To run a USPS employment verification, you go through The Work Number, an Equifax Workforce Solutions database, using USPS Employer Code 12946. Verifiers reach the system at theworknumber.com or by calling 800-367-5690, but only after registering as a credentialed verifier with a permissible purpose under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Local post offices and regional HR do not handle these requests.
Where USPS Sends Verification Requests
USPS routes all employment and income verification through The Work Number, a centralized database that receives payroll and employment records directly from employers’ payroll systems.1United States Postal Service. FOIA Special Categories of Information Records update each pay period, so what you pull generally reflects the most recent cycle rather than a static annual figure.2The Work Number. Social Service Verifications
Every request needs the USPS Employer Code, 12946, to locate the correct records inside a database that holds many employers. USPS directs verifiers to this system for current Postal Service employees. Historical records from a former employee’s tenure may still be present, but USPS does not guarantee coverage for separated workers through this channel.1United States Postal Service. FOIA Special Categories of Information
You Need a Permissible Purpose
The Work Number is a consumer reporting agency, so the Fair Credit Reporting Act governs who can pull records and why. Without a legally recognized reason, the request is denied and can expose you to civil liability.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681b – Permissible Purposes of Consumer Reports
The purposes that typically cover USPS employment verification include:
- Evaluating a credit transaction, such as a mortgage, auto loan, or credit card application.
- Screening a tenant when employment and income bear on the lease decision.
- Completing a consumer-initiated transaction where the applicant’s employment or income must be verified.
- Determining eligibility for a government benefit, child support obligation, or license that requires financial review.
You certify your permissible purpose during registration, and The Work Number may audit your usage.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 USC 1681b – Permissible Purposes of Consumer Reports
Getting Credentialed the First Time
If your organization has never used The Work Number, you have to register and pass a credentialing review before any USPS record will be released to you. The Work Number advertises one to two business days, but a first request should carry extra buffer in case anything gets flagged.4The Work Number. How It Works
Registration asks for your organization’s name, website, headquarters address, and the physical address where data will be accessed. You also provide your full name, date of birth, work phone, and a work email on your organization’s domain. Gmail, Yahoo, or other generic domains get applications rejected, and shared mailboxes are not accepted.5The Work Number. Sign Up For Verification Access
Equifax Workforce Solutions then runs background checks on both the organization and the individual applicant, including criminal history searches. You select a primary industry and certify your permissible purpose. Organizations that fail credentialing are denied access.5The Work Number. Sign Up For Verification Access
Running a Basic Employment Verification
Once you’re credentialed, you log into theworknumber.com or call 800-367-5690, enter USPS Employer Code 12946, and provide the employee’s identifying information. The system matches on name and Social Security Number to pull the file.1United States Postal Service. FOIA Special Categories of Information
A basic verification returns non-financial data: job title, employment status (active or inactive), and dates of employment. No salary key or employee authorization is required at this level, provided your permissible purpose is valid. The report generates instantly once the record matches.
Verifying Income Requires a Salary Key
Pulling a USPS employee’s income adds a step the employee controls. The employee has to generate a salary key, a six-digit code that grants one-time access to their financial data.6The Work Number. Get a Salary Key Income data sits behind this gate because it is more sensitive than employment status, and the FCRA framework lets employees decide who sees pay history.
How the Employee Gets a Salary Key
The employee signs into The Work Number’s employee portal at employees.theworknumber.com, opens the Salary Key section, and generates a new key. They then pass the six-digit code to you by email or a printed salary key.6The Work Number. Get a Salary Key If the person you’re verifying doesn’t know the process, sending them straight to that portal is the fastest way forward.
Each key works once. After a verifier uses it, the key is spent, and any unused key expires after 90 days.6The Work Number. Get a Salary Key Expired or already-used keys are replaced by generating a new one in the same portal.
What the Income Report Shows
The full income report adds salary history and pay frequency to the basic employment fields.4The Work Number. How It Works For USPS retirees, pension data may also appear when available, which matters for retirees applying for loans or benefits.7The Work Number. Income and Employment Verification Services
What It Costs
The Work Number bills per report. Commercial verifiers fall into two lanes:
- Pay-as-you-go, for organizations running 250 or fewer verifications a year. Prices start at $69.75 per report, paid by card or digital payment at order time.
- Enterprise, for organizations above 250 verifications a year. Pricing runs by contract, billing is invoiced, and minimums may apply.
Exact per-report cost varies with the time frame and purpose of the verification. The Work Number does not charge when no records are found for the individual.8The Work Number. Pricing
State and local government agencies verifying USPS income for benefits use the same database but onboard separately. Agencies sign a Service Agreement with Equifax, provide documentation of program authority, and may face an on-site inspection before access is granted.2The Work Number. Social Service Verifications Their fee structure includes a $149.99 annual setup fee, a $19.99 monthly account service fee, and a $9.99 monthly security monitoring fee, with per-verification pricing that scales to the pay date range:
- 3 full months of records: $59.95 per employer record
- 6 full months: $55.95
- One full year: $46.95
- Three full years: $39.95
- All records: $22.95
Higher-volume agencies can request volume-based pricing.2The Work Number. Social Service Verifications
Where Verifications Usually Stall
The most common failure is requesting income without a salary key. The system will not release financial data without one, and there is no workaround on the verifier’s side. If the employee is unresponsive or unfamiliar with the portal, the verification sits. Build that dependency into your timeline, especially against a firm mortgage closing date.
Wrong employer codes cause the next most common failure. Code 12946 is specific to USPS. Substituting a code from another federal agency that also uses The Work Number returns no match.1United States Postal Service. FOIA Special Categories of Information
First-time verifiers also underestimate credentialing. The advertised one to two business days assumes complete information, a valid work email on your organization’s domain, and a clean background check. Miss any of those and the timeline stretches.5The Work Number. Sign Up For Verification Access If a USPS verification is on your horizon, register before you actually need the report.