Effective April 7, 2025, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), section 601.6.1, to clarify requirements for using USPS-produced packaging for shipping mailable hazardous materials.
Currently, section 601.6.1, “USPS-Produced Packaging,” specifies that mailers must not use USPS-produced packaging for shipping mailable hazardous material or live animals. The Postal Service is revising section 601.6.1 to reflect that the Postal Service allows shipping mailable hazardous material in USPS Ground Advantage® and USPS Connect Local USPS-produced packaging.
Although the Postal Service will not publish these revisions in the DMM until April 7, 2025, the standards are effective immediately.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services
601 Mailability
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6.0 Mailing Containers – Special Types of Envelopes and Packaging
6.1 USPS-Produced Packaging
[Revise the text of 6.1 to read as follows:]
Using USPS-produced packaging for mailing items must meet the following standards:
a. All USPS-produced packaging (including Flat-Rate packaging) must be used only for the applicable product (e.g., Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail).
b. The mailer of any matter mailed in USPS-produced packaging, regardless of how the packaging is reconfigured or how markings may be obliterated, must pay the appropriate product price.
c. Except as provided under 6.1d, USPS-produced packaging must not be used for shipping mailable hazardous material or live animals.
d. USPS Ground Advantage and USPS Connect Local USPS-produced packaging may be used for shipping mailable hazardous material.
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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, 3-6-25
