Effective July 9, 2023, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), sections 507.4.2.6 and 705.23.5.2, to update information about address-correction requests and to remove a standard regarding hard copy address-correction notice options for Full-Service and Seamless Acceptance mailers.
The Postal Service will no longer offer to publishers and Full-Service and Seamless Acceptance mailers the option to request and submit PS Forms 3547, Notice to Mailer of Correction in Address, and PS Form 3579, Notice of Undeliverable Periodical, to correct address information.
Full Service and Seamless Acceptance mailers and publishers who desire address-correction information from undeliverable-as-addressed mail will be required to receive address-correction notices electronically via Address Change Service (ACS). Periodical publishers, and mailers who apply the ancillary service endorsement “Address Service Requested” or “Change Service Requested” to their mail, will receive ACS notices via the Data Distribution Dashboard from the Business Customer Gateway or by enrolling in the Electronic Product Fulfillment secure website at epf.usps.gov. When appropriate, the Postal Service will charge electronic or automated address-correction fees for each ACS notice provided.
This change is effective July 9, 2023. However, mailers who currently request manual address corrections via PS Form 3547 or PS Form 3579 may begin to request ACS immediately. The Postal Service believes this new standard will provide customers with a more efficient and less costly method to handle address-correction notices.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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500 Additional Mailing Services
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507 Mailer Services
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4.0 Address Correction Services
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4.2 Address Change Service (ACS)
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4.2.6 Additional Standards — When Using Intelligent Mail Barcodes
[Revise the introductory text of 4.2.6 to read as follows:
Mailers may access OneCode ACS using an Intelligent Mail barcode, which contains a valid Service Type Identifier indicating the ancillary service requested; a numeric Mailer ID; and the Serial Number, a unique numeric mailpiece identifier (Keyline equivalent). This option is available for letters and flat-size pieces mailed as First-Class Mail, USPS Marketing Mail, and Periodicals. Address Service, Change Service, and Return Service Ancillary Services are available for letters and flat-sized mailpieces mailed as First-Class Mail, USPS Marketing Mail, and Bound Printed Matter (BPM), by choosing the appropriate ACS Service Type Identifier in the Intelligent Mail barcode. USPS Marketing Mail and Bound Printed Matter pieces with ACS that include an Intelligent Mail barcode require using a printed-on-piece endorsement. ACS mailers are encouraged to use the “Electronic Service Requested” text endorsement. Other printed endorsements are not required to request ancillary services in conjunction with an Intelligent Mail barcode used on First-Class Mail or Periodicals mailpieces, and their use may produce unintended results. Full-Service and Seamless Acceptance mailers who desire separate address corrections using Address Service and Change Service ancillary services must request ACS and will receive the ACS notices through Full Service. See 705.23.5.2 for additional standards. For other mailers, to receive requested ACS information, mailers must notify the NCSC, ACS Department in Memphis, Tennessee, in writing, seven days before mailing to establish a method for ACS notice fulfillment and to arrange for payment of electronic or automated address correction fees. Mailpieces must meet the following specifications:
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700 Special Standards
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705 Advanced Preparation and Special Postage Payment Systems
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23.0 Full-Service Automation Option
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23.5 Additional Standards
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23.5.2 Address Correction Notices
[Revise the text of 23.5.2 to read as follows:]
Mailers presenting mailpieces (except for those noted below) that qualify for the full-service Intelligent Mail option will receive automated address-correction notices electronically when the pieces are encoded with Intelligent Mail barcodes with “Address Service Requested” or “Change Service Requested” under standards for OneCode ACS and under the following conditions:
a. Mailpieces must include the appropriate ACS service type ID in the Intelligent Mail barcode to match the ancillary service requested. See 507.1.5 for mail disposition and address-correction combinations by class of mail.
b. Complimentary ACS ancillary service address-correction notices for mailpieces in full-service mailings are available for:
1. First-Class Mail letters and flats, provided at no charge (printed endorsement not required for letters).
2. Periodicals letters and flats, provided at no charge (printed endorsement not required).
3. USPS Marketing Mail letters and flats or BPM flats, provided at no charge. USPS Marketing Mail and BPM pieces must include a printed-on-piece endorsement in addition to encoding the ACS ancillary service request into the Intelligent Mail barcode. See 507.4.2 for additional standards.
c. Mailers must use the ACS address-correction information that USPS provides to update their address records to receive notices without paying additional fees. Beginning July 9, 2023, address corrections will only be provided electronically in the Business Customer Gateway under Mailing Reports using the Data Distribution and Informed Visibility Dashboard.
d. A new Service Type Identifier (STID) Table will be published on PostalPro removing all STID references for manual corrections when mailers present qualifying Full-Service mail.
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The Postal Service will incorporate these revisions into the July 9, 2023, edition of the online DMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Product Solutions, 4-6-23
