How to Determine When a Letter Was Mailed: Tracking Barcodes and More

Identifying the mailing date of a letter can be crucial for various reasons, from legal purposes to personal organization. However, when the only detail available on the envelope is a barcode without a clear date, you might find yourself at a loss. This guide will explore the best methods to determine when a letter was mailed, including barcode tracking, postal service assistance, postmark identification, and more.

Check the Barcode

One of the most reliable ways to track the mailing date of a letter is through the barcode that is often included on the envelope. Postal services like the USPS offer online tracking features that allow you to enter the barcode number to gather details about the mailing date and transit status. Here’s how to go about it:

Steps to Follow:

Visit the postal service's website. Look for the tracking feature on the homepage or within the delivery services section. Enter the barcode number provided on the envelope. The tracking system might provide you with timestamps indicating the start and end of the mail processing.

For example, with USPS, you might be able to find an entry in the tracking history that shows when the letter was received at the post office. This can significantly narrow down the mailing date. However, it's important to note that not all barcodes include a date directly.

Contact the Postal Service

While the barcode might not provide a clear date, you can still reach out to the postal service that delivered the letter to gather more information. Here’s how:

Steps to Follow:

Visit a local post office or contact their customer service. Provide the barcode information and any other relevant details. Request any additional information they can provide about the mailing date and transit status.

The postal service might not have access to every detail, but they can certainly help provide some insights, especially if they have records from the date of dispatch.

Look for Postmarks

Postmarks can be a valuable indicator of when a letter was mailed, even if the envelope doesn’t have a clear date. Here’s how to identify postmarks:

Steps to Follow:

Examine the front and back of the envelope for any postmarks or partial postmarks. Pay attention to the date and time indicated on the postmark. If you see a date, this can point to the day the letter was mailed.

Postmarks are often faint, so it might take some patience to identify them. They are typically found in the upper left or upper right corner of the envelope, sometimes even on the reverse side.

Ask the Sender

The most straightforward way to determine the mailing date is to ask the sender directly. Here’s how to proceed:

Steps to Follow:

Reach out to the sender via phone or email. Provide the sender with the barcode information if available. Ask the sender to check their records or if they can provide details about when they mailed the letter.

Sometimes, the sender might have records or even a tracking number that can help pinpoint the exact mailing date.

Consider Delivery Times

While not as precise, considering the general delivery times for the postal service can help you make an educated guess about when the letter was mailed. Here’s how:

Steps to Follow:

Research the typical delivery times for your region based on the postal service used. Consider the time it took for the letter to reach you from the receipt date. Estimate the mailing date based on these transit times.

For example, if you typically receive letters within 2-3 days and your letter arrived on a Tuesday, you can estimate that it was likely mailed on a Monday or Sunday, depending on when the sender started the delivery process.

Special Case: USPS and DPBC POSTNET Barcode

For USPS letters, the DPBC POSTNET barcode usually does not include a date. Here’s what you need to know:

DPBC POSTNET Barcode Information:

The barcode consists of 62 bars, which are made up of 9-digit ZIP code data, two DPBC numbers (usually the last two digits of the street address or PO box), and two start/stop characters.

These barcodes are primarily used for internal processing purposes and do not include the date of mailing.

Additional Trivia: Video Encoding System (VES) Tag

For detailed identification, especially in the US, there’s a hidden date and location identifier on some envelopes. Here’s how to identify it:

Steps to Follow:

Flip the envelope over and look at the back side. Find the very small orange ink code called a Video Encoding System (VES) tag. Using a black light, you can enhance the visibility of the code. The code consists of two letters and two numbers that indicate the month and day, and a plant identifier that shows where the letter was first processed.

Plant identifiers for major postal plants in Canada are as follows:

A – St. John’s, NL B – Halifax, NS E – Saint John, NB G – Quebec City, QC J – St. Laurent, QC K – Ottawa, ON L – Mississauga, ON M – Toronto, ON N – London, ON O – Hamilton, ON R – Winnipeg, MB S – Regina, SK S – Saskatoon, SK T – Edmonton, AB T – Calgary, AB V – Vancouver, BC V – Victoria, BC

By using these identifiers, you can pinpoint the geographical and chronological information of the letter’s first processing, which can be an additional piece of information.

Without these specific details, it can be challenging to pinpoint the exact mailing date. However, by combining multiple methods, you can often get a more accurate timeline of when the letter was mailed.