DMM Revision: New Price Marking Options

Effective August 14, 2008, the Postal Service™ is revising Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM^®) 202, 245, 302, 345, 402, 445 and 604 to provide a new price-marking option for mailings at Standard Mail^® prices. Currently, mailers must mark each piece “Presorted Standard Mail” or “PRSRT STD.” Standards now require that all Standard Mail must be presorted. To reduce the redundancy of the terms “Presorted” and “Standard” within the same price marking, we are providing a new option that will allow mailers to use the markings “Standard” or “STD.”

We also are providing a new option for mailers of letters or flats, bearing a manifest keyline, when pieces are included as part of an automation mailing. As an example, when MultiLine Optical Character Reader (MLOCR) mailers combine manifest mailings into a single automation mailing, the two-letter category code printed in the keyline meets the requirements for the price-specific markings described in DMM 202.3.3b and 302.2.1.1b. This does not apply to pieces with a single-piece marking. If a single-piece marking has been applied to pieces that subsequently become part of a presorted or automation mailing, the “SP” marking must be marked out and replaced with a “Presorted” or “PRSRT” marking.

Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)

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200 Commercial Letters and Cards

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202 Elements on the Face of a Mailpiece

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3.0 Placement and Content of Mail Markings

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3.3 Placement of Mail Markings

Markings must be placed as follows:

[Revise item a of 3.3 to provide a new basic price-marking option as follows:]

a. Basic Marking. The basic required marking that indicates the class or subclass that must be printed or produced as part of; directly below; or to the left of the permit imprint, meter imprint, or stamp as follows:

1. “First-Class”.

2. “Standard” or “STD”.

3. “Presorted Standard” or “PRSRT STD”.

4. “Nonprofit Organization,” “Nonprofit Org.,” or “Nonprofit”.

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3.4 Exceptions to Markings

Exceptions are as follows:

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[Revise item b of 3.4 to provide a new price marking option for manifest mailing pieces in special circumstances by revising the second sentence and adding a new third sentence as follows:]

b. Manifest Mailings. ***The two-letter price category code, printed in the keyline on manifest mailing system pieces using batch processing under 705.2.0, Manifest Mailing System, meets the requirement for other price markings when those pieces are part of a manifest mailing or another automation mailing. If a single-piece marking (“SP”) has been applied to pieces that subsequently become part of a presorted or automation mailing, the “SP” marking must be marked out and replaced with a “Presorted” or “PRSRT” marking.

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240 Standard Mail

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245 Mail Preparation

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5.0 Preparing Nonautomation Letters

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5.2 Marking

[Revise 5.2 to standardize language regarding price markings within DMM 245 by revising the first sentence as follows:]

All regular and Nonprofit Standard Mail pieces must be marked under 202.3.0, Placement and Content of Mail Markings.***

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6.0 Preparing Enhanced Carrier Route Letters

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6.2 Marking

[Revise 6.2 to standardize language regarding price markings within DMM 245 by revising the first sentence as follows:]

All regular and Nonprofit Standard Mail Enhanced Carrier Route pieces must be marked under 202.3.0, Placement and Content of Mail Markings.***

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300 Commercial Mail Flats

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302 Elements on the Face of a Mailpiece

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2.0 Placement and Content of Mail Markings 2.1 First-Class Mail and Standard Mail Markings 2.1.1 Placement

Mailpieces must be marked under the corresponding standards to show the class of service and/or price paid:

[Revise item a of 2.1.1 to provide a new basic price marking option as follows:]

1. “First-Class”.

2. “Standard” or “STD”.

3. “Presorted Standard” or “PRSRT STD”.

4. “Nonprofit Organization,” “Nonprofit Org.,” or “Nonprofit”.

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2.1.2 Exceptions to Markings

Exceptions are as follows:

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[Revise item b of 2.1.2 to provide a new price marking option for manifest mailing pieces in special circumstances by revising the second sentence and adding a new third sentence as follows:]

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340 Commercial Flats Standard Mail

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345 Mail Preparation

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5.0 Preparing Nonautomation Flats 5.1 Basic Standards

All mailings and all pieces in each mailing at Regular Standard Mail and Nonprofit Standard Mail nonautomation prices are subject to specific preparation standards in 5.2 through 5.9 and to these general standards (automation price mailings must be prepared under 7.0):

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b. All pieces must meet the applicable general preparation standards in 1.0 through 4.0 and the following:

[Revise item 1 of 5.1b to standardize language regarding price markings within DMM 345 by revising the first sentence as follows:]

1. All regular and Nonprofit Standard Mail pieces must be marked under 302.2.0, Placement and Content of Mail Markings.***

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6.0 Preparing Enhanced Carrier Route Flats 6.1 Basic Standards

All mailings and all pieces in each mailing at Enhanced Carrier Route Standard Mail and Nonprofit Enhanced Carrier Route Standard Mail nonautomation prices are subject to specific preparation standards in 6.2 through 6.7 and to these general standards:

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c. All pieces must meet the applicable general preparation standards in 2.0 through 4.0 and 302, and the following:

[Revise item 1 of 6.1c to standardize language regarding price markings within DMM 345 by revising the first sentence as follows:]

1. All regular and Nonprofit Standard Mail Enhanced Carrier Route pieces must be marked under 302.2.0, Placement and Content of Mail Markings.***

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400 Commercial Mail Parcels

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402 Elements on the Face of a Mailpiece

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2.0 Placement and Content of Markings 2.1 First-Class Mail and Standard Mail Markings 2.1.1 Placement

Markings must be placed as follows:

[Revise item a of 2.1.1 to provide a new basic price marking option as follows:]

1. “First-Class”.

2. “Standard” or “STD”.

3. “Presorted Standard” or “PRSRT STD”.

4. “Nonprofit Organization,” “Nonprofit Org.,” or “Nonprofit”.

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440 Commercial Parcels Standard Mail

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445 Mail Preparation

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5.0 Preparing Presorted Parcels

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5.2 Markings

[Revise 5.2 to standardize language regarding price markings within DMM 445 by revising the first sentence as follows:]

All regular and Nonprofit Standard Mail pieces must be marked under 402.2.0, Placement and Content of Markings.***

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7.0 Preparing Enhanced Carrier Route Parcels

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7.2 Marking

[Revise 7.2 to standardize language regarding price markings within DMM 445 by revising the first sentence as follows:]

All regular and Nonprofit Standard Mail Enhanced Carrier Route pieces must be marked under 402.2.0, Placement and Content of Mail Markings.***

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600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services

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604 Postage Payment Methods

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5.0 Permit Imprint (Indicia)

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5.3 Indicia Design, Placement, and Content

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5.3.5 Marking Expedited Handling on Standard Mail

Except for postcard-size mail and permit imprint indicia placed on address labels, indicia on Standard Mail pieces bearing references to expedited handling or delivery (e.g., “Priority,” “Express,” “Overnight”) must:

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[Revise item a of 5.3.5 to provide a new basic price marking option as follows:]

a. Show the words “Standard” or “STD”; “Presorted Standard” or “PRSRT STD”; or “Nonprofit Organization,” “Nonprofit Org.,” or “Nonprofit” more prominently than other words in the indicia.

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5.3.10 Indicia Formats

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Exhibit 5.3.10 Indicia Formats for Official Mail and Other Classes

First-Class Mail Official Mail:

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Standard Mail Official Mail:

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[Revise the Standard Mail Official Mail section of exhibit 5.3.10 by adding a new first sentence to the existing note below the images as follows:]

Note: “Standard” (or “STD”) may also be used.***

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First-Class Mail: