Effective September 12, 2022, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), in various sections, to clarify the required placement of basic price markings when postage is paid by permit imprint on shipping address labels.
DMM 604.5.0, “Permit Imprint (Indicia),” states that a permit imprint indicia must include the basic price marking. DMM sections 102.3.0 and 202.3.0 state that, optionally, when a customer elects to use a shipping address label, the basic price marking may be included by a service indicator composed of two elements: a service icon and a service banner.
The Postal Service is revising DMM 604.5.0 to provide an exception to the required basic price marking in the permit imprint indicia when a customer elects to use a shipping address label. The Postal Service is also revising DMM sections 102.3.0 and 202.3.0 to add the shipping address label option under additional classes of mail, and the Parcel Labeling Guide (on the PostalPro website), as a reference for clarity.
In addition, the Postal Service will update Quick Service Guide (QSG) 604d, “Permit Imprints,” to include the exception for price markings when a shipping address label is used.
Although the Postal Service will not publish these revisions in the DMM until September 12, 2022, the standards are effective immediately.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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100 Retail Mail Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
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102 Elements on the Face of a Mailpiece
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3.0 Placement and Content of Mail Markings
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3.2 Priority Mail Marking
[Revise the introductory text of 3.2 to read as follows:]
The marking “Priority Mail” must be placed prominently on the address side of each piece of Priority Mail. If shipping address labels are used, it is recommended that they contain the Priority Mail service indicator composed of two elements — the service icon and service banner — as follows (see Exhibit 3.2 and the Parcel Labeling Guide on the PostalPro website at postalpro.usps.com/parcellabelingguide):
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3.3 First-Class Mail and First-Class Package Service — Retail Markings
[Revise the text of 3.3 by adding a new last sentence to read as follows:]
***A price marking may be printed on a shipping address label as service indicators composed of a service icon and service banner.
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200 Commercial Mail Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
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202 Elements on the Face of a Mailpiece
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3.0 Placement and Content of Mail Markings
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3.3 Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail Markings
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3.3.2 Priority Mail
[Revise the introductory text of 3.3.2 to read as follows:]
Priority Mail pieces must have the basic price marking of “Priority Mail” printed in a prominent location on the address side. If shipping address labels are used, it is recommended that they contain the Priority Mail service indicator composed of two elements — the service icon and service banner — as follows (see Exhibit 3.3.2 and the Parcel Labeling Guide on the PostalPro website at postalpro.usps.com/parcellabelingguide):
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3.5 First-Class Mail and USPS Marketing Mail Markings
[Add new 3.5.1 immediately under 3.5, place the text of 3.5 under new 3.5.1, and renumber current 3.5.1 as 3.5.2.]
3.5.1 Types of Markings
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[Add new item d. to read as follows:]
d. Optionally, on First-Class Mail pieces the basic required price marking may be printed on a shipping address label as a service indicator composed of a service icon and service banner.
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3.6 First-Class Package Service — Commercial Markings
[Revise the text of 3.6 to read as follows:]
The basic required price marking must be placed in the postage area (printed or produced as part of, or directly below or to the left of, the permit imprint indicia or meter stamp or impression). Optionally, the basic required price marking may be printed on a shipping address label as a service indicator composed of a service icon and service banner.
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600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services
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604 Postage Payment Methods and Refunds
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5.0 Permit Imprint (Indicia)
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5.3 Indicia Design, Placement, and Content
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5.3.6 Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, First-Class Mail, and First-Class Package Service — Commercial Format
[Revise the text of 5.3.6 to read as follows:]
A permit imprint indicia on Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, First-Class Mail, or First-Class Package Service — Commercial mailpieces must be formatted as follows:
a. Except under items 5.3.6b through 5.3.6d, the permit imprint indicia must show the basic price markings “Priority Mail Express,” “Priority Mail” (or “Priority”), “First-Class Mail,” or “First-Class Package” (or “First-Class Pkg”) as applicable; “U.S. Postage Paid”; city and state; and permit number. If the Electronic Verification System (eVS) is used under 705.2.9, the marking “eVS” (or the alternative “e-VS” or “E-VS”) must appear directly below the permit number. The indicia may show the mailing date, amount of postage paid, or the number of ounces for which postage is paid. The ZIP Code of the permit holder may be shown directly after the state name or in a separate inscription reading “ZIP Code 00000,” when that ZIP Code does not create uncertainty about the permit holder’s correct address or permit number. The indicia may also include required price markings.
b. The “Priority Mail Express,” or “Priority Mail” (or “Priority”), basic price marking may be omitted when using USPS-provided Priority Mail Express or Priority Mail containers.
c. “The “Priority Mail Express,” “Priority Mail” (or “Priority”), “First-Class Mail,” or “First-Class Package” (or “First-Class Pkg”) basic price marking may be omitted when using shipping address labels under 202.3.0.
d. Instead of printing the city and state of mailing in the indicia, the mailer may print “Mailed from ZIP Code,” followed by the 5-digit ZIP Code assigned to the postmaster of the mailing office.
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The Postal Service will incorporate these revisions into the September 12, 2022, edition of the online DMM. which is available via Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Product Solutions, 7-14-22
