Find Rhode Island post offices and USPS mailing boxes. Post offices provide information on bulk mail services, domestic mail delivery, international shipping, change of address, mail forwarding, PO boxes, and passport services.
The Post Office refers to one of the approximately 30,000 customer service postal facilities of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). The USPS is an independent agency of the federal government that provides mail and package delivery services to all states and territories. It is supported entirely by revenues generated by its own operations. Operational authority over the USPS lies with a Board of Governors and rate setting authority falls under the Postal Rate Commission.
The USPS uses a vast network of Post Offices, Processing and Distribution Centers, Priority Mail Processing Centers, Air Mail Centers, and Bulk Mail Centers to sort, process, distribute, and deliver mail. The Post Office serves as one of the primary points of customer contact in the mail delivery process.
A Post Office accepts mail and packages from senders, offering a range of mailing and pricing options. The most common form of mail delivery, and one for which the USPS has a legal monopoly, is residential first-class mail. First-class mail is designed for envelopes and lightweight packages, and it provides delivery to any location in the U.S. at a flat rate of one first-class mail stamp. Multiple other mailing options are available for letters and packages of any size. Priority mail options provide faster delivery at a higher cost than first-class mail. Post Offices sell stamps, shipping supplies, and certain collectors' and gift items. Customers can also choose Registered, Certified, and Return Receipt mail for varying degrees of verification of an item's delivery. Post Offices can also sell money orders, and most are equipped to take passport photos and accept passport applications. International shipping and customs forms are also available at Post Offices.
Businesses and residential customers can also use the Post Office to receive their mail instead of choosing delivery to their door. Post Office Boxes are available for rent in multiple sizes for a monthly rental fee.
The USPS also offers online services to expedite much of the business transacted at the Post Office. Customers can print shipping labels in advance, purchase stamps, schedule pickups, and track packages using USPS online accounts. These services enhance efficiency and reduce wait times at Post Offices.