FAQs

Have a question? We want to help. Explore the categories below to find answers.

HMH Assessments (Formerly Riverside) Customer Service >

Account Creation

• Who is eligible for an institutional account?

  If you work for an accredited pre-K–12 public, private or parochial school or qualified university or college, you may be eligible for an institutional account.

• How do I create an institutional account?

  To set up an institutional account, click Sign Up located at the top of most pages on our website and follow the instructions to create an institutional account.

• Can I place an order before I receive confirmation that my institutional account has been confirmed?

  Yes, you can place an order, but contract pricing or other discounts many not be applied. Restricted materials, such as teacher’s editions and other product components marked with a red asterisk (*) or other notice, cannot be shipped until after an institutional account is verified.

Account Updates

• How do I update my account?

  Consumer: Log in and go to My Account and make your changes.
  Institutions: Institutions can add or edit an existing shipping address during checkout

Login Assistance

• What name do I log in with?

  Your username is the email address you used to create the account.

• Why am I getting an “incorrect password” message?

  Make sure you’ve turned off your Caps Lock key and try again. If the problem persists, try resetting your password here.

• What if I forget my password?

  If you’ve forgotten your password, reset your password here.

• Why aren’t my username and password working?

  Be sure to check your records to verify that you’re using the correct login information. If the problem persists and you can’t reset your password, contact HMH Customer Service.

Returns and Refunds

• What’s Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s return policy?

  Our return policies vary depending on the type of item you’d like to return. To receive a full refund, we require that:

  • Credit card orders must be returned within 30 days of receipt
  • Attach our label to your box for quick refund
  • Items must be in new condition
  • Items must be returned with all original packaging and accessories
  • Media items (for example, movies, music, video games and software) must be unopened and still in their plastic wrap

  Click here to print the label and paperwork needed to make your return

  Note: Return shipping may be deducted from the amount of your refund if the reason for your return is not due to HMH error.

  Institutional Returns:

  PRIOR AUTHORIZATION MUST BE OBTAINED FOR ALL PERMITTED RETURNS. ALL RETURNS ARE GOVERNED BY HMH’S STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS (see Section 6 “CUSTOMER RETURNS” under Standard Terms and Conditions). HMH cannot guarantee credit for an unauthorized return. Please contact Customer Service for authorization and reference your invoice number. If the original order is not returned in its entirety (i.e. the customer returns only a portion of the student books ordered) all free materials received with the original order must be returned in proportion to the number of returned student books. If free materials are not returned, the customer will be charged the value of the free materials, at the applicable for sale price, for those materials not returned. This amount will be deducted from the calculated value of the returned student books to arrive at the net credit due to the customer. Contact Customer Service to report incorrect titles or damaged or defective products. Please reference your invoice number on all inquiries. Materials may be returned within six months (or one month for home schools and individual purchasers) of the invoice date if in unmarked, unused, and salable condition. Stamped books are not returnable. Please direct written requests to Customer Service, at K12inquiries@hmhco.com, or call 800.225.5425 for instructions.

• I’ve returned my item. How soon will I receive my refund?

  If you chose to receive a refund to your credit card, then a refund was instantly requested as soon as we received your item and will show on your credit card statement within three business days.

  If you shipped the item back at your own expense, and the return is the result of an HMH error, you will be refunded shipping costs when we process the return.

• I got the wrong items in my shipment. What do I do?

  If you received the wrong item or items in your shipment, contact HMH Customer Care.

• What if something I ordered is missing?

  In Your Account, verify that all items in your order were shipped together. Sometimes orders may be split (at no extra cost to you) if items are being shipped from different shipping centers.

• What can I do if something I ordered is defective?

  Click Contact Us, and we’ll arrange a return and replacement for the item.

• Can I cancel my order?

  Most orders you place enter the shipping process shortly after you place your order.

