Effective August 14, 2008, the Postal Service™ is revising the Postal Operations Manual (POM), Handbook PO-610, Signature Capture and Electronic Record Management: Managers Guide to Standard Operating Procedures, Handbook PO-603, Rural Carrier Duties and Responsibilities, and Handbook M-41, City Delivery Carriers Duties and Responsibilities, to update the standards regarding delivery of Express Mail® items with Waiver of Signature requested and return receipt for merchandise items with Waiver of Signature requested. Delivery employees will deliver these items to the addressee’s mail receptacle or other secure location without first attempting to obtain a signature from the addressee.
Waiver of Signature authorizes delivery to be made without obtaining the signature of the addressee or addressee’s agent as long as the delivery employee establishes that the article can be left in the addressee’s mail receptacle or other secure location. By requesting Waiver of Signature, the mailer agrees to accept the delivery time and date scan information as valid record of delivery. Mailers who request Waiver of Signature are provided only the delivery date and time and not an image of the signature when accessing delivery information on the Internet or when calling the toll-free number.
When Express Mail items with Waiver of Signature requested and return receipt for merchandise items with Waiver of Signature requested are delivered, the delivery employee signs PS Form 3849, Delivery Notice/Reminder/Receipt, without attempting to obtain a signature from the addressee. After signing the PS Form 3849, the delivery employee delivers the item to the addressee’s mail receptacle or other secure location. This process expedites delivery time because the delivery employee is not required to try to obtain a signature from the addressee or addressee’s agent, when a Waiver of Signature is authorized.
Postal Operations Manual (POM)
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6 Delivery Services
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67 Express Mail
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674 Express Mail Next Day Service
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674.2 Post Office to Addressee Service
Any Next Day Post Office to Addressee Service item presented under 137.541 must be delivered to the addressee within the designated delivery area of the destination facility by noon or 3 p.m. of the next day. If an item cannot be delivered on the first attempt, these procedures (unless forwarding or return service is provided) must be followed:
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[Revise 674.2 by adding new item f as follows:]
f. Express Mail Waiver of Signature shipments should be delivered without attempting to obtain the customer’s signature if the shipment can be delivered to the addressee’s mail receptacle or left in another secure location. Follow the handheld scanner waiver of signature procedures, capturing the delivery employee’s signature image as instructed.
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8 Special Services
81 Special Mail Services
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817 Signature Confirmation Service
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817.2 Delivery
817.21 Procedure
[Revise 817.21 to read as follows:]
Signature Confirmation mail for delivery by carriers must be taken out on the first trip after it is received, unless the addressee requests that the postmaster hold the mail at the Post Office. Delivery employees from electronic record management offices must scan/enter the mailpiece barcode and enter the appropriate event code in the handheld scanner when delivering Signature Confirmation items. A corresponding PS Form 3849 must be properly completed and scanned.
Handbook PO-610, Signature Capture and Electronic Record Management: Managers Guide to Standard Operating Procedures
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2 Scanning Procedures
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2-2 Alternate Scanning Procedures
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2-2.2 Signature Waiver — Return Receipt for Merchandise and Express Mail Items
[Revise 2-2.2 to read as follows:]
The mailer may waive the recipient signature for return receipt for merchandise and Express Mail items. If the Waiver of Signature is checked or indicated, the shipment should be delivered without attempting to obtain the customer’s signature if the shipment can be delivered to the addressee’s mail receptacle or left in another secure location. The employee must complete and sign PS Form 3849 for these packages at delivery. This applies to both street and Post Office box deliveries. The same scanning procedures apply as when a customer is signing for the mailpiece, except data entry of the delivery employee name is not required.
Note: A delivery employee cannot leave an item without a recipient/agent signature unless the mailer has chosen the Waiver of Signature option and the mailpiece is endorsed accordingly.
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Handbook PO-603, Rural Carrier Duties and Responsibilities
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3 Carrier Performance on Route
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34 Special Service and Express Mail
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342 Express Mail
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342.2 Delivery
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342.22 Signature
[Revise 342.22 to read as follows:]
Use PS Form 3849, Delivery Notice/Reminder/Receipt, to capture the customer signature for Express Mail items. If the waiver of signature option has been requested and the shipment can be delivered to the addressee’s mail receptacle or left in another secure location, follow the handheld scanner waiver of signature procedures, capturing the delivery employee’s signature image as instructed.
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Handbook M-41, City Delivery Carriers Duties and Responsibilities
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2 Office Time — Preparation
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23 Data Collection of Special Services Mail
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232 At Delivery Point
232.1 Delivery Events
[Revise 232.1 to read as follows:]
At delivery point, scan/enter mailpiece or firm sheet barcode, and enter other appropriate information into the data collection device as required and instructed. If required, collect all customer signatures and printed names on PS Form 3849, Delivery Notice/Reminder/Receipt. The delivery address should be recorded on the barcoded side of PS Form 3849. Scan the barcode on PS Form 3849 after obtaining recipient signature and printed name. For Waiver of Signature articles, carriers will sign the PS Form 3849 to document delivery of the article to the addressee mail receptacle or other secure location.
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3 On Route
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33 Delivery of Special Services Mail
331 General
[Revise 331 to read as follows:]
When delivering special services mail, make every reasonable effort to deliver; ring the bell or knock on the door in order to make hand-to-hand delivery to addressee, except for Waiver of Signature articles. You may tell or show the addressee the name and address of sender and the amount of the charges to be collected if COD, Customs, or postage due. You may not, however, surrender the mail for examination or for any other purpose until all charges have been paid and/or a receipt has been signed if required. For Waiver of Signature articles, carriers will sign the PS Form 3849 to document delivery of the article to the addressee mail receptacle or other secure location. When the article cannot be delivered, you must leave a notice that bears the location of the delivery unit where the article may be called for.
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335 Insured, Registered, Certified, Express Mail, and Other Special Services
335.1 Delivering and Taking Receipt (Exhibit 335.1 (p. 1 and 2))
[Revise 335.11 to read as follows:]
335.11 Deliver numbered insured parcels, registered articles, certified letters, and other special services items to addressee or anyone authorized to receive mail for addressee:
a. Require the person to show identification if not known, and to sign and print name on PS Form 3849, Delivery Notice/Reminder/Receipt, before delivery when applicable. For Waiver of Signature articles, carriers will sign the PS Form 3849 to document delivery of the article to the addressee mail receptacle or other secure location.
b. Deliver articles entered on PS Form 3883, Firm Delivery Receipt for Accountable Mail and Bulk Delivery Mail, after obtaining a signature of addressee or agent on PS Form 3849. (Deliver the duplicate PS Form 3883 with the articles.)
c. Prepare PS Form 3883 for numbered insured and other special services items only when there are six or more articles for the same addressee. Include Delivery Confirmation service on PS Form 3883 if the six-article requirement has already been met.
d. Deliver minimum fee unnumbered insured and Delivery Confirmation articles the same as any ordinary mail. No receipt is needed.
e. See subchapter 23 for appropriate scanning procedures.
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We will incorporate these revisions into the next printed versions of the POM, Handbook PO-610, Handbook PO–603, and Handbook M-41 and also into the online updates, available on the Postal Service PolicyNet Web site:
(The direct URL for the Postal Service PolicyNet Web site is http://blue.usps.gov/cpim.)
They are also available on the Postal Service Internet:
- Go to www.usps.com.
- Click About USPS & News, then Forms & Publications, then Postal Periodicals and Publications, and then either Manuals or Handbooks.
— Expedited Operations,
Expedited Shipping, 8-14-08
