Effective July 12, 2026, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), in various sections, to reflect that the Postal Service is expanding the current requirement that mailers include accurate parcel dimensions in a manifest.
The Postal Service is expanding the current standard, in two phases, by requiring mailers to include accurate dimensions (length, width, and height) of parcels included in a manifest. Dimensions are not required for Flat-Rate-priced pieces or USPS Returns® pieces.
This new standard only applies to the following Postal Service commercial products:
n Priority Mail Express®.
n Priority Mail®.
n USPS Ground Advantage®.
n Parcel Select®.
Failure to comply with the expanded requirement will subject parcel mailers to the Dimension Noncompliance fee, which will be deferred until Phase Two. The two phases are as follows:
In Phase One, effective July 12. 2026, the Postal Service will implement the requirement that accurate dimensions be reported in the manifest for all parcels. During Phase One, the Postal Service will do the following:
n Evaluate data;
n Review customer activity;
n Identify thresholds; and
n Implement and test trusted systems’ accuracy.
Assessing the Dimension Noncompliance fee for omitting the dimensions or for inaccurately reported dimensions in the manifest will be deferred until the implementation of Phase Two. However, until the Postal Service implements Phase Two, it will continue to charge the Dimension Noncompliance fee for parcels that exceed 1 cubic foot or 22 inches in length if the parcel’s dimensions are omitted or inaccurate in the manifest.
In Phase Two, tentatively scheduled for early 2027, the Postal Service will implement an automated approach to detect that dimensions are included and accurate in the manifest. This schedule is tentative and subject to change. Once the Postal Service implements Phase Two, it will begin to charge parcel mailers the Dimension Noncompliance fee for omitting the parcel’s dimensions or for inaccurately reporting its dimensions in the manifest.
As it develops this phase, the Postal Service will establish the protocols, that will communicate to Postal Service business partners, in response to the following:
n Dispute standards and recourse.
n Published specifications, including tolerances and rounding rules.
n Whether the equipment used to measure shipments is certified as legal for trade and conforms to current county-, state-, and municipality-level weights and measures rules.
n Will there be an exception process, and if so, how will the Postal Service communicate that information?
n How will the Postal Service resolve instances in which there are different dimensions of the same package from different pieces of equipment?
n Will soft packaging and “Cubic Soft Packs” be exempt from sampling and fee assessment?
Establishing Phase Two will require the Postal Service to work closely with its business partners to implement standards that are mutually beneficial. This includes providing Postal Service business partners with adequate lead time to ensure a smooth transition in implementing Phase Two of this initiative.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
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200 Commercial Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
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210 Commercial Mail Priority Mail Express
213 Prices and Eligibility
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1.0 Prices and Fees
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1.4 Dimensional Weight Price for Low-Density Parcels
[Add a section number and title between the section number and title of 1.4 and the introductory text of 1.4 to read as follows, and renumber current 1.4.1 through 1.4.3 to new 1.4.2 through 1.4.4, respectively:]
1.4.1 General
[Revise the text of new 1.4.1 (current introductory text) to read as follows:]
Postage for parcels addressed for delivery to zones 1–9 and exceeding 1 cubic foot (1,728 cubic inches) is based on the actual weight or the dimensional weight (as calculated in 1.4.2 or 1.4.3), whichever is greater.
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[Delete renumbered 1.4.4, “Dimensional Weight Pricing Dimension Standard,” in its entirety.]
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1.8 Nonstandard Fees
[Revise the introductory text of 1.8 to read as follows:]
Except for Priority Mail Express Return service, mailers of a Priority Mail Express piece are subject to a nonstandard fee (see Notice 123 — Price List) as follows:
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[Revise the text of items g. and h. to read as follows, respectively:]
g. Shipping Services file manifests or other approved electronic documentation must include the extra-service code (ESC) for the characteristics category (see 201.7.6.2).
h. Mailers of parcels requiring the characteristics extra-service code (ESC) under 1.8g and who have a Shipping Services file manifest or other approved electronic documentation and do not meet the requirement to include the ESC for such parcels will be assessed the Dimension Noncompliance fee under 1.9.
