Effective January 21, 2024, the Postal Service™ will revise Maiiling Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), in various sections, to reflect the Postal Service’s discontinued use of hardcopy postage statements for domestic commercial mailings.
To improve efficiency, the Postal Service is discontinuing use of hardcopy postage statements, which will expedite accepting commercial mail. Except for Electronic Verification System (eVS®) mailings, mailers must use an approved electronic method for all domestic commercial mailings to transmit a postage statement to the PostalOne!® system.
The Postal Service provides free means to submit electronic postage statements through the Intelligent Mail® for Small Business (IMsb) tool and Postal Wizard®. Third-party software options are also available on PostalPro at postalpro.usps.com.
This standard will not affect use of hardcopy postage statements for Every Door Direct Mail — Retail® (EDDM-R®) and international mailings.
In addition, the Postal Service will revise the applicable Quick Service Guides (QSGs) to reflect this standard, which becomes effective January 21, 2024.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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200 Commercial Mail Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
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203 Basic Postage Statement, Documentation, and Preparation Standards
1.0 Postage Statements
1.1 Completing Postage Statements
[Revise the first sentence of 1.1 to read as follows:]
Unless manifested using eVS under 705.2.9, any domestic mailing priced at a discount, and all permit-imprint mailings, must be accompanied by a completed electronic postage statement. (Note: Except for Every Door Direct Mail — Retail, all commercial mail-related references in the DMM to “postage statements” apply to electronic postage statements.)***
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[Delete 1.3, “Facsimile Postage Statements,” in its entirety.]
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3.0 Standardized Documentation for First-Class Mail, Periodicals, USPS Marketing Mail, and Flat-Size Bound Printed Matter
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3.2 Format and Content
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[Delete the last sentence of 3.2e(4).]
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230 Commercial Mail First-Class Mail
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234 Postage Payment and Documentation
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2.0 Affixing Postage to Presorted and Automation Letters and Flats
2.1 Affixing Postage for Presorted and Automation First-Class Mail
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[Revise the last sentence of item b. to read as follows:]
b. ***Any additional postage must be paid at the time of mailing with an advance-deposit account.
2.2 Affixing Postage at Less than Full Price to All Pieces
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2.2.1 Lowest Price
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[Revise the last sentence of item b. to read as follows:]
b. ***The total additional postage must be paid by advance-deposit account.
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2.2.2 Mixed Price Alternative
[Revise the last sentence of 2.2.2 to read as follows:]
***The total additional postage must be paid by advance-deposit account.
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240 Commercial Mail USPS Marketing Mail
243 Prices and Eligibility
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3.0 Basic Eligibility Standards for USPS Marketing Mail
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3.3 Additional Basic Standards for USPS Marketing Mail
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[Revise the first sentence of item h. to read as follows:]
h. A completed postage statement using the correct USPS form must be submitted with each mailing.***
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244 Postage Payment and Documentation
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2.0 Additional Postage Payment Standards
2.1 Identical-Weight Pieces
[Revise the third sentence of 2.1 to read as follows:]
***If exact postage is not affixed, all additional postage and surcharges must be paid at the time of mailing with an advance-deposit account.***
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3.0 Affixing Postage at Less than Full Price
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3.2 Lowest Price
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[Revise the last sentence of item c. to read as follows:]
c. ***The total additional postage must be paid by advance-deposit account.
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3.3 Mixed Price Alternative for Letters and Flats
[Revise the last sentence of 3.3 to read as follows:]
***The total additional postage must be paid by advance-deposit account.
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245 Mail Preparation
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6.0 Preparing Enhanced Carrier Route Letters
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6.9 Delivery Sequence Documentation
6.9.1 Basic Standards
[Revise the third sentence of the introductory text of 6.9.1 to read as follows:]
***The mailer’s electronic confirmation during eDoc submission certifies that this standard has been met when the corresponding mail is presented to USPS.***
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9.0 Preparing Enhanced Carrier Route Flats
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9.10 Delivery Sequence Documentation
9.10.1 Basic Standards
[Revise the third sentence of the introductory text of 9.10.1 to read as follows:]
***The mailer’s electronic confirmation during eDoc submission certifies that this standard has been met when the corresponding mail is presented to USPS.***
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12.0 Preparing Enhanced Carrier Route Product Sample Parcels
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12.7 Delivery Sequence Documentation
12.7.1 General Standards
[Revise the third sentence of the introductory text of 12.7.1 to read as follows:]
***The mailer’s electronic confirmation during eDoc submission certifies that this standard has been met when the corresponding mail is presented to USPS.***
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250 Commercial Mail Parcel Select
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254 Postage Payment and Documentation
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2.0 Mailing Documentation
2.1 Completing Postage Statements
[Revise the first sentence of 2.1 to read as follows:]
All metered and permit-imprint mailings of 50 pieces or more, except manifested mail using eVS under 705.2.9, must be accompanied by a completed postage statement.***
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602 Addressing
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5.0 Move Update Standards
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5.4 Mailer Certification
[Revise the text of 5.4 to read as follows:]
The mailer’s electronic confirmation during eDoc submission certifies that the Move Update standard has been met for the address records, including each address in the corresponding mailing presented to the Postal Service.
6.0 ZIP Code Accuracy Standards
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6.3 Mailer Certification
[Revise the text of 6.3 to read as follows:]
The mailer’s electronic confirmation during eDoc submission certifies that the ZIP Code accuracy standard has been met for each address in the corresponding mailing presented to USPS.
