DMM Revision: Optional Use of a Local Permit Imprint in Other Mailing Locations

Effective June 6, 2011, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) 604.5.3.10 to provide a new option to mailers contributing permit imprint mailpieces to a mailing presented under an authorized First-Class Mail or Standard Mail Mailings with Different Payment Methods Mailing System, in accordance with DMM 705.5.0.

With this revision mailers may enter mailpieces, which are part of a full-service automation mailing prepared under DMM 705.5.0 and bearing a local numbered permit imprint, at locations other than that of the ZIP Code™ displayed in the permit imprint. Mailers using this option must pay all applicable fees at each mailing location, retain copies of postage statements and all other required documentation for each mailing that is presented for acceptance at another mailing location, and make this documentation available for USPS® review on request. Mailers also must provide documentation, to the postmaster of the Post Office™ displayed in the permit imprint, showing the mail­ing date and mailing location and identifying the location of the mailer-retained documentation.

Although these new standards will not be effective until the publication of the June 6, 2011, online DMM, mailers may begin using this new option 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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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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[Renumber current items 5.3.10 and 5.3.11 as the new 5.3.11 and 5.3.12, and add a new 5.3.10 as follows:]

5.3.10 Use of a Local Permit Imprint in Other Mailing Locations

A permit imprint displaying the city, state, and permit num­ber of a mailer’s original permit may be applied to pieces in a mailing presented for verification and acceptance at another Post Office location under the following conditions:

a. Mailers must pay all applicable fees at every accep­tance location.

b. Mailpieces must be entered as part of a full-service automation mailing (see 705.23.0) within an autho­rized First-Class Mail or Standard Mail Mailings With Different Payment Methods Mailing System (under 705.5.0).

c. For 2 years from the date of mailing, the permit hold­er or its agent must keep records, including copies of postage statements and all other required documen­tation, for each mailing that is presented for accep­tance at another mailing location, and must make these available for USPS review on request.

d. For each mailing, the mailer must provide documen­tation, to the postmaster of the Post Office displayed in the permit imprint, showing the mailing date(s), the Post Office location(s) of mailing, and the name and local address of the customer from whom the records listed in 5.3.10c may be obtained.

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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 available via Postal Explorer® at http://pe.usps.com.