind regards
SignatureSign the letter by handType your full name and include your hand-written signature above it

Simplify Your Day-To-Day Life With DoNotPay

Why stop at sending letters super-fast?

Our app helps you draft, notarize, and even fax different documents—all from your laptop or smartphone!

That is not all!

A company is refusing to cancel your subscription or refund your money? Don’t waste your time on calling customer service reps or driving to their office.

DoNotPay will cancel any subscription for you in a few minutes! We will also request a refund for an unsatisfactory purchase, poor service, or late delivery.

Your virtual assistant cuts through the red tape for you by:

DoNotPay Safeguards Your Privacy

If you enjoy free trials but not so much disclosing your personal information, we present you with the two tools perfect for you:

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DoNotPay makes your online experience stress-free!

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