Effective July 28, 2013, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM®) section 123.623 to reflect new eligibility standards for items that can be mailed under the “known mailer” standards without a customs declaration form.
Under these revised standards, known mailers will be authorized to mail letter-size, flat-size, or package-size (small packet) items containing goods of nominal value (less than $1.00) when mailed in conjunction with communications or informational materials for which no customs declaration form is required in the destination country. The following conditions also apply:
n The mailpieces must not require an export license.
n The mailpieces must not contain dangerous or prohibited items under IMM 135 or 136, or be otherwise prohibited by the destination country
n The mailpieces cannot be destined to an E:1 country listed in Title 15, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 740, Supplement 2 (15 CFR 740, Supp. 2). (Currently, these countries are Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria.)
n The mailpieces cannot contain any items listed in the Commerce Control List (15 CFR 774) or the U.S. Munitions List (22 CFR 121).
Previously, under this exception, the Postal Service authorized the mailing of only hard copy printed or recorded media without a customs declaration form.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM)
* * * * *
1 International Mail Services
* * * * *
120 Preparation for Mailing
* * * * *
123 Customs Forms and Online Shipping Labels
* * * * *
123.6 Required Usage
* * * * *
123.62 Known Mailers
* * * * *
123.623 Conditions
The following conditions apply to “known mailers”:
[Revise item a to read as follow:]
a. The mailpieces must contain no merchandise or goods, except as provided in 123.623b and 123.623c.
* * * * *
[Redesignate current items c through f as d through g and insert new item c to read as follows:]
c. The mailpieces may contain goods of nominal value (less than $1.00) in conjunction with communications or informational materials for which no customs form is required in the destination country. In addition, authorization to mail items under this standard is subject to the following conditions:
1. The mailpieces must not require an export license as described in 510, 520, 530, or 540.
2. The mailpieces must not contain dangerous or prohibited items under IMM 135 or 136, or be otherwise prohibited by the destination country
3. The mailpieces cannot be destined to an E:1 country listed in 15 CFR 740, Supp. 2.
4. The mailpieces cannot contain any items listed in the Commerce Control List (15 CFR 774) or the U.S. Munitions List (22 CFR 121).
* * * * *
[In newly designated item g, revise the last sentence to read as follows (replacing “no information materials” with “no mailings”):]
g. ***For example, a suspension or revocation may result when the mailer fails to ensure his or her compliance with 510, 520, 530, or 540, such as ensuring that no mailings are sent to persons blocked from transacting in such items by the federal agencies described in those IMM sections.
* * * * *
We will incorporate this revision into the next update of the online IMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at http://pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Pricing, 6-27-13
