Effective April 3, 2025, the Postal Service™ is revising Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail (Pub 52), subchapter 473, to allow covered products authorized under the Business or Regulatory and Certain Individuals Exceptions to be shipped by USPS Ground Advantage® in addition to Priority Mail Express® and Priority Mail®. Previously, there was no shipping option available within these exceptions to permit the shipment of used, damaged, or defective electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) that are restricted to surface transportation. This revision also clarifies that postage must be prepaid.
Although the Postal Service will publish these revisions in Pub 52 at a later date, the standards are effective immediately.
Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail
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4 Restricted Matter
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47 Cigarettes, Smokeless Tobacco, and Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems
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473 Mailability Exceptions
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473.33 Mailing
[Revise introduction and items a., b., and c. to read as follows:]
All mailings tendered under the business or regulatory purposes exception must meet the following requirements;
a. Use prepaid shipping labels with Intelligent Mail package barcodes.
b. Be mailed by one of the following mail products:
1. Priority Mail Express,
2. Priority Mail, or
3. USPS Ground Advantage.
c. Include Adult Signature or Adult Signature Restricted Delivery service (see DMM 503.8.2).
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473.43 Mailing
[Revise section 473.43 to read as follows:]
No customer may send or cause to be sent more than 10 mailings under this exception in any 30-day period. Each mailing under the certain individuals exception must:
a. Weigh no more than 10 ounces.
b. Use prepaid shipping labels with Intelligent Mail package barcodes that include the following:
1. Full name and mailing address of the sender and recipient.
2. The following exterior marking on the address side of the mailpiece, with the relevant type of item selected: “PERMITTED [CIGARETTE/ SMOKELESS TOBACCO/ ENDS] MAILING — DELIVER ONLY UPON AGE VERIFICATION.”
3. Adult Signature or Adult Signature Restricted Delivery service (see DMM 503.8.2).
4. Be sent by one of the following mail products:
a. Priority Mail Express,
b. Priority Mail, or
c. USPS Ground Advantage.
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The Postal Service will incorporate these revisions into the next edition of online Publication 52, which is available via Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Product Solutions, 4-3-25
