Mailing the IRS, courts, USCIS and other agencies
Government offices publish their own mailing addresses and rules. These guides point you to the official address source, explain what proof of mailing counts, and show how to send from anywhere, including from outside the US.
How do I send a letter to the IRS by certified mail?
Send your letter to the exact address printed on your IRS notice, or, if you aren't answering a notice, to the address the IRS lists for your form on its Where to File pages. Use USPS Certified Mail so you have a dated mailing record and tracking; under the timely-mailing rule in Internal Revenue Code section 7502, a document mailed on time with proper postage and address is generally treated as filed on the postmark date.
How do I respond to an IRS notice by mail?
Reply to the address printed on the notice, by the response date on the notice, and include either the notice's response form or a copy of the notice so the IRS can match your reply to your file. Explain whether you agree or disagree, attach copies (not originals) of supporting documents, and send it by Certified Mail so you can prove when it was mailed.
How do Americans living overseas mail documents to the IRS?
Use the address on your IRS notice, or the address the form instructions give for taxpayers with a foreign address, then send it one of three ways: international mail from your country, a designated private delivery service, or a US-based service that prints your letter and mails it domestically by USPS Certified Mail. Certified Mail is only available inside the US, which is why expats often use an online mailer for proof of mailing.
How do I mail documents to a court?
Check the court's own rules before you mail anything: many courts require or allow e-filing, some accept filings by mail, and most charge filing fees and need signed originals. If mail is allowed, send your papers to the clerk's mailing address from the court's official website with a cover letter listing the case number, and use Certified Mail so you can show when you sent them; in federal court a paper is generally filed when the clerk receives it, not when you mail it.
Can you serve someone by certified mail?
It depends on what you are serving. A summons that starts a lawsuit can be served by certified mail only where the court's rules allow it, and in many places the mailing must be done by the clerk or a non-party, not by you. Later papers in a case (motions, briefs) can usually be served on the other side by mail; in federal court, Rule 5(b)(2)(C) says mail service is complete upon mailing.
How do I prove I mailed a document to the court?
Send it by USPS Certified Mail, which gives you a dated mailing record and tracking, and add a return receipt if you want the signature and delivery date. Keep an exact copy of what you sent, and if you mailed papers to another party, file the certificate or proof of service your court requires.
How do I mail documents to USCIS?
Mail forms to the address on that form's "Where to file" page on uscis.gov, and send responses to a Request for Evidence to the address on the RFE notice itself. USCIS often lists one address for USPS and a different one for FedEx, UPS or DHL, so match the address to the carrier, and use a trackable service such as Certified Mail.
How do I track documents mailed to USCIS?
Tracking happens in two stages. Until delivery, use your carrier's tracking number (USPS Tracking for Certified Mail, or FedEx, UPS or DHL); after USCIS accepts the filing, it mails a receipt notice (Form I-797C) with a receipt number you can use in the USCIS online case status tool.
Can I send a letter to Social Security online?
Many Social Security tasks can be done online in a my Social Security account, but there isn't a general-purpose way to email SSA a letter. For written correspondence, mail it to your local Social Security office or to the address on the SSA letter you are answering, and use Certified Mail if you need proof it arrived.
How do I mail a letter to my congressman?
Find your representative on house.gov and your senators on senate.gov, then mail your letter to their district or state office, or to their Washington office (ZIP 20515 for the House, 20510 for the Senate). Mail to Washington offices is screened for security, which delays it, so a local office or the member's web contact form is usually faster.
How do I send a certified letter to the DMV?
Get the correct mailing address from your state's official DMV (or motor vehicle agency) website, because most states use different addresses for different tasks, then send your letter by USPS Certified Mail, adding a return receipt if a deadline or hearing request is involved. Include your full name, driver license or plate number, and any notice or case number.
Templates for this topic
Ready to send yours?
Type or upload your letter and we print and mail it by First-Class or Certified Mail.
Write your letter