  • If your order hasn’t shipped: You can call HMH Customer Care to cancel your order.
  • If your order has already shipped: Once the order leaves our hands, we can’t stop its delivery. You’ll need to refuse delivery or initiate a return when the item arrives.

• What if my order is damaged?

  Visit HMH Customer Care to send us details about the damage to your item. You can tell us if you want a refund or a replacement item.

Taxes

• Where does HMH collect sales tax?

  We collect sales tax in all states because we have a physical presence (employees) in all states. Please note that the following states do not have a sales tax: Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon.

• How is the sales tax rate determined?

  The sales tax rate is based on the shipped to destination. This includes the tax rates for applicable state and local tax authorities.

• Are shipping and handling fees taxable?

  HMH charges a combined shipping and handling fee. This is taxable in some states and not in others based on the tax laws of each state.

• Are digital/electronically delivered products taxable?

  These types of products are taxable in some states and not in others based on the tax laws of each state.

• If I have a tax question regarding my order, who do I contact?

  Please call our Customer Service number 1 (855) 969-4642

• If I am a sales tax exempt organization and place a web order what should I do?

  If you have not already provided your state sales tax exempt certificate to HMH, please send your tax certificate to 1-800-878-3934. Please write your HMH account name, a contact name, and telephone number on the tax form or coversheet.

Tracking Your Shipment

• How can I track my package?

  If tracking information is available for your order, you can track it through our Customer Care.

• Why isn’t there tracking information for my order?

  If the estimated delivery date for your order has not passed, then it should still arrive on time, regardless of whether there is any tracking data. Other reasons for a shipment’s delay can be found on our Tracking Deliveries Help page.

• Tracking says my package is delivered, but I don’t have it. What’s going on?

  Sometimes a carrier will scan a package as delivered before it has actually arrived at the final destination. Usually the package will be delivered within the next few business days.

  If you’ve waited a couple of days and you still don’t have the package:

  • See if someone else accepted your delivery, such as other household members, neighbors, landlords, building managers, mail rooms, the front desk or anyone else with the capability to accept delivery.
  • Check around the delivery location. The delivery person may have stowed your package out of sight to keep it safe.
  • Look for a notice of attempted delivery. Check your mailbox or P.O. box for notice of attempted delivery. If you find one, the notice should have instructions for receiving or picking up the package.
  • Contact the carrier. The carrier may have additional information about the package’s location. Be sure to have your tracking or confirmation number handy.

  Please give carriers an additional day or two past the estimated delivery date to deliver the package. Also note that some carriers may deliver packages as late as 8 p.m.

• What does it mean if my package has no tracking information?

  Orders that were recently shipped might not have tracking available. As with all orders, please wait a few more days past the estimated delivery date. Usually packages arrive on or shortly after the estimated delivery date.

• Why has my tracking information not changed?

  If the estimated delivery date has passed and your tracking information hasn’t changed, please allow an additional two days for delivery.

• How can I view my shipping and delivery dates?

  To view your order’s estimated shipping and delivery dates, visit Your Account and click on the order number to see details.

• What do I do if my shipment is missing an item?

  If you’re missing an item, check Your Account to verify all items were part of the same shipment. We sometimes split your order into multiple shipments at no extra cost.

• What if tracking information on your site doesn’t match the carrier’s website?

  It’s common to see slight differences in the tracking information listed in Your Account and in the details on the carrier’s website. Keep in mind that every carrier uses different language to indicate shipping statuses.

  Most packages arrive by the estimated delivery date listed. Please allow an additional day or two for the shipment to be delivered. Occasionally a carrier will scan a package as delivered before it actually arrives at the final destination.

Technical Information

• What if I have a technical question about my product?

  For answers to any technical questions, please visit our Technical Support page.

Security and Accessibility

• How secure is my information? Is your site optimized for accessibility?

  For answers to any questions about account security or accessibility, please visit our Privacy Policy page.

Payment and Promotions

• How can I pay for my order?

  Individual consumers may purchase with all major credit cards. You may pay with Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, or PayPal.

  Registered Institutions may purchase using all major credit cards or with a valid purchase order.

• What do I do if I have a promotional code?

  Promotional codes can be entered throughout the checkout process on any valid order.

Product Search

• Finding a Specific Item

  If you’re looking for something in specific, enter a few words into the search box and we’ll show you all the matching results. To better your results, try restricting your search to a particular type of product category.

• Browsing Items by Category

  If you just want to browse a category, use the category options located on the left side of the page. Each department will offer its own customized options to search and browse.

• Find More Information About a Product

  The only information we can give you about a particular item is what we display on the product detail page for that item. Details usually include customer reviews, which can sometimes provide helpful information about content and product compatibility.

  If you don’t find your answer in our store, you may want to perform a Web search to research the product or locate the manufacturer’s contact information.

Placing an Order

• How do I order my products?

  Placing an order is easy! There’s no need to create an account first. You can automatically create an account after you place your first order online. All orders must be placed online; we do not accept faxed or emailed orders.

  Here are the steps you need to follow to place an order. If you have any problems when following these steps, please read our Troubleshooting Tips.

  1. Find the Items You Want
  2. Add the Items to Your Shopping Cart
  3. Proceed to Checkout
  4. Sign In/Create a New Account
  5. Enter a Shipping Address
  6. Choose a Shipping Method: Standard Service, Priority, Expedited
  7. Provide Payment Information
  8. Review and Submit Your Order
  9. Check Your Order Status

  Note: Payment, shipping and return policies may vary by type of order.

• 1. Find the Items You Want

  First, you’ll need to browse or search for the items you’d like to order. A search box is located on nearly every page. When you find an item that interests you, click the title or name of the item to see its product detail page. Here you will find more information about the item, including an availability estimate of how long it will take before the item will be ready.

• 2. Add the Items to Your Shopping Cart

  If you want to order an item, click the Add to Cart button on the item’s product detail page. Once you’ve added an item to your Shopping Cart, keep searching or browsing until your cart contains all of the items you want to order. You can access the contents of your Shopping Cart at any time by clicking "Cart" at the top of the page.

• 3. Proceed to Checkout

  Take a moment to review all of the items you’ve placed in your Shopping Cart. If you decide that you don’t want to purchase a particular item right away, click the Remove button under the Quantity field.

  When you’re ready to place an order for everything in your Shopping Cart, click the Proceed to Checkout button. You will be taken to the first page of the order form.

• 4. Sign In/Create a New Account

  At this point, you can continue by signing in with your HMH account or continuing as a guest. To sign in to your HMH account, enter your email address and password in the Sign In area. To continue as a guest, click Continue in the New Customers & Guests area.

  If you would like to create an account, you will find Sign Up located at the top of most pages on our website.

• 5. Enter a Shipping Address

  Personal accounts: Tell us where you would like to ship your order. At this time, we cannot ship to PO Boxes. Please enter your street address for shipping.

  Institutional accounts: We cannot ship to a corporate address. With a few exceptions, HMH can ship to a home address. If your institutional account only has a home address, HMH will contact you to verify this is an authorized shipping address.

• 6. Choose a Shipping Method: Standard Service, Priority, Expedited

  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt offers three different options for shipping. Please note that orders are processed 24-72 hours from the time we receive your order. There is no shipping on weekends and holidays. Shipping time may vary by service level chosen.

  Shipping: Calculated based on order total

  Shipping options

  Standard Shipping (3-5 days)

  • Standard Delivery: With this option, your items will arrive within 3 to 5 days after you place your order. The shipping costs are estimated at 10.5% of your total order or a minimum of $10.00, whichever is greater.

  Priority Shipping (2 days)

  • Priority Delivery: With this option, your items will arrive within two business days after you place your order. These shipping costs are estimated at 16% of your total order value. Please add one day to orders submitted after 2pm.