1.9 Dimension Noncompliance Fee
[Revise the first sentence of 1.9 to read as follows:]
Except for Flat-Rate-priced pieces and Priority Mail Express Return service pieces, mailers of Priority Mail Express parcels must include the parcel’s dimensions (length, width, height), and when applicable the characteristics ESC (see 1.8g) in the Shipping Services file manifest or other approved electronic documentation. The mailer will be assessed the Dimension Noncompliance fee (see Notice 123 — Price List) if the parcel’s dimensions or the ESC are omitted or inaccurate.***
[Add a note after the end of the text of 1.9 that reads as follows:]
Note: Until the Postal Service implements Phase Two of the “Parcel Dimension Compliance” initiative, mailers of Priority Mail Express parcels will continue to be charged the Dimension Noncompliance fee for parcels that exceed 1 cubic foot or 22 inches in length, if the parcel’s dimensions are omitted or inaccurate in the Shipping Services file Smanifest or other approved electronic documentation.
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220 Commercial Mail Priority Mail
223 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
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1.4 Dimensional Weight Price for Low-Density Parcels
[Add a section number and title between the section number and title of 1.4 and the introductory text of 1.4 to read as follows, and renumber current 1.4.1 through 1.4.3 to new 1.4.2 through 1.4.4, respectively:]
1.4.1 General
[Revise the text of new 1.4.1 (current introductory text) to read as follows:]
Postage for parcels addressed for delivery to zones 1-9 and exceeding 1 cubic foot (1,728 cubic inches) is based on the actual weight or the dimensional weight (as calculated in 1.4.2 or 1.4.3), whichever is greater.
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[Delete renumbered 1.4.4, “Dimensional Weight Pricing Dimension Standard,” in its entirety.]
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1.10 Nonstandard Fees
[Revise the introductory text of 1.10 to read as follows:]
Except for Flat Rate and Priority Mail Return service packages, mailers of Priority Mail pieces are subject to a nonstandard fee (see Notice 123 — Price List) as follows:
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[Revise the text of items g. and h. to read as follows, respectively:]
g. Shipping Services file manifests or other approved electronic documentation must include the extra-service code (ESC) for the characteristics category (see 201.7.6.2).
h. Mailers of parcels requiring the characteristics extra–service code (ESC) under 1.10g and who have a Shipping Services file manifest or other approved electronic documentation and do not meet the requirement to include the ESC for such parcels will be assessed the Dimension Noncompliance fee under 1.11.
1.11 Dimension Noncompliance Fee
[Revise the first sentence of 1.11 to read as follows:]
Except for Flat-Rate-priced pieces and Priority Mail Return service pieces, mailers of Priority Mail parcels must include the parcel’s dimensions (length, width, height), and when applicable the characteristics ESC (see 1.10g), in the Shipping Services file manifest or other approved electronic documentation. The mailer will be assessed the Dimension Noncompliance fee (see Notice 123 — Price List) if the parcel’s dimensions or the ESC are omitted or inaccurate.***
[Add a note after the end of the text of 1.11 that reads as follows:]
Note: Until the Postal Service implements Phase Two of the “Parcel Dimension Compliance” initiative, mailers of Priority Mail parcels will continue to be charged the Dimension Noncompliance fee for parcels that exceed 1 cubic foot or 22 inches in length if the parcel’s dimensions are omitted or inaccurate in the Shipping Services file manifest or other approved electronic documentation.
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250 Commercial Mail Parcel Select Parcels
253 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
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1.2 Dimensional Weight Price for Low-Density Parcels
[Add a section number and title between the section number and title of 1.2 and the introductory text of 1.2 to read as follows, and renumber current 1.2.1 through 1.2.3 to new 1.2.2 through 1.2.4, respectively:]
1.2.1 General
[Revise the text of new 1.2.1 (current introductory text) to read as follows:]
Postage for Destination Entry parcels exceeding 1 cubic foot (1,728 cubic inches) is based on the actual weight or the dimensional weight (as calculated in 1.2.2 or 1.2.3), whichever is greater.
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[Delete renumbered 1.2.4, “Dimensional Weight Pricing Dimension Standard,” in its entirety.]
