Effective November 4, 2024, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), in various sections, to delete the “known mailer” and “official mail” exceptions for customs declarations for mail to, from, or between overseas U.S. military and diplomatic Post Office® addresses.
As noted in the article “Customs Declaration Exceptions” published June 21, 2024, in the notice of final rulemaking in the Federal Register (89 FR 51976), these revisions are being made to align the DMM with current customs policies.
Corresponding changes to Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM®) are provided in the article, “IMM Revision: Known Mailer and Exceptions” here.
Although these revisions will not be published in the DMM until November 4, 2024, these standards are effective September 29, 2024.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services
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608 Postal Information and Resources
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2.0 Domestic Mail
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2.4 Customs Forms Required
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2.4.4 Overseas Military Mail
[Revise the text of 2.4.4. to read as follows:]
For determining customs declarations’ required usage when mailing to or from APO, FPO, or DPO addresses, see 703.2.3.6 through 703.2.3.8.
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700 Special Standards
703 Nonprofit USPS Marketing Mail and Other Unique Eligibility
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2.0 Overseas Military and Diplomatic Post Office Mail
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2.3 General Restrictions
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2.3.8 Customs Declarations – Required Usage
[Revise the introductory text of 2.3.8 to read as follows:]
In accord with the procedures provided in 2.3.6, customs declarations forms are required for use on shipments to or from APO/FPO/DPO locations as follows:
[Revise the text of item a. to read as follows:]
a. Priority Mail Express mailpieces addressed to or from an APO, FPO, or DPO location must bear a properly completed computer-generated PS Form 2976-B, Priority Mail Express International Shipping Label and Customs Form, regardless of weight, value, or contents.
[Revise the introductory text of item b. to read as follows:]
b. All other mailpieces addressed to or from an APO, FPO, or DPO location must bear a properly completed computer-generated PS Form 2976, Customs Declaration CN22 — Sender’s Declaration, or, if the customer prefers, a properly completed computer-generated PS Form 2976-A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note — CP 72, if either of the following conditions applies:
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[Delete 2.3.9, “Customs Declarations — Exceptions,” in its entirety and renumber current 2.3.10 through 2.3.13 as 2.3.9 through 2.3.12.]
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2.3.10 Items Not Eligible for Deposit or Pickup
[Revise the introductory text of renumbered 2.3.10 to read as follows:]
Customers must present the following items requiring a customs form to an employee at a Post Office retail service counter. The Postal Service will return these improperly presented items to the sender for proper entry and acceptance:
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The Postal Service will incorporate these revisions into the November 4, 2024, edition of the online DMM, which is available on Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Product Solutions, 7-11-24
