Effective January 22, 2023, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), to reflect changes to prices and certain mailing standards for the following competitive products:
n Priority Mail Express®.
n Priority Mail®.
n Return Services.
n Mailer Services.
n Other.
This article describes new prices and product features for competitive products established by the Governors of the United States Postal Service®. Information on new prices is available on the Postal Explorer® website at pe.usps.com.
Competitive products changes are identified by product as follows:
The Postal Service is consolidating Priority Mail Express “Commercial Base” and “Commercial Plus” into one “Commercial” price category. Consolidating the “Commercial Base” and “Commercial Plus” price categories will simplify the Priority Mail Express pricing structure. The eligibility standards for Priority Mail Express Commercial will mirror the current “Commercial Base” price category.
The Postal Service is consolidating the Priority Mail “Commercial Base” and “Commercial Plus” price categories into one “Commercial” price category. Consolidating the “Commercial Base” and “Commercial Plus” price categories will simplify the Priority Mail pricing structure. The eligibility standards for Priority Mail Commercial will mirror the current “Commercial Base” price category.
The Postal Service is discontinuing the Priority Mail Regional Rate product offering to simplify the Priority Mail offering.
The Postal Service is revising standards for Parcel Return Service (PRS) to be a competitive product only available through a Negotiated Service Agreement (NSA). As a nonpublished offering, the standards will be removed from the DMM, and the prices will be removed from Notice 123 — Price List.
The Postal Service is discontinuing the Certificate of Mailing and Signature Confirmation extra service options for USPS Returns® products.
The Postal Service is implementing USPS Label Delivery Service™ to provide customers with an option to have their domestic outbound and return mailing labels printed and delivered for a fee per label at a Post Office where available. USPS Label Delivery Service is not available for Air or Army Post Office/Diplomatic Post Office/Fleet Post Office (APO/FPO/DPO) addresses. Customers requesting USPS Label Delivery Service will be provided tracking information. A customer may request USPS Label Delivery Service at usps.com.
USPS Label Delivery Service is available for the following:
n Retail and Commercial Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail.
n First-Class Package Service — Retail®.
n First Class Package Service — Commercial.
n USPS Retail Ground®.
n Parcel Select Ground®.
n Priority Mail Return® service.
n First-Class Package Return® service.
No extra services are available with labels requested through USPS Label Delivery Service.
For USPS Label Delivery Service, the Postal Service will refund the postage and USPS Label Delivery Service fee if the label is not delivered. The Postal Service will refund the postage only if the label is delivered and not used.
The Postal Service is modifying zone-price categories for all applicable competitive products. This zone modification will redefine the local zone and remove it as a zone-price category. The Postal Service will also split zones 1 and 2 into separate price categories. This will result in nine individual zone-price categories.
Additionally, the Postal Service is clarifying that the Zone 1 price applies to pieces mailed within the same 3-digit origin/destination (O/D) pairs and mailpieces mailed with different 3-digit O/D pairs whose centroids are up to 50 miles in distance.
No product changes are scheduled for the following competitive products:
n First-Class Package Service®.
n Parcel Select®.
n USPS Retail Ground.
n Recipient Services.
n Extra Services.
The Postal Service provides additional resources to assist customers with these price changes for competitive products. These tools include price lists, downloadable price files, and Federal Register notices, which are available on the Postal Explorer® website at pe.usps.com.
These standards become effective January 22, 2023.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
* * * * *
100 Retail Mail Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
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120 Retail Mail Priority Mail
123 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
* * * * *
[Delete 1.5, “Regional Rate Boxes,” and renumber current 1.6 and 1.7 as 1.5 and 1.6.]
