Ordinary Mail
Ordinary Mail is a basic letter mailing service provided by international postal organizations. The sender will not receive a mailing receipt, while the recipient will not sign for its arrival.[1] Theoretically, no logistic tracking is available for customers.[2]
There is no need to prepare your ID when posting an ordinary letter.[3] However, some post entities like China Post will ask for real-name verification when mailing ordinary printed matter (or printed paper) and ordinary mail for the blind.
Pros and Cons
- Advantages: Ordinary mail enables letter communication within the country and even internationally at a relatively low expense.
- Disadvantages: Compared with registered mail, ordinary mail does not offer tracking services and have relatively poor reliability; and the post is generally not responsible for the loss of ordinary mail.[4]
Address Format
- For mailing among post entities (international): Receipt's name & address on the bottom-right, and sender's name & address on the top-left or at the back side of the envelope (not applicable to postcards). Phone number is optional for all.
- For mailing within the Mainland of China: Phone number is optional for all.
- Envelope, Lettersheet: Receipt's name & address on the top-left, and sender's name & address on the bottom-right.
- Postcard, Lettercard: Receipt's name & address on the bottom-right, with sender's information below or skipped.
Affixing Barcodes
Mailing Domestically
China Post started to affixing barcode to domestic ordinary letters nationwide from September, 2018[5] and domestic ordinary printed matters from August, 2022.[6] Both are 13-digit starting with "7", and shall be handled as registered mail in all internal transit procedures, while external delivery shall follow the standard for ordinary mail.[2]
This barcode is for the internal use of postal authorities only and does not provide external tracking services, and users usually cannot track through the barcode number.[2] However, some courier tracking apps had a loophole allowing the tracking of ordinary mail barcodes, which was fixed at the end of August, 2023. Additionally, barcode starting with "72" (exclusively for ordinary printed matters[6]) can be tracked through China Post platforms.
Mailing Internationally
Hong Kong Post, Macao Post (ePosting machine-only), the Royal Post, Indonesian Post and several other postal service operators have also started affixing barcodes to (some of) exporting international ordinary mails (letters and postcards), with some using the UPU C12 Barcode ("U"-prefixed ordinary mail barcode).
China Post has started to trial affixing tracking barcodes for importing international ordinary mails at Mudanjiang Mail Processing Center since October, 2025 because of a 89% loss of international ordinary mails there, as reported and complained by the customers to local postal administration.
References
- ↑ National Standard of People's Republic of China GB/T 10757-2011 Terminology of postal industry: Article 5.1.5. National Standards Full-Text Public Access System. Published on June 16, 2011. [Last accessed on May 12, 2025]. (in Simplified Chinese)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Administrative Measures for the Operation of Barcoded Ordinary Letter Services (for Trial Implementation). China Post. (in Simplified Chinese)
- ↑ Measures for the Administration of the Real-Name Receipt and Delivery of Mails and Express Mails (Order No.24 [2018] of the Ministry of Transport of the P.R.C.): Article 11: “除信件和已签订安全协议用户交寄的邮件、快件外，寄递企业收寄邮件、快件时，应当核对寄件人在寄递详情单上填写的个人身份信息与有效身份证件信息。” PKULaw. (in Simplified Chinese)
- ↑ Postal Law of the People's Republic of China. Article 46: Postal enterprises shall not bear liability for the compensation of losses of ordinary postal materials, except, however, where losses of ordinary postal materials are caused by a postal enterprise due to intent or gross negligence. Wikisource. Published on April 24, 2015. [Last accessed on November 1, 2025]. (in English)
- ↑ Notice of China Post Group Corporation on Promoting Affixing Barcode to Individual Ordinary Mails Nationwide (Fax No.109 [2018] of China Post). China Post. Published on September 2018. [Last accessed on November 2025]. (in Simplified Chinese)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Notice on Promoting Affixing Barcode to Individual Ordinary Printed Matters Nationwide (Business Fax No.35 [2022] of China Post). China Post. Published on July 25, 2022. [Last accessed on November 1, 2025]. (in Simplified Chinese)
