Effective June 24, 2012, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM®) section 152.44 and Exhibit 152.44 to update several permit imprint indicia formats used for international mail. The Postal Service will also revise IMM section 262.5 relevant to permit imprint information.
Below is an overview of the revisions to the indicias used with First-Class Mail International® service:
n In the first example, the word “PAID” appears after the words “U.S. POSTAGE.”
n In the first two examples, the word “INTERNATIONAL” appears after the words “FIRST-CLASS MAIL.”
n There is an example that includes the words “FIRST-CLASS MAIL” on the top line of the indicia with the words “FIRST-CLASS MAIL INTERNATIONAL” appearing to the left of the indicia.
Below is an overview of other revisions to indicias and indicia options:
n The revised Exhibit 152.44 includes separate sections for examples of indicias for International Priority Airmail™ (IPA®), International Surface Air Lift® (ISAL®), and M-bag (Airmail, IPA, and ISAL) services. (Previously, such indicias were included with other First-Class Mail International indicias.)
n With the “Official Mail” indicias, the examples indicate that mailers are to use the applicable international mail class either on the first line of the indicia or to the left of the indicia. Also, note that mailers are to use the actual agency name on the second-to-last line.
n We provide authorization for mailers to use the abbreviation “INTL” in place of “INTERNATIONAL” in the indicia formats in Exhibit 152.44.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM)
* * * * *
1 International Mail Services
* * * * *
150 Postage
* * * * *
152 Payment Methods
* * * * *
152.4 Permit Imprint
* * * * *
152.44 Required Format
[Just before the last sentence, add a sentence to read as follows:]
***The mailer may substitute the abbreviation “INTL” in place of “INTERNATIONAL” in any of the indicia formats in Exhibit 152.44.***
[Revise Exhibit 152.44 to appear as follows:]
Global Express Guaranteed
Express Mail International
Priority Mail International
First-Class Mail International
International Priority Airmail (IPA)
International Surface Air Lift (ISAL)
Airmail M-Bags
IPA M-Bags
ISAL M-Bags
Official Mail
* * * * *
2 Conditions for Mailing
* * * * *
260 Direct Sacks of Printed Matter to One Addressee (M-bags)
* * * * *
262 Postage Prices and Fees
* * * * *
262.5 Stamps, Postage Evidencing Systems, PVI Labels, or Permit Imprint
* * * * *
[In item b after the first sentence, add a new sentence to read as follows:]
b. ***Only the applicable permit imprint formats shown in Exhibit 152.44 are acceptable.***
* * * * *
We will incorporate these revisions into the next update of the online IMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at
http://pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification, Pricing, 5-17-12
