Effective January 4, 2010, the Postal Service™ is revising Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) to require all mailpieces weighing more than 13 ounces bearing only postage stamps be presented to a Postal Service employee at a retail service counter in a Post Office™ facility.
These changes are consistent with the Federal Register final rule (74 FR 52147–52148) published October 9, 2009, and ensure compliance with safety and security directives as required by the Postal Inspection Service.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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100 Retail Mail, Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
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110 Express Mail
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116 Deposit
1.0 Express Mail Next Day and Second Day Delivery
1.1 Deposit of Next Day and Second Day Delivery
Express Mail Next Day and Second Day Delivery items:
[Revise the first sentence in 1.1a as follows:]
a. Express Mail weighing more than 13 ounces bearing only postage stamps as postage may not be deposited into a collection box, Postal Service lobby drop, Automated Postal Center (APC) drop, Postal Service dock, customer mailbox, or other unattended location. These mailpieces are also precluded from pickup service. The sender must present such items to an employee at a retail service counter in a Postal Service facility. Improperly presented items will be returned to the sender for proper entry and acceptance.***
[Delete item b in its entirety, and reletter current item c as new item b.]
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120 Priority Mail
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126 Deposit
1.0 Deposit
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1.2 Pieces Weighing More than 13 Ounces
[Revise the text of 1.2 as follows:]
Priority Mail weighing more than 13 ounces bearing only postage stamps as postage may not be deposited into a collection box, Postal Service lobby drop, Automated Postal Center (APC) drop, Postal Service dock, customer mailbox, or other unattended location. These mailpieces are also precluded from pickup service. The sender must present such items to an employee at a retail service counter in a Postal Service facility. Improperly presented items will be returned to the sender for proper entry and acceptance.
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150 Parcel Post
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156 Deposit
1.0 Deposit for Parcel Post
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[Add new item 1.6 as follows:]
1.6 Stamped Pieces over 13 Ounces
Parcel Post weighing more than 13 ounces bearing only postage stamps as postage may not be deposited into a collection box, Postal Service lobby drop, Automated Postal Center (APC) drop, Postal Service dock, customer mailbox, or other unattended location. These mailpieces are also precluded from pickup service. The sender must present such items to an employee at a retail service counter in a Postal Service facility. Improperly presented items will be returned to the sender for proper entry and acceptance.
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170 Media Mail
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176 Deposit
1.0 Deposit for Media Mail
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[Add new item 1.2 as follows:]
1.2 Stamped Pieces over 13 Ounces
Media Mail weighing more than 13 ounces bearing only postage stamps as postage may not be deposited into a collection box, Postal Service lobby drop, Automated Postal Center (APC) drop, Postal Service dock, customer mailbox, or other unattended location. These mailpieces are also precluded from pickup service. The sender must present such items to an employee at a retail service counter in a Postal Service facility. Improperly presented items will be returned to the sender for proper entry and acceptance.
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180 Library Mail
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186 Deposit
1.0 Deposit for Library Mail
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[Add new item 1.2 as follows:]
1.2 Stamped Pieces over 13 Ounces
Library Mail weighing more than 13 ounces bearing only postage stamps as postage may not be deposited into a collection box, Postal Service lobby drop, Automated Postal Center (APC) drop, Postal Service dock, customer mailbox, or other unattended location. These mailpieces are also precluded from pickup service. The sender must present such items to an employee at a retail service counter in a Postal Service facility. Improperly presented items will be returned to the sender for proper entry and acceptance.
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400 Commercial Parcels
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420 Priority Mail
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426 Enter and Deposit
[Revise 1.0 as follows:]
1.0 Time and Location of Deposit
Commercial Parcels at the Presorted price must be deposited at locations and times designated by the postmaster. Permit imprint mail must be presented at a Post Office under 604.5.0 or 705.
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500 Additional Mailing Services
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507 Mailer Services
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6.0 Pickup on Demand Service
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6.2 Basic Standards
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[Renumber current items 6.2.2 thru 6.2.8 as 6.2.3 through 6.2.9, and add new item 6.2.2 as follows:]
6.2.2 Stamped Pieces over 13 Ounces
Mailpieces weighing more than 13 ounces bearing only postage stamps as postage must be presented to an employee at a retail service counter in a Postal Service facility. Letter carriers may not pick up or accept mail weighing more than 13 ounces bearing only stamps as postage. If this mail is discovered in collection boxes, Postal Service lobby drop, Automated Postal Center (APC) drop, Postal Service dock, customer mailbox, or other unattended location, it will be returned to the sender for proper presentation at a retail counter.
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600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services
601 Mailability
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11.0 Other Restricted and Nonmailable Matter
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[Add new item 11.21 as follows:]
11.21 Mail Weighing More than 13 Ounces
A mailpiece weighing more than 13 ounces bearing only postage stamps as postage may not be deposited into a collection box, Postal Service lobby drop, Automated Postal Center (APC) drop, Postal Service dock, customer mailbox, or other unattended location. These mailpieces are also precluded from pickup service. The sender must present such items to an employee at a retail service counter in a Postal Service facility. Improperly presented items will be returned to the sender for proper entry and acceptance.
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700 Special Standards
703 Nonprofit Standard Mail and Other Unique Eligibility
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2.0 Overseas Military Mail
2.1 Basic Standards
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2.1.7 Restriction
[Revise 2.1.7 to read as follows:]
Regardless of postage payment method, single-piece Priority Mail and single-piece Package Services items weighing more than 13 ounces may not be deposited into a collection box, Postal Service lobby drop, Automated Postal Center (APC) drop, Postal Service dock, customer mailbox, or other unattended location. These mailpieces are also precluded from pickup service. The sender must present such items to an employee at a retail service counter in a Postal Service facility. Improperly presented items will be returned to the sender for proper entry and acceptance
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We will incorporate these revisions into the next printed version of the DMM and into the monthly update of the online DMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at http://pe.usps.com.
— Mailing Standards, Pricing, 12-17-09
