> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL.
> For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.givechariot.com/v2026-04-01/api/mail-items/get/llms.txt.
> For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.givechariot.com/_mcp/server.

# Get a Mail Item

GET https://api.givechariot.com/v1/mail_items/{id}

Get a mail item by its unique identifier.

A Mail Item is a unit of physical mail received at a Lockbox.

Reference: https://docs.givechariot.com/api/mail-items/get

## Authentication

- `Authorization` header (bearer token, required) — Bearer authentication of the form `Bearer <token>`, where token is your auth token.

## Servers

- `https://api.givechariot.com` (Production, default)
- `https://sandboxapi.givechariot.com` (Sandbox)

## Request

### Path parameters

- `id` (string, required) — The unique identifier for the mail item

## Response

### 200

Successfully retrieved the mail item.

- `id` (string, required) — The unique identifier for the mail item.
- `status` (enum, required) — The processing status of a Mail Item. - `processing`: The mail item is being scanned and parsed. - `needs_review`: The mail item requires your review. - `under_review`: Chariot is reviewing the mail item. No action is required. - `processed`: The mail item has been successfully parsed and classified, and is ready for any downstream automations or workflows to run on it. - `rejected`: The mail item will not produce a Donation (e.g., return-to-sender, illegible, unrelated correspondence).
  - Allowed values: `processing`, `needs_review`, `under_review`, `processed`, `rejected`
- `received_at` (datetime, required) — The date and time when the mail item was physically received at the lockbox.
- `scans` (list of MailItemScan, required) — The scans taken of the mail item, newest first. A mail item typically has one scan; a second scan appears after an admin requests a rescan of the physical mail.
- `created_at` (datetime, required) — The date and time when the mail item record was created.
- `updated_at` (datetime, required) — The date and time when the mail item record was last updated.
- `lockbox_id` (string, optional) — The unique identifier for the lockbox that received the mail item.

## Errors

### 400 Bad Request Error

The request is invalid or contains invalid parameters

- `type` (string, required) — A URI reference identifying the problem type.
- `title` (string, required) — A short, human-readable summary of the problem type.
- `status` (integer, required) — The HTTP status code for this error.
- `detail` (string, required) — A human-readable explanation specific to this occurrence.

### 401 Unauthorized Error

Unauthorized. The request is missing the security (OAuth2 Bearer token) requirements and the server is unable to verify the identify of the caller.

- `type` (string, required) — A URI reference identifying the problem type.
- `title` (string, required) — A short, human-readable summary of the problem type.
- `status` (integer, required) — The HTTP status code for this error.
- `detail` (string, required) — A human-readable explanation specific to this occurrence.

### 403 Forbidden Error

Access denied

- `type` (string, required) — A URI reference identifying the problem type.
- `title` (string, required) — A short, human-readable summary of the problem type.
- `status` (integer, required) — The HTTP status code for this error.
- `detail` (string, required) — A human-readable explanation specific to this occurrence.

### 404 Not Found Error

Resource Not Found

- `type` (string, required) — A URI reference identifying the problem type.
- `title` (string, required) — A short, human-readable summary of the problem type.
- `status` (integer, required) — The HTTP status code for this error.
- `detail` (string, required) — A human-readable explanation specific to this occurrence.

### 500 Internal Server Error

Internal Server Error

- `type` (string, required) — A URI reference identifying the problem type.
- `title` (string, required) — A short, human-readable summary of the problem type.
- `status` (integer, required) — The HTTP status code for this error.
- `detail` (string, required) — A human-readable explanation specific to this occurrence.

## Types

### MailItemScan

A single scan of a Mail Item. Multiple entries represent rescans.

- `file_id` (string, required) — The unique identifier for the scanned document file. Fetch contents via the File API.
- `created_at` (datetime, required) — The date and time when the scan was taken.

## Examples

**Response**

```json
{
  "id": "mail_01j8rs605a4gctmbm58d87mvsj",
  "status": "processed",
  "received_at": "2020-01-31T23:59:59Z",
  "scans": [
    {
      "file_id": "file_01j8rs605a4gctmbm58d87mvsj",
      "created_at": "2020-01-31T23:59:59Z"
    }
  ],
  "created_at": "2020-01-31T23:59:59Z",
  "updated_at": "2020-01-31T23:59:59Z",
  "lockbox_id": "lockbox_01j8rs605a4gctmbm58d87mvsj"
}
```