Effective November 2, 2026, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®), in various sections, to reflect a change in the Postal Service assessment process for the Hazmat (Hazardous Materials) Noncompliance Fee, and the assessment of the Hazmat Handling Fee and Hazmat Noncompliance Fee for USPS Returns® service mailpieces.
Currently, the Hazmat Noncompliance Fee is assessed through the Package Quality Compliance validations process. On July 6, 2026, the Postal Service announced a change to this assessment process. The Postal Service will assess the Hazmat Noncompliance fee through the Census and Automated Package Verification (APV) processes.
In addition, on July 24, 2026, the Postal Service announced the Hazmat Handling Fee and Hazmat Noncompliance Fee will not be assessed on USPS Returns service pieces until February 1, 2027.
Although these revisions will not be published in the DMM until November 2, 2026, these standards are effective immediately.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
* * * * *
200 Commercial Mail Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels
* * * * *
204 Barcode Standards
* * * * *
2.0 Standards for Package and Extra-Service Barcodes
2.1 Barcodes
* * * * *
2.1.6 Compliance-Quality Thresholds
[Revise the last sentence of 2.1.6 to read as follows:]
***Failure to meet any compliance-quality threshold in Exhibit 2.1.6 will result in the Postal Service charging the mailer the Package Quality Noncompliance Fee.
Exhibit 2.1.6 Compliance-Quality Thresholds
[Revise the text in the “Note” to read as follows:]
Note: See Publication 199 for a list of validations for each compliance category (AQ, MQ, BQ).
* * * * *
[Delete the “Hazmat Quality” Compliance Category in its entirety.]
* * * * *
210 Commercial Mail Priority Mail Express
213 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
* * * * *
1.11 Hazmat Handling Fee
[Revise the text of 1.11 by deleting the second sentence.]
* * * * *
[Add new 1.12 to read as follows:]
1.12 Hazmat Noncompliance Fee
The mailer will be assessed the Hazmat Noncompliance Fee (see Notice 123 — Price List) if the piece contains incorrect information, including but not limited to the service type code (STC), Service Icon, Barcode Banner Text, or U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) markings. This fee may be assessed in addition to the Hazmat Handling Fee under 1.11, when applicable.
* * * * *
220 Commercial Mail Priority Mail
223 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
* * * * *
1.13 Hazmat Handling Fee
[Revise the text of 1.13 by deleting the second sentence.]
* * * * *
[Add new 1.14 to read as follows:]
1.14 Hazmat Noncompliance Fee
The mailer will be assessed the Hazmat Noncompliance Fee (see Notice 123 — Price List) if the piece contains incorrect information, including but not limited to the STC, Service Icon, Barcode Banner Text, or DOT markings. This fee may be assessed in addition to the Hazmat Handling Fee under 1.13, when applicable.
* * * * *
250 Commercial Mail Parcel Select Parcels
253 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
* * * * *
1.9 Hazmat Handling Fee
[Revise the text of 1.9 by deleting the second sentence.]
* * * * *
[Add new 1.10 to read as follows:]
1.10 Hazmat Noncompliance Fee
The mailer will be assessed the Hazmat Noncompliance Fee (see Notice 123 — Price List) if the piece contains incorrect information, including but not limited to the STC, Service Icon, Barcode Banner Text, or DOT markings. This fee may be assessed in addition to the Hazmat Handling Fee under 1.9, when applicable.
* * * * *
280 Commercial Mail USPS Ground Advantage — Commercial
283 Prices and Eligibility
1.0 Prices and Fees
* * * * *
1.10 Hazmat Handling Fee
[Revise the text of 1.10 by deleting the second sentence.]
* * * * *
[Add new 1.11 to read as follows:]
1.11 Hazmat Noncompliance Fee
The mailer will be assessed the Hazmat Noncompliance Fee (see Notice 123 — Price List) if the piece contains incorrect information, including but not limited to the STC, Service Icon, Barcode Banner Text, or DOT markings. This fee may be assessed in addition to the Hazmat Handling Fee under 1.10, when applicable.
* * * * *
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, 8-20-26