* * * * *
1.6 Nonstandard Fees
[Revise the introductory text of renumbered 1.6 to read as follows:]
Except for Flat Rate packaging, a Priority Mail piece is subject to a nonstandard fee (see Notice 123 — Price List) as follows:
* * * * *
125 Mail Preparation
1.0 Preparation
* * * * *
[Revise the title of 1.2 to read as follows:]
1.2 Sealing Flat Rate Packaging
[Revise the first sentence of 1.2 to read as follows:]
When sealing a Flat Rate Envelope or Flat Rate Box, the container flaps must be able to close within the normal folds.***
* * * * *
200 Commercial Mail Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
201 Physical Standards
* * * * *
7.0 Physical Standards for Parcels
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7.3 Maximum Weight and Size
[Revise the second sentence of 7.3 to read as follows:]
***Lower weight limits apply to parcels mailed at Priority Mail Cubic, First-Class Package Service — Commercial, USPS Marketing Mail, and Bound Printed Matter prices.***
* * * * *
8.0 Additional Physical Standards by Class of Mail
* * * * *
8.2 Priority Mail
[Revise the first sentence of 8.2 to read as follows:]
The maximum weight is 70 pounds, except for cubic (20 pounds) parcels.***
* * * * *
202 Elemments on the Face of a Mailpiece
* * * * *
3.0 Placement and Content of Mail Markings
* * * * *
3.3 Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail Markings
* * * * *
3.3.3 Additional Markings for Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail
[Revise the text of 3.3.3 to read as follows:]
In addition to the basic price marking in 3.3.1 and 3.3.2, except for pieces paid using a USPS Returns service or permit imprint, Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail pieces claimed at Commercial prices also must bear the “Commercial” price marking, printed on the piece or produced as part of the meter imprint or PC Postage indicia. Place the “Commercial” price marking directly above, directly below, or to the left of the postage.
* * * * *
3.4 Priority Mail Cubic Markings
* * * * *
3.4.2 Price Marking — Permit Imprint
[Revise the first sentence of 3.4.2 to read as follows:]
Priority Mail permit imprint pieces claimed at the cubic price must be marked “Priority Mail” and bear the “cubic” marking (see 3.4.3 for soft pack and padded envelopes), printed on the piece or produced as part of the permit imprint indicia.***
* * * * *
204 Barcode Standards
* * * * *
2.0 Standards for Package and Extra Service Barcodes
2.1 Intelligent Mail Package Barcode
2.1.1 Definition
[Revise the last sentence of 2.1.1 to read as follows:]
***A ZIP + 4 is required to be encoded into the barcode for all returns products.
* * * * *
2.2 Other Package Barcodes
* * * * *
2.2.11 Service Banner Text
[Revise the text of 2.2.11 to read as follows:]
Except with Certified Mail, Registered Mail, Adult Signature, and Priority Mail Express or Priority Mail Open and Distribute services, mailers preparing extra service barcodes under 2.2 must use a “USPS TRACKING #” human-readable service banner text above the barcode on packages not requiring a signature at delivery, or a “USPS SIGNATURE TRACKING #” service banner text above the barcode on packages where a signature is required at delivery.
* * * * *
210 Commercial Mail Priority Mail Express
213 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
* * * * *
[Revise the title and introductory text of 1.3 to read as follows:]
1.3 Commercial Prices
Priority Mail Express commercial prices are less than Priority Mail Express retail prices (see Notice 123 — Price List). These prices are available to:
* * * * *
[Delete 1.4, “Commercial Plus Prices,” in its entirety and renumber current 1.5 through 1.10 as 1.4 through 1.9.]
* * * * *
214 Postage Payment and Documentation
1.0 Basic Standards for Postage Payment Options
[Add the following title above the introductory text of 1.0, revise the text to read as follows, and renumber current 1.1 as 1.2:]
1.1 General
Federal agencies and U.S. government officials mailing Priority Mail Express mailpieces may use the appropriate indicia, subject to 703.7.0. The mailer is responsible for properly paying postage.
