Effective November 5, 2012, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM®) part 152 to better identify and define various postage payment methods, including postage stamps, postage meter imprints, postage validation imprint (PVI) labels, Forever Print-on-Demand Indicia labels, and PC Postage® imprints.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM)
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1 International Mail Services
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150 Postage
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152 Payment Methods
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[Switch the order of sections 152.2 and 152.3, so that “Computing Postage” is the title of 152.2 and “Stamps” is the title of 152.3. Revise the renumbered 152.3 it its entirety to read as follows:]
152.3 Stamps
152.31 Types of Stamps
The following types of stamps may be used to pay for postage and fees for extra services listed under chapter 3 for all single-piece international mail transactions:
a. Denominated postage stamps: A denominated postage stamp’s value is based on the dollar amount that is printed on the stamp. Any denominated postage stamp issued by the United States, unless listed in DMM 604.1.3, is valid for postage.
b. Nondenominated postage stamps (excludes precanceled stamps under 152.33): A nondenominated postage stamp’s value is linked to its domestic postage issue price (e.g., the Antique Toys stamp, issued on June 7, 2002, has a postage value of 37 cents). A complete listing of nondenominated postage stamps is available in Quick Service Guide (QSG) 604a found online at http://pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/manuals/qsg300/q604a.pdf.
c. Nondenominated semipostal stamps: Nondenominated semipostal stamps (e.g., Stop Family Violence or Breast Cancer Research) are sold at a price that exceeds the postage value of the stamp, with the amount exceeding postage going to the stated cause. Only their value (at the time of purchase) may be used to pay postage. A complete listing of these semipostal stamps and their issue price is available in QSG 604a found online at http://pe.usps.com/cpim/ftp/manuals/qsg300/q604a.pdf.
d. Forever Stamps: A Forever stamp’s value is linked to the domestic First-Class Mail single-piece 1-ounce letter price that is in effect on the day of use (mailing) regardless of when the stamp is purchased and regardless of how its price may change in the future.
152.32 Additional Postage for Nondenominated Postage Stamps or Forever Stamps
Since international postage prices are always higher than the comparable domestic postage prices, mailers who affix a single nondenominated postage stamp or a Forever stamp to their outbound mailpieces must add additional postage to comply with the international price schedule.
152.33 Precanceled Stamps
Except for the “Nonprofit Org.” variant, mailers may use precanceled stamps for only IPA mailings (see 292.333) and ISAL mailings (see 293.333). The same conditions that are applicable to domestic mail under DMM 604 apply.
[Renumber existing 152.4 as 152.6 and insert new 152.4 and 152.5 to read as follows:]
152.4 Postage Meters, Postage Validation Imprints (PVI), Forever Print-on-Demand Indicia, and PC Postage
Postage meter imprints, postage validation imprint (PVI) labels, Forever Print-on-Demand Indicia labels, and PC Postage imprints are collectively identified as “postage evidencing systems.” A postage evidencing system is a device or system of components that a customer uses to print evidence that postage required for mailing has been paid. Postage evidencing systems print indicia, such as meter imprints or information-based indicia (IBI), to indicate postage payment. Mailers may print these indicia directly on a mailpiece or on a label that is affixed to a mailpiece to pay postage and fees for extra services (see chapter 3) for all single-piece mail transactions. In addition, postage meters may also be used to pay for the “per piece price” portion of IPA (see 292) and ISAL (see 293) mailings. For additional information, including a listing of authorized postage meter and PC Postage providers, see DMM 604.4.
152.5 Additional Standards for Forever Print-on-Demand Indicia Labels
Mailers may use the USPS-produced Forever Print-on-Demand Indicia labels, which bear an information-based indicia (IBI) and the word “Forever,” in the same way as the Forever stamp described in 152.31d.
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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, 9-20-12