  Expedited Shipping (Next day)

  • Expedited Delivery: With this option, your items will arrive on the next business day after your order is received. The cost is 21% of your total order value. Please add one day to orders submitted after 2pm. Please note that institutional discounts and final pricing will be applied after your account is verified and your order is processed.

• 7. Provide Payment Information

  Next, let us know how you would like to pay for your order. At HMH, we accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and PayPal. All orders must be prepaid. If you’re paying with a credit card, enter the number without spaces or dashes.

  Also enter your Billing Address as well as contact information, such as your phone number and email address.

• 8. Review and Submit Your Order

  Check the accuracy of all the information you provided and make any necessary adjustments. When you are ready, click the Place Your Order button to submit your order. Once you place your order, we will send you a confirmation email message. We will send you another email message at the time of shipment.

• 9. Check Your Order Status

  If you would like to review or change something about the order you placed before it enters the shipping process, click the Your Account link in the top right corner of most pages on our site. Here you will be able to change the particulars of your order without having to contact us.

Manuscript Submissions

• How do I submit a manuscript for general interest fiction or a nonfiction book?

  Unfortunately, we are unable to accept unsolicited manuscript submissions. If you want to publish a manuscript, a good way to start is by looking for a literary agent in the Literary Marketplace. This is a reference book that can be found in most public libraries. The book lists literary agents around the country, their addresses and phone numbers, and the types of books that they specialize in handling. You might also want to pick up a copy of the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade Division book How to Be Your Own Literary Agent by Richard Curtis.

• How do I submit a poetry manuscript?

  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt regrets that we can no longer consider unsolicited poetry. Since our poetry publishing program is quite small, we have decided to reserve it for the authors to whom Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has already made a commitment. Please seek out resources like Poet's Market if you want to pursue publication.

• How do I submit a submission for a children’s book?

  Clarion Books and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers are the hardcover imprints of the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers Division.

  Please note: Presently, only Clarion Books is accepting unsolicited submissions. HMH Books for Young Readers will not be reviewing unsolicited submissions at this time.

  While we accept unsolicited and unagented submissions, we do not respond unless we are interested in publishing the work or would like to request a revision. Our time frame for a response is up to twelve weeks. We regret that we cannot respond personally to every submission, but each manuscript does receive careful consideration.

  Your manuscript should be typed and submitted via mail. We do not accept submissions by e-mail or fax. Please do not send a self-addressed return envelope or postcard, as materials will not be returned. Manuscripts will be recycled if we determine that they are not a match for our publishing program.

  For picture books and novels, please send the entire manuscript. For nonfiction, submit a synopsis and sample chapters.

  When submitting work to any publishing house, it is useful to check your local bookstore or library to get a sense of the company’s publishing style. This research may also help you determine which HMH imprint is best for your work. Please submit exclusively to one HMH imprint.

  Submissions to Clarion Books should be sent to the following address:

  Clarion Books / Submissions
  3 Park Avenue, 19th Floor
  New York, NY 10016

• How do I submit artwork or illustrations?

  The design department receives samples from potential illustrators of picture books and fiction book jackets for Clarion Books and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers. (Illustrations that are part of a picture book dummy with text should be submitted to the editorial department per the instructions above.)

  Send color copies or tear sheets; do not send original artwork or slides. Please show a limited selection of your strongest work. Illustrations that feature children or animals are helpful, but feel free to submit other subject matter. Samples will not be returned. We will contact you only if we have a potential illustration assignment.

  Our mailing addresses are as follows:

  Clarion Books OR Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers
  Design Department / Art Samples
  3 Park Avenue, 19th Floor
  New York, NY 10016

  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers
  Design Department / Art Samples
  125 High Street
  Boston, MA 02110

  Dictionary Department
  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  125 High Street
  Boston, MA 02110

Rights and Permissions

• What do I need to know about general interest and children's permissions?

  For information on obtaining permissions for use of any material appearing in Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade Division general interest fiction and nonfiction and or children's titles, except dictionary permissions, please contact our Permissions Department.

