Effective June 23, 2019, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), sections 604.3.1.2 and 604.3.1.3, to clarify standards that prohibit using precanceled stamps on reusable mailing containers for mailing purposes.
DMM section 604.3.1.3 currently states that “precanceled postage stamps may not be used on any reusable mailing containers, such as boxes, cases, or bags.” After reviewing the history of applying this standard, the Postal Service will clarify that using precanceled stamps is prohibited for mailing purposes on boxes, tubes, and similar containers, or on other containers designed to be reusable for mailing purposes as defined under 601.6.4.
Although the Postal Service will not publish these revisions in the DMM until June 23, 2019, the standards are effective immediately.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
* * * * *
600 Basic Standards for all Mailing Services
* * * * *
604 Postage Payment Methods and Refunds
* * * * *
3.0 Precanceled Stamps
3.1 General Information
* * * * *
3.1.2 Use of Precanceled Stamps
[Revise the text of 3.1.2 to read as follows:]
Except as provided in 3.1.3, precanceled postage is an optional postage payment method for mailings at Presorted and automation First-Class Mail prices and at all USPS Marketing Mail prices.
3.1.3 Prohibited Use of Precanceled Stamps
[Revise the text of 3.1.3 to read as follows:]
Precanceled postage stamps may not be used for mailing purposes on boxes, tubes, and similar containers, or on other containers designed to be reusable for mailing purposes as defined under 601.6.4.
* * * * *
The Postal Service will incorporate these revisions into the next update of the online DMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Marketing, 3-14-19