* * * * *
[Revise the title and introductory text of renumbered 1.2 to read as follows:]
1.2 Commercial Pricing
Commercial Priority Mail Express postage may be paid with:
* * * * *
[Delete current 1.2, “Commercial Plus Pricing,” in its entirety.]
* * * * *
220 Commercial Mail Priority Mail
223 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
1.1 Price Application
* * * * *
[Revise the first sentence of item a. to read as follows:]
a. Except for cubic items (see 1.1c), customers mailing Priority Mail mailpieces are charged per pound of the mailpiece; any fraction of a pound is rounded up to the next whole pound.***
* * * * *
[Delete items c. and e. in their entirety. Renumber current item d. as item c., and renumber current items f. and g. as items d. and e. Revise renumbered item d. to read as follows:]
d. Priority Mail Open and Distribute tray boxes mailed at commercial prices are not based on weight, but are priced based on the tray box and zone to which they are sent.
* * * * *
[Revise the title and introductory text of 1.2 to read as follows:]
1.2 Commercial Prices
For prices, see Notice 123 — Price List. Commercial prices are available for:
[Delete item a. of 1.2 in its entirety, and renumber current items b. tmhrough f. as items a. through e. Delete the last sentence of renumbered item c. referencing Regional Rate Boxes.]
* * * * *
[Delete 1.3, “Commercial Plus Prices,” and 1.7, “Regional Rate Box Prices,” in their entirety. Renumber current 1.4 through 1.6 as 1.3 through 1.5, and renumber current 1.8 through 1.13 as 1.6 through 1.11.]
* * * * *
1.10 Nonstandard Fees
[Revise the introductory text of renumbered 1.10 to read as follows:]
Except for Flat Rate packaging and Priority Mail Return service packages, a Priority Mail piece is subject to a nonstandard fee (see Notice 123 — Price List) as follows:
* * * * *
3.0 Basic Eligibility Standards for Priority Mail
3.1 Description of Service
[Revise the last sentence of 3.1 to read as follows:]
***Lower weight limits apply to cubic pieces (see 1.4); APO/FPO mail is subject to 703.2.0 and 703.4.0, and Department of State mail is subject to 703.3.0.
* * * * *
224 Postage Payment and Documentation
1.0 Basic Standards for Postage Payment
[Delete the title of 1.1, renumber current 1.1.1 as 1.1 and revise the title and introductory text to read as follows:]
1.1 Commercial Pricing
Priority Mail commercial postage may be paid with:
[Delete item a. in its entirety and renumber current items b. through e. as items a. through d.]
[Delete 1.1.2, “Commercial Plus Pricing,” in its entirety.]
* * * * *
225 Mail Preparation
1.0 General Information for Mail Preparation
* * * * *
[Revise the title of 1.2 to read as follows:]
1.2 Sealing Flat Rate Packaging
[Revise the first sentence of 1.2 to read as follows:]
When sealing a Flat Rate Envelope or Flat Rate Box, the container flaps must be able to close within the normal folds.***
* * * * *
500 Additional Mailing Services
503 Extra Services
1.0 Basic Standards for All Extra Services
* * * * *
1.4 Eligibility for Extra Services
* * * * *
1.4.3 Eligibility — Domestic Returns
* * * * *
Exhibit 1.4.3 Eligibility — Domestic Returns
[Delete the “Signature Confirmation” option from both the “Paid by EPS Account or by Permit Holder” and the “Paid by Sender” sections of the table. Delete the “Certificate of Mailing” option from the “Paid by Sender” section of the table. Delete the “Parcel Return Service” line item from Exhibit 1.4.3.]
