Effective July 14, 2024, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), section 703.5.0, to clarify requirements for mailing free matter for the blind and other physically handicapped persons.
Currently, DMM 703.5.0, “Free Matter for the Blind and Other Physically Handicapped Persons,” includes standards for eligible matter mailed to and by blind and other physically handicapped persons. The standards do not, however, address mailing for free eligible items between libraries and other noncommercial organizations eligible to participate in the U.S. Library of Congress’s National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS). The standards also do not address mailing eligible matter by commercial producers of eligible matter.
As a result, the Postal Service is revising DMM 703.5.0 to address these matters and is making other minor revisions for consistency.
Although the Postal Service will not publish this clarification in the DMM until July 14, 2024, the standards are effective immediately.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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700 Special Standards
703 Nonprofit USPS® Marketing Mail and Other Unique Eligibility
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5.0 Free Matter for the Blind and Other Physically Handicapped Persons
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[Revise the title of 5.2 to read as follows:]
5.2 Matter Sent to Blind or Other Physically Handicapped Persons
[Add new 5.2.1 to read as follows and renumber current 5.2.1 through 5.2.3 as 5.2.2 through 5.2.4.]
5.2.1 General
Eligible matter under 5.2.2, meeting the conditions under 5.2.3, may be sent as follows:
a. Individuals, libraries, and other noncommercial organizations eligible to participate in the U.S. Library of Congress National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) may mail eligible matter free of postage to persons or other organizations serving persons who meet the eligibility requirements. Libraries and other noncommercial organizations may exchange such matter among themselves free of postage.
b. Commercial producers of eligible matter may mail the eligible matter free of postage to an eligible person.
[Revise the title of renumbered 5.2.2 to read as follows:]
5.2.2 Eligible Matter
[Revise the DMM reference in the introductory text of renumbered 5.2.2 to read as follows:]
Subject to 5.2.3, this matter may be mailed free:
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5.2.3 Conditions
[Revise the DMM reference in the introductory text of renumbered 5.2.3 to read as follows:]
The matter listed in 5.2.2 must meet these conditions:
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[Revise the title of renumbered 5.2.4 to read as follows:]
5.2.4 Ineligible Matter
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[Revise the title and text of 5.3 to read as follows:]
5.3 Matter Sent by Blind or Other Physically Handicapped Persons
Matter may be sent by eligible blind or other physically handicapped persons, as provided under 5.1.3, as follows:
a. Letters in braille or in 14-point or larger sight-saving type, or in the form of sound recordings, and containing no advertising, may be mailed free, and only if unsealed. (Flaps must be tucked in.) Letters that are handwritten, printed, or typed, in a type size smaller than 14 points, must bear the full applicable postage.
b. Eligible matter under 5.2.2 may be returned free of postage.
c. Eligible matter under 5.2.2 may be exchanged free of postage among eligible blind or other physically handicapped persons.
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The Postal Service will incorporate these revisions into the next edition of the online DMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Product Solutions, 5-16-24
