DMM REVISION
Facing Identification Marks on Reusable Envelopes
Effective February 1, 2007, we are revising 601.6.5 and
708.9.1 of the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) concerning the
preparation of letter-size envelopes with permit imprint indicia when those envelopes are designed as reusable mailpieces. This revision deletes the requirement to place a
facing identification mark (FIM) on the reverse side of these
pieces, and provides an option to print a FIM on the address side. The change allows more flexibility for mailers to
print, distribute, and mail reusable envelopes.
We also are adding a reference in 708.9.1 to 703.8.0
about the use of FIMs on cards or envelopes with absentee
balloting materials.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal
Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
* * * * *
600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services
601 Mailability
* * * * *
6.0 Mailing Containers-Special Types of
Envelopes and Packaging
* * * * *
6.5 Reusable Mailpieces That Originate as Permit
Imprint Mailings
* * * * *
[Revise item b to delete the requirement to place a FIM on
the reverse side, as follows:]
b. Distribution. When reusable mailpieces are originally
mailed, postage must be paid with permit imprint and
a complete address and corresponding barcode
must be located in the address block. Reusable
pieces must be entered at a postal facility as part of a
permit imprint mailing. On mailpieces other than window envelopes, the address block for return of the
piece (including the delivery address and a corresponding barcode) will be located on the reverse
side. If included, prepaid reply postage must be located or obscured so that it is not mistaken by postal
mail processing equipment or employees as applying
to the originating piece.
* * * * *
700 Special Standards
* * * * *
708 Technical Specifications
* * * * *
9.0 Facing Identification Mark (FIM)
9.1 Using FIMs
[Revise 9.1 to expand the use of FIMs to include certain
envelopes with permit imprints and to add a reference
about absentee balloting materials, as follows:]
The facing identification mark (FIM) serves to orient and
separate certain types of First-Class Mail during the facing-
canceling process. Mailers must use the appropriate FIM
as follows:
a. All letter-size business reply mail (BRM) under
507.8.0.
b. All letter-size permit reply mail (PRM) under 507.9.0.
c. Letter-size courtesy reply mail (CRM) and meter
reply mail (MRM) provided as enclosures in
automation-rate mailings under 201.3.0.
d. Letter-size mail with IBI printed with nonfluorescent
ink directly onto the envelope by an IBI meter or a PC
postage system must use FIM D.
e. Cards and letter-size envelopes containing absentee
balloting materials under 703.8.0.
f. A FIM must not be used on other types of mail, except that a FIM may be used on a letter-size envelope with a permit imprint indicia when that envelope
is designed for use as a reusable mailpiece under
601.6.0. A FIM used for this purpose must be the appropriate FIM for the postage payment method on the
returned envelope (see 9.2).
* * * * *
We will incorporate these revisions into the next printed
version of the DMM and into the monthly update of the online DMM available via Postal Explorer® at http://pe.usps.com.
— Mailing Standards,
Pricing and Classification, 2-1-07
