Customer Support Ruling

Expired Subscriptions – Periodicals
Updated October 1996

PS-153 (707.7.6)

This Customer Support Ruling discusses the eligibility of expired subscriptions of a general publication.

Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) 707.7.6, provides that copies of a general publication may be mailed at the appropriate subscriber rates of postage for six months after a subscription has expired if the publisher makes a good-faith attempt to obtain payment or a promise of payment for a renewal during the six-month period.  Postage must be paid at the regular rates for copies sent after the six months to persons who have not renewed.

This regulation means that after the expiration of a subscription, copies may be mailed at the same rates as subscriber copies (for up to six months) if an attempt is made to renew a subscription.  However, such copies are considered to be nonsubscriber copies and as such may not be counted as subscriber copies when making determinations as to whether a publication is being distributed under the circulation standards required for general Periodicals publications in DMM 707.6.1.2.

(Signed)
Anita J. Bizzotto
Manager
Mailing Standards
United States Postal Service
Washington DC 20260-3436