Effective September 13, 2007, we are revising mailing standards to expand mailers’ options when using simplified addresses. Mailers may choose to use simplified addresses, such as “Postal Customer,” instead of complete names and addresses, when mailing to all boxholders or all families on rural routes or highway contract routes. Mailers will have the following expanded options when preparing enhanced carrier route mailpieces with simplified addresses:
We will include these changes in the next revision of the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), but mailers may begin to mail under these revised standards immediately.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services
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602 Addressing
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3.0 Use of Alternative Addressing
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3.2 Simplified Address
3.2.1 Use — Rural and Highway Contract Routes, P.O. Boxholders
[Revise 3.2.1 to allow mailers to use “Residential Customer” when mailing to only families on Rural Routes or highway contract routes as follows:]
The simplified address format (“Postal Customer”) may be used on mail only when complete distribution is made to each family (household residence) or boxholder on a rural or highway contract route at any post office or to all post office boxholders at a post office without city carrier service. The following also applies:
a. Mailers may use a more specific address, such as “Rural Route Boxholder,” for mail intended to all boxholders on a rural route, followed by the name of the post office and state. The word “Local,” instead of the post office and state name, is optional; however the Postal Service recommends using the post office and state name for mail not dropshipped directly to a destination delivery unit.
b. Mailers may use “Residential Customer” to indicate that delivery is desired to residential addresses only on rural route or highway contract routes.
c. See 703.6.0 for congressional mail.
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3.2.3 Mail Preparation
[Revise 3.2.3 to allow bundles on pallets and to remove the facing slip requirement when mailings include the route number and ZIP Code on each piece, as follows:]
Mailers must prepare letter-size pieces in trays. Mailers must prepare flat-size pieces and irregular parcels in carrier route bundles in sacks or directly on pallets. Bundles, sacks, or trays may be placed on 3-digit, 5-digit, or 5-digit scheme pallets under 705.8.10. In addition to the required simplified address, each bundle must bear a facing slip showing the desired distribution (for example, 5-digit ZIP Code and route number) or the top piece of each bundle must include the route number and ZIP Code. Mailers may obtain delivery statistics for routes as described in 509.1.0. The following also applies:
a. All pieces must be in the same processing category.
b. Mailers must mark pieces according to 102, 202, 302, or 402.
c. Mailers must prepare all pieces for the same carrier route in bundles of 50, so far as practicable. If the pieces are bundled in quantities other than 50, mailers must show the actual number of pieces on the facing slip or on the top piece of the bundle.
d. If selective distribution is desired, the mailer must include enough pieces to cover the routes selected.
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We will incorporate this revision 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, 9-13-07
