Effective July 6, 2010, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) 703.2.3 to clarify the deposit of items bearing only postage stamps sent to APO, FPO, and DPO destinations.
The article “DMM Revision: APO, FPO, and DPO Mailpieces Bearing a Customs Declaration — Clarification and Update” in Postal Bulletin 22282 (4-8-10, page 12) clarified that a customs declaration is required only when a mailpiece weighs 16 ounces or more, or when it contains dutiable contents. In addition, the article “DMM Revision: Deposit of APO, FPO, DPO, and U.S. Territory Mailpieces Bearing a Customs Declaration — Update” in Postal Bulletin 22281 (3-25-10, pages 54–56) authorized new deposit options for PC Postage® items bearing an electronic round date.
As a result of these updated standards, we will revise DMM 703.2.3 to stipulate that any 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. Previously, the standard stated these restrictions applied regardless of postage payment method. These new standards (which, in part, replace deleted DMM 703.2.1.7) will now appear in DMM 703.2.3, General Restrictions, in order to have all the relevant standards related to the entry and deposit of military mail in the same section.
Finally, we have codified the authorized deposit methods for stamped items weighing 13 ounces or less when a customs declaration is not required, as well as all other postage payment methods for items weighing 16 ounces or less when a customs declaration is not required.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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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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[Delete item 703.2.1.7, Restriction, in its entirety:]
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2.3 General Restrictions
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[Redesignate existing 703.2.3.9 and 2.3.10 as new 2.3.12 and 2.3.13; insert new 703.2.3.9 through 2.3.11 as follows:]
2.3.9 Items Weighing More Than 13 Ounces and Paid With Postage Stamps
Any 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.
2.3.10 Items Weighing 13 Ounces or Less and Paid With Postage Stamps
Items bearing only postage stamps and not requiring a customs declaration may be deposited by one of the following methods:
a. At a Postal Service retail counter.
b. Through Pickup on Demand service for eligible items under 507.6.2.
c. Through Carrier Pickup service.
d. Into a Postal Service lobby drop.
e. Into an Automated Postal Center (APC) drop.
f. In a collection box.
g. In a customer mailbox.
2.3.11 Items Paid With Methods Other Than Postage Stamps
Items paid with online postage, postage meters, or information-based indicia (IBI) weighing less than 16 ounces and not requiring a customs declaration may be deposited by one of the following methods:
a. At a Postal Service retail counter.
b. Through Pickup on Demand service for eligible items under 507.6.2.
c. Through Carrier Pickup service.
d. Into a Postal Service lobby drop.
e. Into an Automated Postal Center (APC) drop.
f. In a collection box.
g. In a customer mailbox.
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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, 6-17-10
