Effective January 22, 2023, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), in various sections, to clarify the standards for commercial postcard-priced mailpieces not meeting aspect-ratio or minimum-thickness requirements.
Currently, Postal Service standards about applying an aspect-ratio (length divided by height) requirement to commercial postcard-priced mailpieces is not clear. On August 29, 2021, the Postal Service published in the Federal Register (86 FR 43415–43418) a revised standard to increase the maximum size of a postcard permitted for mailing at the commercial postcard price. This revision also included a change to DMM 233.4.5 with the intent of applying an aspect-ratio requirement to commercial postcard-priced mailpieces. The Postal Service communicated this change through frequently asked questions that supported this revision.
However, neither were clear on the standard nor the result of a commercial postcard-priced mailpiece not meeting the aspect-ratio requirement.
The Postal Service is clarifying that an aspect-ratio requirement does apply to commercial postcard-priced mailpieces, and a piece that does not meet an aspect ratio of 1.3 to 2.5 will be designated a nonmachinable letter subject to nonmachinable letter prices.
However, the Postal Service is providing an exception for mailers who use an 11-inch by 8.5-inch sheet to create four identical-size postcards (5.5 inches ÷ 4.25 inches = 1.294 aspect ratio).
In addition, the Postal Service is clarifying that commercial postcard-priced mailpieces that do not meet the minimum of 0.009-inch thickness for cards measuring more than 4-1/4 inches high or 6 inches long, or both, will be designated a nonmachinable letter subject to nonmachinable letter prices.
Although the Postal Service will not publish these revisions in the DMM until January 22, 2023, the standards are effective immediately.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
200 Commercial Mail Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels Design Standards
201 Physical Standards
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1.0 Physical Standards for Machinable Letters and Cards
* * * * *
1.2 Physical Standards for Cards Claimed at Card Prices
1.2.1 Dimensional Standards for Cards
[Revise the introductory text of 1.2.1 to read as follows:]
Each stamped card or postcard or each half of a double-stamped card or postcard claimed at a card price must be:
* * * * *
[Add a parenthetical sentence at the end of the current text of item a. to read as follows:]
a. ***(Postcards not meeting the minimum of 0.009 inches thick are nonmachinable letters under 2.1.)
* * * * *
[Add new item e. to read as follows:]
e. Within an aspect ratio (length divided by height) of 1.3 to 2.5, inclusive (see 3.7). Exception: Mailers may use an 11-inch by 8.5-inch sheet to create four identical-size postcards (5.5 inches ÷ 4.25 inches = 1.294 aspect ratio).
* * * * *
2.0 Physical Standards for Nonmachinable Letters
2.1 Criteria for Nonmachinable Letters
[Add new title 2.1.1 to read as follows and move the current text of 2.1 under it.]
2.1.1 Letter-size Mailpieces
* * * * *
[Add new 2.1.2 to read as follows:]
2.1.2 Postcard-size Mailpieces
A postcard-priced mailpiece is designated a nonmachinable letter subject to nonmachinable letter prices as follows:
a. Postcards not meeting the standard of a minimum of 0.009-inch thickness under 1.2.1a.
b. Postcards not meeting the aspect-ratio requirement under 1.2.1e.
2.2 Additional Criteria for First-Class Mail Nonmachinable Letters
[Delete the first sentence of 2.2.]
* * * * *
The Postal Service will incorporate these revisions into the January 22, 2023, edition of the online DMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Product Solutions, 12-1-22