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1.7 Nonstandard Fees
[Revise the introductory text of 1.7 to read as follows:]
Except for oversized-priced parcels, mailers of a Parcel Select Destination Entry or USPS Connect Local piece are subject to a nonstandard fee (see Notice 123 — Price List) as follows:
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[Revise the text of items g. and h. to read as follows:]
g. Shipping Services file manifests or other approved electronic documentation must include the extra-service code (ESC) for the characteristics category (see 201.7.6.2).
h. Mailers of parcels requiring the characteristics extra-service code (ESC) under 1.7g and who have a Shipping Services file manifest or other approved electronic documentation and do not meet the requirement to include the ESC for such parcels will be assessed the Dimension Noncompliance fee under 1.8.
1.8 Dimension Noncompliance Fee
[Revise the first sentence of 1.8 to read as follows:]
Mailers of Parcel Select parcels must include the parcel’s dimensions (length, width, height), and when applicable the characteristics ESC (see 1.7g), in the Shipping Services file manifest or other approved electronic documentation. The mailer will be assessed the Dimension Noncompliance fee (see Notice 123 — Price List) if the parcel’s dimensions or the ESC are omitted or inaccurate.***
[Add a note after the end of the text of 1.8 to read as follows:]
Note: Until the Postal Service implements Phase Two of the “Parcel Dimension Compliance” initiative, mailers of Parcel Select parcels will continue to be charged the Dimension Noncompliance fee for parcels that exceed 1 cubic foot or 22 inches in length if the parcel’s dimensions are omitted or inaccurate in the Shipping Services file manifest or other approved electronic documentation.
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280 Commercial Mail USPS Ground Advantage — Commercial
283 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
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1.4 Dimensional Weight Price for Low-Density Parcels
[Add a section number and title between the section number and title of 1.4 and the introductory text of 1.4 to read as follows, and renumber current 1.4.1 through 1.4.3 to new 1.4.2 through 1.4.4, respectively:]
1.4.1 General
[Revise the text of new 1.4.1 (current introductory text) to read as follows:]
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Postage for USPS Ground Advantage – Commercial parcels addressed for delivery to zones 1-9 and exceeding 1 cubic foot (1,728 cubic inches) is based on the actual weight or the dimensional weight (as calculated in 1.4.2 or 1.4.3), whichever is greater.
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[Delete renumbered 1.4.4, “Dimensional Weight Pricing Dimension Standard,” in its entirety.]
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1.7 Nonstandard Fees
[Revise the introductory text of 1.7 to read as follows:]
Except for oversized priced parcels and USPS Ground Return service parcels, mailers of a USPS Ground Advantage — Commercial piece are subject to a nonstandard fee (see Notice 123 — Price List) as follows:
* * * * *
[Revise the text of items g. and h. to read as follows:]
g. Shipping Services file manifests or other approved electronic documentation must include the extra-service code (ESC) for the characteristics category (see 201.7.6.2).
h. Mailers of parcels requiring the characteristics extra-service code (ESC) under 1.7g and who have a Shipping Services file manifest or other approved electronic documentation and do not meet the requirement to include the ESC for such parcels will be assessed the Dimension Noncompliance fee under 1.8.
1.8 Dimension Noncompliance Fee
[Revise the first sentence of 1.8 to read as follows:]
Except for USPS Ground Advantage Return service pieces, mailers of USPS Ground Advantage — Commercial parcels must include the parcel’s dimensions (length, width, height), and when applicable the characteristics ESC (see 1.7g), in the Shipping Services file manifest or other approved electronic documentation. The mailer will be assessed the Dimension Noncompliance fee (see Notice 123 — Price List) if the parcel’s dimensions or the ESC are omitted or inaccurate.***
[Add a note after the end of the text of 1.8 that reads as follows:]
Note: Until the Postal Service implements Phase Two of the “Parcel Dimension Compliance” initiative, mailers of USPS Ground Advantage parcels will continue to be charged the Dimension Noncompliance fee for parcels that exceed 1 cubic foot or 22 inches in length if the parcel’s dimensions are omitted or inaccurate in the Shipping Services file manifest or other approved electronic documentation.
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The Postal Service will incorporate these revisions into the July 12, 2026, edition of the online DMM, which is available on Postal Explorer® at pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Product Solutions, 4-16-26
