Customer Support Ruling

Simplified Address - Government Bodies and Organizations
Updated October 1996

PS-032 (602.3.2)

This Customer Support Ruling discusses the use of the simplified address format for government organizations that also qualify for Nonprofit Standard Mail rates.

Postal regulations specify that official matter mailed by federal government agencies; state, county, or municipal governments; or the governments of the District of Columbia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico may use the simplified address "Postal Customer" or "Boxholder" when distribution is made to each stop or possible delivery on city or village carrier routes, or to each post office boxholder at a post office which has city or village carrier service.  These regulations were implemented at the behest of the Office of Emergency Preparedness to provide government agencies with a speedy means of communicating with citizens in emergencies.

Nonprofit organizations as such, do not qualify under the postal regulations for using the simplified form of address.  However, some governmental organizations, such as regularly established state institutions of learning and public elementary or secondary schools, normally are regarded as eligible to use the simplified form of address.  They also may qualify to mail at the Nonprofit Standard Mail rates of postage.

(Signed)
Sherry Suggs
Manager
Mailing Standards
United States Postal Service
Washington DC 20260-3436