7.0 Carrier Route Accuracy Standard
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7.4 Mailer Certification
[Revise the text of 7.4 to read as follows:]
The mailer’s electronic confirmation during eDoc submission certifies that the carrier route accuracy standard has been met for each address in the corresponding mailing presented to USPS.
8.0 Presort Accuracy Validation and Evaluation (PAVE)
[Delete the title of 8.1 in its entirety and renumber current 8.1.1, 8.1.2, and 8.1.3 as 8.1, 8.2, and 8.3.]
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8.2 Process
[Revise the second and third sentence of renumbered 8.2 to read as follows:]
***Vendors process the test file(s) through their presort software or hardware and return the resulting presort documentation to the USPS National Customer Support Center (NCSC) for evaluation of the answers. Each test file is evaluated for its accuracy of presort, compliance with current DMM standards, accuracy of sack/tray/pallet tag labels, and general acceptability of presort documentation.***
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9.0 Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS)
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9.3 Date of Address Matching and Coding
9.3.1 Update Standards
[Revise the seventh sentence of the introductory text of 9.3.1 to read as follows:]
***The mailer’s electronic confirmation during eDoc submission certifies that this standard has been met when the corresponding mail is presented to USPS.***
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9.5 Documentation
9.5.1 PS Form 3553
[Revise the last sentence of 9.5.1 to read as follows:]
***The mailer certifies compliance with electronic confirmation during eDoc submission.
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604 Postage Payment Methods and Refunds
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3.0 Precanceled Stamps
3.1 General Information
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3.1.8 Return Address
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[Revise the text of item a. to read as follows:]
a. At the time of mailing, the mailer must submit a copy of the postage statement and a sample mailpiece, enclosed in a stamped envelope and addressed to the postmaster at the Post Office of the return address.
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607 Mailer Compliance and Appeals of Classification Decisions
1.0 Mailer Compliance with Mailing Standards
1.1 Mailer Responsibility
[Revise the third sentence of 1.1 to read as follows:]
***For mailings that require a postage statement, the mailer certifies compliance with all applicable Postal Service standards with electronic confirmation during eDoc submission.***
1.2 Postage Payment
[Revise the last sentence of 1.2 to read as follows:]
***A USPS employee’s acceptance of the postage statement and the subsequent acceptance of the mailing does not constitute verified accuracy of that statement and does not limit the ability of USPS to demand proper payment after acceptance when it becomes apparent such payment was not made.
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700 Special Standards
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705 Advanced Preparation and Special Postage Payment Systems
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2.0 Manifest Mailing System
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2.2 Basic Standards
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2.2.7 Postage Statement
[Delete the last two sentences of 2.2.7.]
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9.0 Combining Bundles of Automation and Nonautomation Flats in Trays and Sacks
9.1 First-Class Mail
9.1.1 Basic Standards
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[Revise the first sentence of item h. to read as follows:]
h. A complete postage statement, using the correct USPS form, must accompany each mailing job prepared under these procedures.***
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9.3 USPS Marketing Mail
9.3.1 Basic Standards
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[Revise the first sentence of item h. to read as follows:]
h. A complete postage statement(s), using the correct USPS form, must accompany each mailing job prepared under these procedures.***
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9.4 Bound Printed Matter
9.4.1 Basic Standards
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[Revise the first sentence of item h. to read as follows:]
h. A complete postage statement(s), using the correct USPS form, must accompany each mailing job prepared under these procedures.***
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10.0 Merging Bundles of Flats Using the City State Product
10.1 Periodicals
10.1.1 Basic Standards
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[Revise the first sentence of item i. to read as follows:]
i. A complete postage statement(s), using the correct USPS form, must accompany each mailing job prepared under these procedures.***
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10.2 USPS Marketing Mail
10.2.1 Basic Standards
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[Revise the text of item k. to read as follows:]
k. A complete postage statement, using the correct USPS form, must accompany each mailing job prepared under these procedures.
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12.0 Merging Bundles of Flats on Pallets Using a 5 Percent Threshold
12.1 Periodicals
12.1.1 Basic Standards
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[Revise the first sentence of the introductory text of item f. to read as follows:]
f. A complete postage statement, using the correct USPS form, must accompany each mailing job.***
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12.2 USPS Marketing Mail
12.2.1 Basic Standards
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[Revise the text of item j. to read as follows:]
j. A complete postage statement, using the correct USPS form, must be submitted for each mailing job prepared under these procedures.
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13.0 Merging Bundles of Flats on Pallets Using the City State Product and a 5 Percent Threshold
13.1 Periodicals
13.1.1 Basic Standards
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[Revise the first sentence of the introductory text of item g. to read as follows:]
g. A complete postage statement, using the correct USPS form, must be submitted for each mailing job.***
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13.2 USPS Marketing Mail
13.2.1 Basic Standards
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[Revise the text of item k. to read as follows:]
k. A complete postage statement, using the correct USPS form, must be submitted for each mailing job prepared under these procedures.
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17.0 Plant-Verified Drop Shipment
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17.2 Program Participation
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17.2.3 Verification at Origin BMEU
[Revise the introductory text of 17.2.3 to read as follows:]
PVDS verification may be performed at the origin business mail entry unit (BMEU) under these conditions:
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[Revise the text of item d. to read as follows:]
d. PS Form 8125 accompanies each PVDS (or segment, if the PVDS is contained in more than one vehicle).
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INDEX
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P
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PAVE, 602.8.0
[Revise the text immediately under “PAVE, 602.8.0” to read as follows:]
definition, 602.8.1
request for participation, 602.8.3
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The Postal Service will incorporate these revisions into the January 21, 2024, edition of the online DMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Product Solutions, 12-14-23
