Effective April 1, 2024, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), in various sections, to clarify under the “description of service” for certain products the requirement for deferred handling.
Currently, under DMM sections 133.2.1 for USPS Ground Advantage — Retail, 283.3.1 for USPS Ground Advantage — Commercial, and 253.3.1 for Parcel Select® Destination Entry, the standards state that certain mailpieces may receive deferred handling. The Postal Service is revising these sections to provide examples of mailpieces that may receive deferred handling, such as mailpieces containing hazardous material or considered nonmachinable (e.g., oversized priced pieces and nonstandard fee-priced pieces).
In addition, the Postal Service is revising sections 123.2.1 and 223.3.1 to clarify or add deferred handling requirements for retail and commercial Priority Mail®.
Although this clarification will not be published in the DMM until April 1, 2024, the standards are effective immediately.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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120 Retail Mail Priority Mail
123 Prices and Eligibility
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2.0 Basic Eligibility Standards for Priority Mail
2.1 Description of Service
[Add a new last sentence to the text of 2.1 to read as follows:]
***Certain Priority Mail mailpieces, such as pieces containing hazardous material or considered nonmachinable (e.g., oversized priced pieces and nonstandard fee-priced pieces), may receive deferred handling.
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130 Retail Mail First-Class Mail and USPS Ground Advantage — Retail
133 Prices and Eligibility
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2.0 Basic Eligibility Standards for First-Class Mail and USPS Ground Advantage — Retail
2.1 Description of Service
[Revise the last sentence of 2.1 to read as follows:]
***Certain USPS Ground Advantage — Retail mailpieces, such as pieces containing hazardous material or considered nonmachinable (e.g., oversized priced pieces and nonstandard fee-priced pieces), may receive deferred handling.
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200 Commercial Mail Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
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220 Commercial Mail Priority Mail
223 Prices and Eligibility
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3.0 Basic Eligibility Standards for Priority Mail
3.1 Description of Service
[Revise the text of 3.1 to read as follows:]
Priority Mail is an expedited service and may contain any mailable matter weighing no more than 70 pounds. Lower weight limits apply to cubic (see 1.3); APO/FPO mail is subject to 703.2.0 and 703.4.0, and U.S. Department of State mail is subject to 703.3.0. Service objectives for delivery are 1 to 3 days. However, USPS does not guarantee the delivery time. Certain Priority Mail mailpieces, such as pieces containing hazardous material or considered nonmachinable (e.g., oversized priced pieces and nonstandard fee-priced pieces), may receive deferred handling.
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[Delete 3.3, “Service Objectives,” in its entirety and renumber current 3.4 as 3.3.]
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250 Commercial Mail Parcel Select
253 Prices and Eligibility
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3.0 Basic Eligibility Standards for Parcel Select Parcels
3.1 Description of Service
[Revise the last sentence of 3.1 to read as follows:]
***Certain Parcel Select mailpieces, such as pieces containing hazardous material or considered nonmachinable (e.g., oversized priced pieces and nonstandard fee-priced pieces), may receive deferred handling.
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280 Commercial Mail USPS Ground Advantage — Commercial
283 Prices and Eligibility
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3.0 Basic Eligibility Standards for USPS Ground Advantage — Commercial
3.1 Description of Service
[Revise the last sentence of 3.1 to read as follows:]
***Certain USPS Ground Advantage — Commercial mailpieces, such as pieces containing hazardous material or considered nonmachinable (e.g., oversized priced pieces and nonstandard fee-priced pieces), may receive deferred handling.
* * * * *
The Postal Service will incorporate these revisions into the April 1, 2024, edition of the online DMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Product Solutions, 1-25-24
