Effective July 1, 2020, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), in various sections to reflect the elimination of return receipt for merchandise service.
The Postal Service requested approval from the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) to eliminate return receipt for merchandise service. On January 16, 2020, the PRC approved the removal of return receipt for merchandise in Order Number 5408.
In addition, the Postal Service will update Notice 123 — Price List and Quick Service Guides (QSG) 150, 250, and 503, and delete Customer Support Ruling 288, to reflect this revision.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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200 Commercial Mail Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
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240 USPS Marketing Mail
243 Prices and Eligibility
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4.0 Price Eligibility for USPS Marketing Mail
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4.4 Extra Services for USPS Marketing Mail
4.4.1 Available Services
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[Delete item b. and renumber current items c. and d. as items b. and c.]
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4.4.3 Additional Preparation Requirements
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[Revise the first sentence of item a. to read as follows:]
a. Pieces with bulk insurance must bear an endorsement that returns any undeliverable-as-addressed piece to the sender.***
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500 Additional Mailing Services
503 Extra Services
1.0 Basic Standards for All Extra Services
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1.4.1 Eligibility — Domestic Mail
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Exhibit 1.4.1 Eligibility — Domestic Mail
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[Delete the “Return Receipt for Merchandise” entry in its entirety under Exhibit 1.4.1 and the “Return Receipt for Merchandise” listing under the “Additional Combined Extra Services” column from the “Insurance” and “Special Handling-Fragile” entries.]
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1.4.2 Eligibility — Other Domestic Mail
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Exhibit 1.4.2 Eligibility — Other Domestic Mail
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[Delete the “Return Receipt for Merchandise” entry in its entirety under Exhibit 1.4.2.]
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[Delete 11.0, “Return Receipt for Merchandise” in its entirety.]
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507 Mailer Services
1.0 Treatment of Mail
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1.4.5 Extra Services
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[Delete item d. and renumber current item e. as item d.]
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1.5 Treatment for Ancillary Services by Class of Mail
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1.5.3 USPS Marketing Mail and Parcel Select Lightweight
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[Revise the first sentence of item f. to read as follows:]
f. USPS Marketing Mail and Parcel Select Lightweight pieces with bulk insurance must be endorsed “Address Service Requested,” “Forwarding Service Requested,” or “Return Service Requested.” ***
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1.8 Returning Mail
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1.8.5 Extra Services
[Revise the text of 1.8.5 to read as follows:]
If a return receipt is attached to a certified, collect on delivery (COD), numbered insured, registered, or Priority Mail Express piece to be returned, the reason for nondelivery is shown on the face of the piece. The receipt stays attached to the piece and is returned to the sender. Registered Mail is returned through the registry system. The sender must sign a delivery receipt for returned Priority Mail Express, Registered Mail, COD articles, Adult Signature services, and mail insured for more than $500. Returned Priority Mail Express (when waiver of signature is requested by the sender), Certified Mail, and mail with Signature Confirmation service may be returned to the sender without obtaining a signature when those mailpieces are returned as undeliverable.
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2.0 Forwarding
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2.3 Postage for Forwarding
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2.3.7 Extra Services
[Revise the text of 2.3.7 to read as follows:]
Certified, collect on delivery (COD) (excluding COD Hold For Pickup mailpieces), USPS Tracking, insured, registered, Signature Confirmation, Adult Signature, and special handling-fragile mail is forwarded to a domestic address only without additional extra service fees, subject to the applicable postage charge.
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4.0 Address Correction Services
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4.3 Sender Instruction
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4.3.2 Extra Services
[Revise the first sentence in the introductory text of 4.3.2 to read as follows:]
A change-of-address order to a domestic address covers Certified Mail, COD (excluding COD Hold For Pickup mailpieces), Insured, Registered Mail, Signature Confirmation, and Adult Signature services mail unless the sender gives other instructions.***
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4.3.4 Holding Mail
[Revise the first sentence of 4.3.4 to read as follows:]
At the sender’s request, the delivery Post Office holds mail, other than Registered Mail, Insured, Certified Mail, COD, Adult Signature, and Signature Confirmation, for no fewer than 3 days or more than 30 days.***
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508 Recipient Services
1.0 Recipient Options
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1.1.3 Refusal After Delivery
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[Revise the text of item a. to read as follows:]
a. Pieces sent as Registered Mail, insured, Certified Mail, collect on delivery (COD), and Adult Signature.
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600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services
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602 Addressing
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3.0 Use of Alternative Addressing
3.1 General Information
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3.1.2 Prohibited Use
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[Delete item 3.1.2e(6) and renumber current items 3.1.2e(7) through 3.1.2e(9) as items 3.1.2e(6) through 3.1.2e(8).]
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604 Postage Payment Methods and Refunds
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9.0 Exchanges and Refunds
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9.2 Postage and Fee Refunds
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9.2.4 Postage and Fee Refunds Not Available
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[Revise the text of item g. to read as follows:]
g. For undeliverable Certified Mail and Signature Confirmation extra service fees, when the mailpiece has received an event scan that indicates an attempted delivery (e.g., UAA, Refused, etc.).
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10.0 Postage Due Weight Averaging Program
10.1 Basic Information
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10.1.3 Quality Control
[Revise the first sentence in the introductory text of 10.1.3 to read as follows:]
PDWA customers may elect to establish a quality control program to ensure that all missorted and accountable mail (including Certified Mail, collect on delivery [COD], USPS Tracking, Adult Signature, and Signature Confirmation) is identified and returned to the servicing Post Office before being opened.***
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700 Special Standards
703 Nonprofit USPS Marketing Mail and Other Unique Eligibility
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2.0 Overseas Military and Diplomatic Post Office Mail
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2.5 Parcel Airlift (PAL)
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2.5.5 Additional Services
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[Delete item e. and renumber current item f. as item e.]
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Index and Appendices
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Index
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E
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extra services, 503
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[Delete the “Return Receipt for Merchandise” entry under “extra services.”.]
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R
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[Delete the “return receipt for merchandise” entry in its entirety.]
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Forms Glossary
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[Delete the PS Form “3804” entry.]
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The Postal Service will incorporate these revisions into the July 1, 2020, edition of the online DMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification, Marketing, 5-21-20
