How to Get a Refund on Postage: A Guide to Post Office Application to Refund Postage

October 22, 2024
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Don’t know what to do with unused postage? PS Form 3533 is what you’ll use. This is how you get a refund on your postage and save money with CRST.net

You can access the form here.

Part 1: Application

This portion is self-explanatory. You will just need to fill out your personal details.

  • Customer/Company Name: Your name or your company’s name
  • Attention: Write a name other than the customer or company name
  • Mailing Address: The address where the funds will be mailed to
  • City
  • Apt or Suite No.
  • City
  • ZIP + 4: If you don’t know your ZIP+4, use this USPS tool
  • Telephone No.
  • Amount of Refund Request: Must match the total at the back, which will be verified by the window clerk.
  • Customer Account No. or Postage Meter No.: This is a required field; you may ask the window clerk to help you.
  • Date of Request

Request Disbursement For

Usually, people file this form to get refunds on unused or misprinted postage. So, if you’ve had unused postage, you need to check the “Spoiled/Unused Printed Customer Meter Postage”.

Part 2 – Verification of Disbursements

You don’t have to worry about filling this out, as the window clerk will handle it for you.

Part 3 – Postage Affixed on BRM or Meter Stamps

  1. Enter Meter Information: Provide your meter number and meter provider, if you have it.
  2. Detail Postage Usage: Accurately list the number and price for each postage. For example:

    • 25 postage x $0.73 = $18.25
    • Total Postage Value = $18.25
  3. Calculate Your Refund: Write the total amount ($18.25) on the right side of the form. Deduct 10% from this amount to cover processing fees:

    • Grand Total of Postage Value = $18.25
    • Less Charges = $1.825 (10% of $18.25)
    • Total to be Refunded = $16.425 ($18.25 – $1.825)

Here, we’ve calculated the refund to be $16.425. Note that the refund will be rounded up to $16.43 (since there is no such thing as a half-cent)

Part 5 and Part 6 Disbursement of Funds

This part outlines the process for issuing refunds locally, meaning within the same post office where the refund is requested. You are required to provide your signature and the date you brought in your form. We advise that you ask the window clerk for more assistance.

Submit Your Refund Request

Submit your filled-out form to a post office. Please note that you cannot pass this form online and must visit a post office to process it.

MAILER’S TIP: To avoid issues when submitting USPS Form PS 3533 for a postage refund, it is recommended to call your local post office in advance. Inform them of your intent and confirm they can process the form. In rural areas, they may direct you to a larger office that is more experienced with handling refund requests.

If the date of your postage is older than 60 days, discuss your options with your local Postmaster. They will guide you on how to proceed with older claims.

Refunds are not made for the following:

  1. An application fee to use permit imprints.
  2. Collect on delivery (COD), Priority Mail Express insurance, insured mail, and Registered Mail fees, after the USPS accepts the article (even if the article is later withdrawn from the mail).
  3. Unused adhesive stamps (may be exchanged under 9.1).
  4. Adhesive stamps affixed to unmailed matter.
  5. Unused Priority Mail Forever Prepaid Flat Rate packaging. Only same packaging exchanges may be made directly through the Express and Priority Mail Supply Center (EPMSC) by calling 800-610-8734. Exchanges are only authorized when the unused packaging, purchased by credit card from http://www.usps.com/, arrives in damaged condition.
  6. For postage (and/or fees for extra services not rendered) when a postmarked (round-dated) mailing receipt, retail Post Office mailing receipt or valid USPS acceptance/mail processing scan events are not available.
  7. For undeliverable Certified Mail and Signature Confirmation, extra service fees when the mailpiece has received an event scan that indicates an attempted delivery (e.g., UAA, Refused, etc.).
  8. Fees paid for extra services, as allowed under 9.2.3 when the refund request is made by the mailer less than 30 days or more than 60 days from the date the service was purchased unless otherwise authorized by the manager, Revenue and Field Accounting (see 608.8.0 for address).
  9. For any amounts paid as purported postage and fees on overweight or oversized items that are nonmailable under 601.1.2

For more information on what’s not eligible for refund, click here.

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