Effective October 1, 2022, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), in various sections of part 602, “Addressing,” to reflect an update in addressing standards. By revising these standards, the Postal Service is extending its effort to improve delivery point validation and address standardization of mail that includes postage discounts.
Currently, section 602.6.0, “ZIP Code Accuracy Standards,” specifies that a ZIP Code™ may be used on a mailpiece within 12 months after being verified using a Postal Service-approved method. Once a ZIP Code is used on a mailpiece, the address associated with that ZIP Code is considered to meet Postal Service addressing standards for an additional 12 months from the date first used in the mail.
Sections 602.7.0, “Carrier Route Accuracy Standard,” and 602.9.0, “Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS),” specify that address matching and coding update standards require coding, using the most current USPS® database, to be performed within 90 days before the mailing date for carrier route mailings and 180 days for all non-carrier route mailings. The current product-release schedule allows for using a database that is valid for 105 days and may be used in generating discounted mailings for an additional 6 months beyond that timeframe. As such, an address added or modified in the database may not be updated on a mailing list for nearly 1 year after the change was made.
In 2012, the Postal Service implemented address management product fulfillment via an electronic product fulfillment method designed to provide subscription products to customers more efficiently. The database product updates are posted each month to a secure site where customers can log in to download product files. A survey of licensed Address Management data products indicates that CASS and Multiline Accuracy Support System (MASS) Certified software and service providers are retrieving and using the monthly updates during the address matching and coding processes.
The Postal Service is implementing a database product cycle that aligns with the release of other mailing products. This will provide consistency across all mailing products and the method by which the data files are available and distributed. With this new database product cycle, USPS will require using monthly updates for both carrier route and non-carrier route mailings. This reduces the risk of using data that is no longer current.
The updated release schedule allows for 120 days of use for generating discounted mailings and an overlap in dates for product use. Mailers who currently process their lists quarterly would still be compliant as long as they do not mail beyond the “last permissible mailing date” for the “product date” in the USPS Product Cycle in Exhibit 9.3.1. Mailers will be expected to update their systems with the latest data files as soon as practicable and should not wait until the “last permissible use date.”
The Postal Service will implement this change effective October 1, 2022. This implementation date allows mailers 18 months to adjust to the updated standards. However, mailers may opt to use the new monthly update cycles immediately for both carrier route and non-carrier route mailings.
The Postal Service believes this revision will provide customers with a more efficient process and will reduce the risk of using address information that is not current.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services
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602 Addressing
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6.0 ZIP Code Accuracy Standards
6.1 Basic Standards
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[Revise the text of items a. and b. to read as follows:]
a. Each address and associated 5-digit ZIP Code on mailpieces in a mailing must be verified and corrected within 6 months before the mailing date, using one of the USPS-approved methods in 6.2.
b. If an address used on a mailpiece in a mailing at one class of mail and price is verified and corrected using an approved method, the same address may be used during the following 6 months to meet the ZIP Code accuracy standard required for mailing at any other class of mail and price.
6.2 USPS-Approved Methods
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[Delete 602.6.2b(1) and renumber current 602.6.2b(2) through 602.6.2b(5) as 602.6.2b(1) through 602.6.2b(4).]
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7.0 Carrier Route Accuracy Standard
7.1 Basic Standards
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[Revise the text of item a. to read as follows:]
a. Each address and associated carrier route code on mailpieces (or DALs or DMLs) in a mailing must be updated using one of the USPS-approved methods in 6.2 and a product release date that is within the USPS Product Cycle in Exhibit 9.3.1.
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[Delete item c.]
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9.0 Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS)
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9.3 Date of Address Matching and Coding
9.3.1 Update Standards
[Revise the text of 9.3.1 to read as follows:]
Unless Z4CHANGE is used, all automation and carrier route mailings bearing addresses coded by any AIS product must be coded using current CASS-certified software and based on data in the current USPS database. Coding must be done using a product release date that is within the USPS Product Cycle in Exhibit 9.3.1. All AIS products may be used immediately on release. New product releases must be included in address-matching systems no later than after the first of the month following the product date. The overlap in dates for product use allows mailers adequate time to install the new data files and test their systems. Mailers are expected to update their systems with the latest data files as soon as practicable and not wait until the “last permissible use date.” The mailer’s signature on the postage statement certifies that this standard has been met when the corresponding mail is presented to USPS. See Exhibit 9.3.1 for the current USPS database product cycle.
[Delete current table under 9.3.1 and add a new table as Exhibit 9.3.1 to read as follows:]
Exhibit 9.3.1 USPS Database Product Cycle
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9.5 Documentation
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9.5.5 Using a Single List
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[Delete the last sentence of 9.5.5.]
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The Postal Service will incorporate these revisions into a later edition of the online DMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Product Solutions, 7-15-21
