The Central Illinois Postal Customer Council - Mail Design Professional (MDP) Online

1 2 3 4

Many members have requested information on the Mail Design Professional certification course. GREAT NEWS! It’s available online at NO COST and can be accessed at any time.

Below is information from PostalPro regarding the online course and exam. Once on PostalPro, enter MDP into the search bar and click on Mail Design Professional (MDP) Online.

Mail Design Professional (MDP) Online

Mail Design Professional is a self-paced online certification course approved by the U.S. Postal Service®. The course can be accessed at any time and as many times as desired for free. It is estimated at 12 hours for full completion, but this will vary depending on the individual. In addition to the free course material online, if a student would like to become a certified Mail Design Professional, successful completion of the exam is required. Please visit https://imbg.usps.com/mdp to enroll.

This course is ideal for those who wish to maximize their proficiency in designing letter-size and flat-size mail to meet USPS® standards and obtain certification as a Mail Design Professional. The course includes:

Postal addressing standards
Classes of mail and processing categories
Intelligent Mail® and package barcode format and print specifications
Designing automation letters and flats (tabbing, polywrap, deflection, flexibility, etc.)
Reply mail (Business, Courtesy, Meter, Permit Reply and Merchandise Return Service)
Address Information products and Move Update

Learners will also receive information on design standards for:

Customized Market Mail
Repositionable Notes
Election Mail Logos
Privately Printed Labels
Reusable Envelopes

To become a certified Mail Design Professional, successful completion of the exam is required. You can sign up to take the exam from the MDP website. The certification is good for a two-year period once you have successfully completed the 100-question exam at 80% proficiency.

Please remember that the new exam is completed online on the MDP website.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

USPS National and Illinois News

News from USPS National and USPS Great Lakes Area.

Meet Some of the People Who Shaped the American Story

USPS News 04/10/2026 10:00

WASHINGTON — In recognition of the nation’s 250th anniversary, the U.S. Postal Service today released Figures of the American Revolution Forever stamps. The commemorative stamps feature 25 individual portraits honoring some of the people whose actions helped shape the American Revolution and establish U.S. independence.

USPS News 04/09/2026 11:26

WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S. Postal Service today filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) of mailing services price changes to take effect on July 12. The new rates include a 4-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp from 78 cents to 82 cents.

USPS News 03/31/2026 13:00

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service today announced the stamp issues that will be premiered at the Boston 2026 World Exposition , the 12th international philatelic exhibition of the United States.

USPS News 03/25/2026 14:45

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service filed notice today with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) regarding a time-limited price change to better align its costs of transportation with the market. This temporary price adjustment will provide needed flexibility for the Postal Service by helping to ensure that the actual costs of doing business are covered, as required by Congress.

USPS News 03/14/2026 08:34

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service is celebrating a beloved native flower with the release of the Sunflowers Forever stamp, issued today at the Garfield-Perry Stamp Club’s 136th annual March Party in Strongsville, Ohio. The stamp highlights the sunflower’s beauty and positive symbolism as well as its nutritional and ecological importance.

Illinois News Releases 02/12/2026 08:55

ILLINOIS — The U.S. Postal Service is reminding customers in Illinois that Post Office locations will be closed and regular mail delivery will not occur on Presidents’ Day, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026.

Illinois News Releases 02/09/2026 16:21

USPS Makes It Easy To Send Something Real This Valentine’s Day

Notice of Comment Period

Illinois News Releases 11/19/2025 11:47

The U.S. Postal Service will mail a postcard to the impacted community, announcing a proposed relocation of the Muncie, IL Main Post Office formerly located at 101 North Main Street, Muncie, IL 61857. The postcard provides information about the public comment period.

Illinois News Releases 10/01/2025 07:58

HANOVER PARK, IL — The U.S. Postal Service today highlighted upgrades and new technology at the Hanover Park Sorting and Delivery Center (SDC). The upgrades come as part of the organization’s transformation and modernization strategies intended to increase operational precision and improve service performance across the country. The Postal Service’s sweeping operational overhaul is modernizing and optimizing its unrivaled integrated mail and package network.

Illinois News Releases 08/26/2025 09:56

Chicago, IL - The Greater Illinois Postal Customer Council (PCC), Chicagoland’s largest mailer event is extending a cordial invitation to all business partners to attend the 2025 National Postal Customer Council Week celebration. The theme – “Leading Forward” – is a continuation of the concepts shared at the 2025 National Postal Forum in Nashville earlier this year.

PostalPro News

News from PostalPro.

Appendix B: ACS™ Frequently Asked Questions

PostalPro 04/15/2026 07:00

This document provides frequently asked questions (FAQs) and answers about the Intelligent Mail® Barcode, Traditional ACS™, OneCode ACS™, Full Service ACS™, Single Source ACS™, and the Intelligent Mail® Package Barcode (IMpb).

PostalPro 04/15/2026 07:00

This spreadsheet provides a list of operation codes (opcodes), also known as Scan Event Codes, for the IV-MTR application.

PostalPro 04/15/2026 07:00

Please note that the BCG user must be the BSA or BSA delegate for manage mailing activity and be the EPS administrator or payment manager to use this service.

PostalPro 04/15/2026 07:00

This document provides a list of active IV-MTR work to be as well as items completed in FY25. *Please note, Postal Pro is the only source for a current IV-MTR Development log as updates will be made on an ongoing basis.

PostalPro 04/15/2026 07:00

2026 Small Business Symposium at NPF

PostalPro 04/15/2026 07:00

Join us at the 2026 Small Business Symposium hosted at the National Postal Forum. Learn how small businesses leverage mail and shipping solutions to find success!

PostalPro 04/14/2026 07:00

These release notes summarize new features and enhancements implemented in deployments to the IV-MTR application.

USPS Ship Monthly Averages Tech Sheet

PostalPro 04/14/2026 07:00