  Requests must be made in writing and may be mailed or faxed. Please state specifically the title and author (and copyright year or edition number, if possible) of the book you are planning to reference, and be as specific as possible regarding the intended use of materials. For selection reprint requests, please allow four to six weeks for response. Response time varies for other types of requests. The address for our Permissions Department is:

  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  Permissions Department
  3 Park Avenue - 19th Floor
  New York, NY 10016

  You may also contact our general interest and children's Permissions Department by fax at 1-800-769-6850 or via e-mail at trade.permissions@hmhco.com.

  Dictionary Permissions:
  For inquiries on obtaining permission for use of any material appearing in Houghton Mifflin Harcourt reference publications, please contact Dictionary Department Permissions via fax at 617-351-1116, or by regular mail at the following address:

  Dictionary Department Permissions
  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  125 High Street
  Boston, MA 02110

  K-12 Educational Content requests:

  Direct written requests to:
  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
  Attn: Contracts, Copyrights, and Licensing
  9400 South Park Center Loop, Orlando, FL 32819
  Fax: 407-345-2418
  or email school.permissions@hmhco.com
  or use our on-line form http://customercare.hmhco.com/permission/HMHEducation.html

• How do I obtain subsidiary rights, submit a publicity or find out about licensing?

  Subsidiary Rights
  For film or TV rights, translation or dramatic rights, permission to use material from an HMH title or a subsidiary rights request, please contact our Rights and Permissions department:

  Subsidiary Rights
  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  3 Park Avenue
  New York, NY 10016
  Telephone: (212) 420-5800
  E-mail: trade.permissions@hmhco.com

  Publicity Inquiries
  For Publicity questions regarding general Trade books, including review copy requests, author events, promotional materials, Images, or Electronic Press Kits contact:

  Publicity Department
  Trade & Reference Division
  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  215 Park Avenue South
  New York, NY 10003
  Telephone: (212) 420-5846
  Fax: (212) 420-5850
  E-mail: trade.publicity@hmhco.com

  Library Promotions
  Please direct children’s publicity inquiries for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade & Reference children’s titles to:

  Children’s Publicity Department
  Trade & Reference Division
  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  125 High Street
  Boston, MA 02110
  Telephone: (617) 351-5968
  E-mail: childrens_publicity@hmhco.com

  Electronic Licensing
  For library Promotions, including author events, catalogs, and promotional materials, please contact:

  ATTN: Institutional Marketing
  Children's Books Department
  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  125 High Street
  Boston, MA 02110
  E-mail: childrens_publicity@hmhco.com

  ATTN: Institutional Marketing
  Clarion Books
  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  215 Park Avenue South
  New York, NY 10003
  E-mail: childrens_publicity@hmhco.com

• How can I find out about electronic publishing?

  For Electronic Publishing support, including electronic data about HMH Trade & Reference titles, ebooks, and other digital materials, please contact electronic_publicity@hmhco.com.

  Please include your company name, address, phone number, e-mail address, Web site, and all other contact information. Also, please include the type and format of information you are requesting, as well as the types of books you sell.

  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade Division can provide electronic information to wholesalers and retailers in the following formats:
  ASCII
  EDI
  ONIX

  For more information, please visit http://www.hmhbooks.com/epub.

Contacting Authors

• How do I contact an author?

  If you would like to write a letter to an author of a general interest fiction or nonfiction book, you can send it to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and we will forward it to him/her. Our policy is not to give out authors' addresses to protect their privacy. Please address letters as follows:

  Author's Name
  c/o Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Trade Division,
  Adult Editorial
  125 High Street
  Boston, MA 02110

  If you would like to write a letter to a children's book author, you can send it to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and we will forward it to him/her. Our policy is not to give out authors' addresses to protect their privacy. Please address letters as follows:

  Author's Name
  c/o Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Books
  125 High Street
  Boston, MA 02110

  To book a children's book author for an event, visit our booking page here.

