Mail Carriers

Certification or Licensing

Although certification is not required, applicants for USPS mail carrier jobs must take civil service examinations. The written examination is composed of four parts: cross-comparison of addresses, completion of forms, memory and coding, and personal characteristics and experience. The general intelligence part includes questions on simple arithmetic, spelling, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Applicants must also pass a test section that covers reading accuracy, in which they compare addresses arranged in pairs and indicate similarities or differences. They are also tested in their ability to follow instructions in making changes on a mailing scheme and in routing mail.