Effective July 10, 2022, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), in various sections, to reflect the Postal Service’s decision to discontinue the Special Handling – Fragile extra service. The decision to discontinue Special Handling – Fragile will not affect live animals tendered to the Postal Service for shipping as provided in Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail.
In addition, the Postal Service is revising the applicable Quick Service Guides (QSG), Notice 123 — Price List, and Publication 52 to reflect this standard.
The Postal Service believes this standard, which is effective July 10, 2022, will provide customers with a more efficient mailing experience.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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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 Eligibility for 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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[In the “ADDITIONAL COMBINED EXTRA SERVICES” column, delete “Special Handling – Fragile” from the “EXTRA SERVICE” entries for “Insurance,” “Certificate of Mailing,” “Certificate of Bulk Mailing,” “Return Receipt,” “Signature Confirmation,” “Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery,” and “Collect on Delivery.”]
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[In the “EXTRA SERVICES” column, delete the “Special Handling – Fragile” entry in its entirety.]
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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 “Special Handling – Fragile” entry in its entirety.]
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10.0 Special Handling
[Delete section 10.0 in its entirety.]
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507 Mailer Services
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1.0 Treatment of Mail
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1.3 Directory Service
[Revise the introductory text and item a. to read as follows:]
USPS letter carrier offices provide directory service for the types of mail listed below that have an insufficient address or cannot be delivered at the address given (USPS does not compile a directory of any kind):
a. Mail with extra services (certified, COD [excluding COD Hold For Pickup mailpieces], registered).
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1.4 Basic Treatment
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1.4.5 Extra Services
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[Delete item c. in its entirety and renumber current item d. as item c.]
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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, and Adult Signature mail is forwarded to a domestic address only without additional extra service fees, subject to the applicable postage charge.
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600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Standards
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604 Postage Payment Methods and Refunds
1.0 Stamps
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1.3 Postage Stamps Invalid for Use
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[Revise the text of item a. to read as follows:]
a. Postage due, special delivery, and Certified Mail stamps.
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4.0 Postage Meters and PC Postage Products (“Postage Evidencing Systems”)
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4.6 Mailings
4.6.1 Mailing Date Format
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[Revise the text of 4.6.1a(2) to read as follows:]
2. All mailpieces with Insured Mail or COD service.
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9.0 Exchanges and Refunds
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9.2 Postage and Fee Refunds
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9.2.3 Full Refund
[Revise the introductory text to read as follows:]
A full refund (100 percent) may be made if:
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[Revise the text of item e. to read as follows:]
e. Fees are paid for Certified Mail services, USPS Tracking, or USPS Signature Services, and the mailer of the article does not receive the extra service for which the fee is paid.
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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. in its entirety.]
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3.0 Department of State Mail
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3.2 Conditions for Authorized Mail
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3.2.6 Extra Services
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[Delete item e. in its entirety and renumber current item f. as item e.]
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9.0 Mixed Classes
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9.13 Extra Services for Mixed Classes
[Delete 9.13.1 in its entirety and renumber current items 9.13.2 and 9.13.3 as 9.13.1 and 9.13.2.]
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705 Advanced Preparation and Special Postage Payment Systems
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18.0 Priority Mail Express Open and Distribute and Priority Mail Open and Distribute
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18.3 Additional Standards for Priority Mail Express Open and Distribute
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18.3.2 Extra Services
[Revise the introductory text and items a. and b. to read as follows:]
No extra services will be added to the Priority Mail Express segment of a Priority Mail Express Open and Distribute shipment, and the following extra services may be added for the enclosed mail:
a. First-Class Mail pieces may be sent with Certified Mail service or, for parcels only, USPS Tracking or Signature Confirmation service.
b. Priority Mail pieces may be sent with Certified Mail service, USPS Tracking, or Signature Confirmation service.
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[Revise the text of item d. to read as follows:]
d. Parcel Select, USPS Retail Ground and Package Services mail may be sent with, for parcels only, USPS Tracking or Signature Confirmation service.
18.4 Additional Standards for Priority Mail Open and Distribute
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18.4.2 Extra Services
[Revise the last sentence of the introductory text and item a. to read as follows:]
***Only the following services may be added for mail in the enclosed container.:
a. First-Class Mail pieces may be sent with Certified Mail service or, for parcels only, USPS Tracking or Signature Confirmation service.
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[Revise the text of item c. to read as follows:]
c. Parcel Select and Package Services mail may be sent with, for parcels only, USPS Tracking or Signature Confirmation service.
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Index and Appendices
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Index
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E
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extra services, 503
[Under the “extra services” entry, delete the line item “Special Handling, 503.10.0” in its entirety.]
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S
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[Delete the entry for “special handling, 503.10.0” in its entirety.]
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The Postal Service will incorporate these revisions into the next edition of the online DMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Product Solutions, 6-16-22