Desk and Review Copies

• How do I request a desk copy of a book?

  Complimentary desk copies are available for instructors who adopt a Houghton Mifflin Harcourt title for course use. One free desk copy is available per college/university. If you are interested in examination copies of our titles, please visit this page to submit a request online.

  Desk copies are shipped care of your institution. Desk copies cannot be sent to residences. Please allow four to six weeks for delivery.

  To expedite your order, supply your contact information: your full name and title, mailing address, phone number, and fax number, if applicable. Please include the full title, the author's name, and the ISBN of the book you are requesting.

• How can I request a review copy of a book?

  Please email review copy requests to the Trade Publicity Department Trade.Publicity@hmhco.com with the title of the requested book, your full contact information, and the information for the publication you write for if you are a freelancer.

General Contact Information

• How do I contact Customer Service?

  Any questions regarding Houghton Mifflin Harcourt products, or queries concerning existing orders, can be addressed to our Customer Service department.

  Customer Service website: http://customercare.hmhco.com
  Email: myhmhco@hmhco.com 
  Phone: (855) 969-4642

  The Customer Service mailing address is:

  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  Trade & Reference
  Customer Service
  9205 Southpark Center Loop
  3rd Floor
  Orlando, FL 32819

• Availability/Price Information

  For availability and price information, check our Online Catalog.

  For additional information on the availability or price of a book, please contact our Customer Service department at 1-800-225-3362 or via e-mail at tradecustomerservice@hmhco.com.

• Who do I contact for general book questions?

  Any questions relating to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's general interest fiction, nonfiction, cookbooks, guidebooks, and the Mariner imprint should be addressed to our Adult Editorial Department. The department can be reached via e-mail at TradeGeneralProduction@hmhco.com, or by regular mail at the following address:

  Adult Editorial Department
  Trade Division
  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company
  125 High Street
  Boston, MA 02110

• Who do I contact for questions about children’s books?

  Any questions relating to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt children's books should be addressed to our Children's Books Department. The department can be reached via e-mail at Childrens_Publicity@hmhco.com, or by regular mail at the following address:

  Children's Publicity Department
  Trade Division
  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  125 High Street
  Boston, MA 02110

• Who do I contact for questions on dictionaries and other reference books?

  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt reference works:
  Any questions relating to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company reference books should be addressed to our Dictionary Editorial Department. The department can be reached via regular mail at the following address:

  Dictionary Editorial Department
  Trade Division
  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
  125 High Street
  Boston, MA 02110

  Larousse/Chambers Dictionaries:
  Any questions relating to Larousse/Chambers reference books should be addressed to our sales team via e-mail at larousse_chambers@hmhco.com.

• How can I get digital books for special needs readers?

  We do not distribute any of our files on an individual basis. Electronically, our files can be found on our retailer e-readers through any of the following e-book retailers:

  • Amazon Kindle bookstore
  • Barnes & Noble Nook bookstore
  • Kobo store
  • Sony Reader bookstore

• How can I make a donation request?

  Donation requests may be submitted to Corporate Social Responsibility for processing. They are treated on a case-by-case basis.

• How can I order out-of-print books?

  Our catalog carries a listing only of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade books that are currently available or coming soon. Good sources for information on out-of-print books are Bibliofind and Alibris.

• What if I find a typo or defect in the book I ordered?

  If you have a typographic or printing problem with a Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade Division book you purchased, please send us an email at one of the addresses below with the information. Please be sure to include the title, author, and ISBN [International Standard Book Number] of the book in your message (to find the ISBN, look on the copyright page, in the back of the book, or in the Trade Division Online Catalog ), along with a description of the error or defect.

  General Interest fiction and nonfiction: TradeGeneralProduction@hmhco.com
  Children's books: TradeChildrensProduction@hmhco.com

Website Feedback

• How can I provide feedback on the website?

  We welcome comments and suggestions regarding our website. If you have comments or suggestions, please email Trade Webmaster.