Effective June 20, 2021, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), section 505.3.1.5, to clarify standards for noncompliant USPS Returns® service labels.
The standard specified in section 505.3.1.5 requires USPS Returns account holders to use USPS-certified labels. When noncompliant labels are affixed to USPS Returns service packages, the permit holder is assessed the appropriate USPS Retail Ground® price. The Postal Service is making a minor revision to clarify that noncompliant labels under this standard also include return labels that have been discontinued (e.g., Merchandise Return Service labels).
Although this revision will not be published in the DMM until June 20, 2021, the standard is effective immediately.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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500 Additional Mailing Service
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505 Return Services
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3.0 USPS Returns Service
3.1 Basic Standards
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3.1.5 Noncompliant Labels
[Revise the last sentence of 3.1.5 to read as follows:]
***When noncompliant labels, including discontinued labels, are affixed to USPS Returns service packages, the permit holder will be assessed the appropriate USPS Retail Ground price calculated from the package’s initial entry point (first physical scan) in the USPS network to its delivery address.
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The Postal Service will incorporate this revision into the next edition of the online DMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Product Solutions, 3-25-21
