Postal Guide
- Canada Postal Guide

Last updated: 2006-09-18

Section E – Chapter 8

Undeliverable Mail

Table of Contents

• What is it?
• Undeliverable Parcels

What is it?  to top of page

Undeliverable Mail is mail that fails delivery and does not bear a return address. Mail is considered undeliverable if:

• the address is incomplete or does not exist
• the addressee has moved without providing a change of address or the Change of Address Notification (COAN) has expired
• it is refused by the addressee
• it is refused by the addressee, bears a return address, and is refused by the sender
• the addressee refuses to pay postage due charges
• it is prohibited by law
• it is an item found loose in the mail
• it is an empty wrapper or carton.

Undeliverable Mail is to be dispatched, securely containerized, at least once per week to the Undeliverable Mail office.

Each item will be opened to determine the sender’s address. If the sender’s address is found, the item will be rated as required, placed in a Canada Post envelope and mailed out to the sender.

If the sender cannot be determined, the item will be disposed of in the following way:

• if the item has no obvious value, it will be destroyed
• if the item contains cash, the money will be deposited to the credit of Canada Post
• if the item contains merchandise, it will be sold (or otherwise disposed of) by Canada Post and the proceeds deposited to the credit of Canada Post
• if prohibited by law, it will be disposed of or turned over to the appropriate policing agency.

Waste paper, e.g. undeliverable magazines, Addressed Admail not bearing a pledge to pay return postage, should not be dispatched to the Undeliverable Mail office. This material should be disposed of locally or sent to the nearest Divisional Disposal Centre.

Undeliverable items that originate in the United States or other countries will be returned to the Undeliverable Mail Office of the country of origin.

All Customer enquiries concerning undeliverable mail must be directed to the Customer Relationship Support group at 1 800 267-1177.

Undeliverable Parcels  to top of page

A parcel that is undeliverable will be returned to the sender. Parcels marked ABANDON will not be returned but forwarded to Canada Post’s Undeliverable Mail Office for disposal. The mailer will be contacted if there are any costs incurred in processing or disposing of an item containing dangerous or prohibited items. Dangerous goods must be disposed of locally. Under no circumstances can these items be returned to the sender, forwarded to the addressee or re-introduced into the mail stream. Please contact the local Occupational Health, Safety and Environment officer for advice on disposal.