* * * * *
4.0 Insured Mail
* * * * *
4.3 Basic Standards
4.3.1 Description
* * * * *
[Revise the third sentence of item a. to read as follows:]
a. ***For customer-generated integrated barcodes used for USPS Returns service, the returns account holder must provide USPS with electronic data in a shipping services file, version 1.6 or higher, that identifies the USPS Tracking number of the insured return package, total postage paid, insurance fee paid, declared value, mailing date, origin ZIP Code, and delivery ZIP Code, along with the recipient’s name and address information.***
* * * * *
505 Return Services
* * * * *
3.0 USPS Returns Service
3.1 Basic Standards
* * * * *
3.1.3 Postage and Prices
* * * * *
[Revise the text of 3.1.3b(1) to read as follows:]
1. Priority Mail commercial prices are available for account holders using Priority Mail Return Service, when all applicable requirements are met.
[Delete 3.1.3b(2) in its entirety and renumber current 3.1.3b(3) and 3.1.3b(4) as 3.1.3b(2) and 3.1.3b(3).]
* * * * *
[Delete 3.1.3c(2) and 3.1.3c(3) in their entirety and renumber current 3.1.3c(4) as 3.1.3c(2).]
* * * * *
3.1.4 Labels
* * * * *
[Add new 3.1.4a(6) to read as follows:]
6. Through USPS Label Delivery Service under 507.12.0.
* * * * *
3.2 Additional Standards
* * * * *
[Revise the last sentence of item a. to read as follows:]
a. ***Commercial prices are the same as for outbound Priority Mail in Notice 123 — Price List.
* * * * *
4.0 Parcel Return Service
[Delete the text under 4.0 in its entirety and add new text under 4.0 to read as follows:]
Parcel Return Service (PRS) applies to parcels that are picked up in bulk by authorized permit holders or their agents. Parcel Return Service is only available through a Negotiated Service Agreement (NSA) (see 709.1.0). Contact a USPS sales representative for additional details.
* * * * *
507 Mailer Services
* * * * *
5.0 Package Intercept
* * * * *
5.2 Postage and Fees
[Revise the fourth sentence in the introductory text of 5.2 to read as follows:]
***Priority Mail commercial prices are charged for the new Priority Mail piece from the location where intercepted to the new destination based on the dimensions, weight, and zone of the piece or the flat-rate price, if applicable, along with any applicable extra services fees.***
* * * * *
7.0 Pickup on Demand Service
7.1 Postage and Fees
7.1.1 Postage
[Revise the text of 7.1.1 to read as follows:]
The correct amount of postage must be affixed to each piece except for the following:
a. A Priority Mail Express label paid with a corporate account;
b. Packages with a USPS Returns label affixed (under 505.3.0); and
c. Manifest mailings paid by permit imprint indicia approved by Business Mailer Support (BMS).
* * * * *
7.2 Basic Standards
7.2.1 Availability
* * * * *
[Delete item i., “Parcel Return Service,” and renumber current items j. through n. as items i. through m.]
* * * * *
[Add new 12.0 to read as follows:]
12.0 USPS Label Delivery Service
12.1 Description
USPS Label Delivery Service provides customers with an option to have the Postal Service print and deliver their domestic outbound and return mailing labels for a fee per label at a Post Office where available. USPS Label Delivery Service is not available for Air or Army Post Office/Diplomatic Post Office/Fleet Post Office (APO/FPO/DPO) addresses. Customers requesting USPS Label Delivery Service will be provided tracking information.
12.2 Eligibility
USPS Label Delivery Service is available for the following:
a. Retail and Commercial Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail.
b. First-Class Package Service — Retail.
c. First Class Package Service — Commercial.
d. USPS Retail Ground.
e. Parcel Select Ground.
f. USPS Returns Service.
12.3 Extra Services
No extra services are available with labels requested through USPS Label Delivery Service.
12.4 Requesting USPS Label Delivery Service
A customer may request USPS Label Delivery Service at usps.com.
12.5 Fee
The USPS Label Delivery Service fee is listed in Notice 123 — Price List.
* * * * *
600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services
* * * * *
602 Addressing
1.0 Elements of Addressing
* * * * *
1.5 Return Addresses
* * * * *
1.5.3 Required Use of Return Addresses
* * * * *
[Revise the text of item q. to read as follows:]
q. USPS Returns service.
