Effective October 1, 2012, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) 503.2.4.10 and 507.5 to align standards for the current USPS Package Intercept™ service options.
Prior DMM revisions have been introduced to implement the first two phases of Package Intercept service. These revisions will update the DMM to include the most current Package Intercept extra services options and remove obsolete standards.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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500 Additional Mailing Services
503 Extra Services
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2.0 Registered Mail
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2.4 Mailing
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2.4.10 Redirection of Mail
[Revise 2.4.10 as follows:]
Registered Mail may be redirected to sender using Package Intercept under 507.5.0.
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507 Mailer Services
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5.0 Package Intercept
5.1 Description of Service
[Revise 5.1 by renumbering current 5.1.1 and 5.1.2 as new 5.1.2 and 5.1.3, adding new 5.1.1, and assigning the text of current 5.1 to renumbered item 5.1.2 as follows:]
5.1.1 Basic Standards
Package Intercept service provides a method for customers to authorize redirection of any mailable domestic mailpieces with a tracking barcode as provided in 5.1.2. If the item is found and redirected, additional postage is charged as provided under 5.2. Package Intercept requests are active for 10 business days from the date of the request. Interception of eligible mailpieces is not guaranteed. Requests must be made as provided under 5.5.
5.1.2 Eligibility
Package Intercept service is available for any Express Mail, Priority Mail, First-Class Mail, First-Class Package Service, Parcel Select, and Package Services mailpiece with a tracking barcode, addressed to, from, or between domestic destinations (608.2.0), except as noted in 5.1.3. Mailpieces must not measure more than 108 inches in length and girth combined.
5.1.3 Ineligible
Package Intercept is not available for the following:
a. Mailpieces sent to or from international destinations.
b. Mailpieces sent to or from APO/FPO/DPO destinations.
c. Domestic mailpieces requiring a customs declarations label (see 608.2.4.).
d. Mailpieces that indicate surface-only transportation such as Label 127, Surface Mail Only, or that bear other hazardous materials markings such as “Limited Quantity,” “Consumer Commodity,” or “ORM-D”.
e. Mailpieces that do not contain a tracking barcode.
5.2 Postage and Fees
[Revise the introductory text of 5.2 as follows:]
Customers must pay a nonrefundable per-piece fee to initiate the USPS process of attempting to intercept the mailpiece. The USPS does not guarantee the interception of a mailpiece. An intercepted mailpiece mailed at a Parcel Select or Package Services price that is redirected to the sender is subject to payment of the applicable postage based on how the piece was originally mailed. A Parcel Select piece being redirected to the sender is charged the Parcel Select Nonpresort price plus the additional service fee. Any intercepted mailpiece that is redirected to a new delivery address or a Post Office as Hold For Pickup service, available only through the electronic commercial method, is relabeled and handled as a new Priority Mail piece. The new Priority Mail piece is charged at the applicable Priority Mail Commercial Base price from the location where intercepted to the new destination based on the dimensions, weight, and zone of the piece. Fee payments are as follows:
5.3 Adding Extra Services
[Revise 5.3 as follows:]
Extra services may be added to Package Intercept mailpieces under limited circumstances. Customers who register and file their request through the Business Customer Gateway at https://gateway.usps.com/bcg/login.htm may add, and pay additional postage for, extra services on the new Priority Mail piece being redirected to a new address or a Post Office for Hold For Pickup at the time of their intercept request. The relabeled item will be assigned a new extra service identification number and barcode applicable to the extra service purchased. An Intelligent Mail package barcode will be included on all redirected pieces, and all available USPS scans will be available to the customer at no charge. Extra services may not be added to items being redirected to the sender. The following extra services may be added to the new Priority Mail item at the time of the online intercept request as follows:
a. Adult Signature Required.
b. Adult Signature Restricted Delivery.
c. Insurance, if the original shipment included insurance and for the original value stated, but may not be otherwise added.
d. Signature Confirmation.
5.4 Registered Mail
[Revise 5.4 as follows:]
Package Intercept, redirect to sender option only, is available for eligible matter mailed using Registered Mail service. In addition to 5.2 and 5.5, customers requesting to intercept Registered Mail must write on the receipt “Withdrawn” and sign and surrender the receipt to the Post Office.
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We will incorporate these revisions into the next monthly update of the online DMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at http://pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Pricing, 9-20-12
