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.

U.S. Postal Service Celebrates America’s 250th Anniversary With Commemorative Initiatives and Merchandise

USPS News 06/11/2026 12:00

WASHINGTON — The United States Postal Service is proud to join in the celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. To honor this milestone, the Postal Service is encouraging customers to visit the many Post Offices from 1776* that are still open today, and explore other opportunities to celebrate.

USPS News 06/09/2026 08:08

NEW YORK — The U.S. Postal Service today honored the nation’s 250th anniversary with American Icons, a collection of 13 commemorative stamps curated by legendary American designer Ralph Lauren.

USPS News 06/08/2026 09:00

In 1776, the Declaration of Independence gave powerful voice to a bold idea: that government exists to serve the people. On the 250th anniversary of America’s founding document, the U.S. Postal Service pays tribute to the written instrument that codified our national ideals with a new Forever stamp.

USPS News 06/05/2026 10:35

In 1959, a doll introduced as “The Original Teenage Fashion Model” — Barbie — stepped into the marketplace and quickly became an icon and symbol of limitless possibilities. As the 1985 advertising jingle proclaimed, “We girls can do anything!” The Postal Service will honor that world of possibilities with 10 new stamps featuring Barbie dressed to portray 10 different careers.

USPS News 06/05/2026 08:00

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service will observe Juneteenth on Friday, June 19. All Post Office locations will be closed. Regular mail delivery and retail services will resume on Saturday, June 20.

Illinois News Releases 05/13/2026 09:12

ILLINOIS — The U.S. Postal Service will observe Memorial Day on Monday, May 25. All Post Office locations will be closed. Regular mail delivery and retail services will resume on Tuesday, May 26.

The Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive

Illinois News Releases 04/30/2026 10:11

ILLINOIS — Saturday, May 9th marks the 34th anniversary of the largest one-day food drive in the nation – the National Association of Letter Carriers' Stamp Out Hunger® Food Drive.

Illinois News Releases 04/20/2026 11:10

A guided tour of the new Hammond Sorting and Delivery Center (S&DC) highlighting updated operations, state-of-the-art package sorting technology, facility upgrades, and Next Generation Delivery Vehicles (NGDVs). Interviews will be available following the tour.

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