* * * * *
604 Postage Payment Methods and Refunds
* * * * *
9.0 Exchanges and Refunds
* * * * *
9.2 Postage and Fee Refunds
* * * * *
9.2.3 Full Refund
* * * * *
[Add new item o. to read as follows:]
o. For USPS Label Delivery Service, the Postal Service will refund the postage and USPS Label Delivery Service fee if the label was not delivered. The Postal Service will refund the postage only if the label is delivered and not used.
* * * * *
608 Postal Information and Resources
* * * * *
7.0 Trademarks and Copyrights of the USPS
7.1 USPS Trademarks
[Revise the last sentence of the introductory text of 7.1 to read as follows:]
***Information on USPS trademarks is available at usps.com or by contacting General Counsel, USPS Headquarters (see 8.1 for address).
* * * * *
[Delete “Commercial Base” and “Commercial Plus” from the list of trademarks under 7.1.]
* * * * *
9.0 Postal Zones
* * * * *
9.2 Application
* * * * *
[Revise the last sentence of item c. to read as follows:]
c. ***If such mail transits any area served by USPS at USPS expense and the distance from the place of mailing to the embarkation point or from the debarkation point to the place of delivery is more than Zone 1 for such mail, postage is assessed by the distance from the place of mailing to the embarkation point or from the debarkation point to the place of delivery of such mail, as the case may be.
* * * * *
[Revise the title of 9.4 to read as follows:]
9.4 Definition
[Revise the title and text of 9.4.1 to read as follows:]
9.4.1 Local
“Local” applies to USPS Connect Local and USPS Connect Local Mail pieces deposited at any Post Office for delivery to addresses within the delivery area of that Post Office. For various types of Post Offices, “Local” applies to all mail that both originates and destinates within:
* * * * *
[Revise the title and introductory text of 9.4.2 to read as follows:]
9.4.2 Zones
Zones are defined as follows:
[Revise the text of item a. to read as follows:]
a. The Zone 1 price applies to pieces mailed within the same 3-digit origin/destination (O/D) pairs. The Zone 1 price also includes pieces mailed with different 3-digit O/D pairs, whose centroids are up to 50 miles in distance.
* * * * *
10.0 Forms of Identification
* * * * *
10.2 Products and Services Requiring Acceptable Identification
* * * * *
Exhibit 10.2 Products and Services Requiring Acceptable Identification
* * * * *
[Delete the “Parcel Return Service” line item in Exhibit 10.2.]
* * * * *
10.3 Acceptable Primary Forms of Photo Identification
* * * * *
Exhibit 10.3 Acceptable Primary Forms of Photo Identification per Product and Service
* * * * *
[Delete the “Parcel Return Service” line item in Exhibit 10.3.]
* * * * *
700 Special Standards
* * * * *
705 Advanced Preparation and Special Postage Payment Systems
* * * * *
18.0 Priority Mail Express Open and Distribute and Priority Mail Open and Distribute
18.1 Prices and Fees
18.1.1 Basis of Price
* * * * *
[Revise the first sentence of item b. to read as follows:]
b. Priority Mail commercial tray box postage is based on the tray box and zone.***
* * * * *
Index
* * * * *
L
[Add “Label Delivery Service, 507.12.0” alphabetically under “L.”]
* * * * *
P
* * * * *
[Delete “Parcel Return Service (PRS), 505.40” in its entirety.]
* * * * *
Parcel Select
[Delete the “Parcel Return Service, 505.4.0” line item under “Parcel Select.”]
* * * * *
Priority Mail
[Delete the “Regional Rate, 223.1.2” line item under “Priority Mail.”]
* * * * *
R
* * * * *
return services
[Delete the “parcel return service, 505.4.0” line item under “return services.”]
* * * * *
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, 1-12–23
