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E200 Periodicals
E210 Basic Standards
E211 All Periodicals
Summary
E211 describes Periodicals publications and lists the eligibility standards for mailing at the Periodicals rate.
1.0 Basic Information
1.1Second-Class Mail
Effective July 1, 1996, second-class mail was renamed Periodicals.
1.2Qualification Categories
All Periodicals publications must be authorized Periodicals mailing privileges under one of five qualification categories (general publications, publications of institutions and societies, publications of state departments of agriculture, requester publications, and foreign publications). These publications are subject to the general standards below and the standards for each respective category.
1.3Eligibility
Only newspapers and periodical publications meeting the mailability standards in C010 through C030 and the general and applicable specific standards in E200 may be authorized mailing at the Periodicals rates.
1.4Postal Inspection
Periodicals matter is not sealed against postal inspection. Regardless of physical closure, the mailing of articles at Periodicals rates is consent by the mailer to postal inspection of the contents.
2.0 Periodical Publications
2.1Definition and Characteristics
For Periodicals purposes, periodical publication or periodical is one published at a stated frequency with the intent to continue publication indefinitely, with these characteristics:
a. The continuity of the periodical must show from issue to issue. Continuity is shown by serialization of articles or by successive issues carrying the same style, format, theme, or subject matter.
b. The primary purpose of the periodical must be the transmission of information.
c. The content of the periodical may consist of original or reprinted articles on one topic or many topics, listings, photographs, illustrations, graphs, a combination of advertising and nonadvertising matter, comic strips, legal notices, editorial material, cartoons, or other subject matter.
d. The primary distribution of each issue must be made before that of each succeeding issue.
2.2Other Publication Types
The following types of publications also qualify as periodical publications:
a. Any catalog or other course listing (including mail announcements of legal texts that are part of post-bar admission education) issued by any institution of higher education or by a nonprofit organization engaged in continuing legal education.
b. Any loose-leaf page or report (including any index, filing instruction, table, or sectional identifier that is part of such report) designed as part of a loose-leaf reporting service on developments in the law or public policy.
c. Any transportation guide containing schedules, fares, and related information.
2.3Restriction
Material that has been, or is intended to be, distributed primarily as a book may not be converted into an issue of a periodical by merely placing a periodical’s title on it, placing the material within a periodical’s cover, or using similar superficial methods. This restriction does not prohibit excerpts or condensations of books from being proper subject matter for periodicals.
3.0 Printed Sheets
Periodicals publications must be formed of printed sheets. Sheets may be die cut or deckle-edged and may be made of paper, cellophane, foil, or other similar materials. They may not be reproduced by stencil, mimeograph, or hectograph. Reproduction by any other process is permitted. Any style of type may be used.
4.0 Known Office of Publication
4.1Location
The publisher of a Periodicals publication must maintain a known office of publication at the location where the original entry for Periodicals mailing privileges is authorized.
4.2Purpose
The known office of publication must be a public office for transacting the business of the publication during normal business hours. It must also be the office where the publication’s circulation records are kept or can be available for USPS examination.
5.0 Regular Issuance
5.1Frequency
Each Periodicals publication must be issued at a regular frequency of at least four times a year.
5.2Statement of Frequency
The publisher must adopt a statement of frequency showing how many issues are to be published each year and at which regular intervals (e.g., daily; weekly; quarterly; four times a year in January, February, October, and November; weekly during school year; monthly except during July and August).
5.3Compliance
All issues must be published regularly as called for by the statement of frequency. To change the number of issues scheduled or the statement of frequency, the publisher must file an application for reentry. If a publication does not maintain regular issuance according to its stated frequency, even after USPS notice, the PCSC revokes the publication’s Periodicals mailing privileges.
6.0 Eligible Formats
6.1Complete Copies
Complete copies of the regular issues of a Periodicals publication may be mailed at the applicable Periodicals rates. Incomplete copies (e.g., those lacking pages or parts of pages) are subject to the applicable First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, or Package Services rates.
6.2Issues and Editions
Issues and editions of a Periodicals publication may be mailed at the applicable Periodicals rates if they show continuity and meet the applicable standards in 7.0 or 8.0.
7.0 Issues
7.1Regular Issues
Regular issues must be published according to the publication’s stated frequency. The publication of regular issues of general and requester publications must be reflected in the publication’s identification statement and (where applicable) in the subscription price. For requester publications, copies must be distributed to requesters.
7.2Extra Issues
Extra issues, not shown in the publication’s stated frequency, published for communicating news and information received too late for insertion in the regular issue, but not for advertising purposes, may be mailed occasionally at Periodicals rates. The original entry post office must receive written notice of these issues before they are mailed.
7.3Content
Issues may include annual reports, directories, buyers’ guides, lists, and similar material prepared as part of the content if copies of these issues bear the publication title and are included in the regular subscription price.
7.4Multiple Issues— Same
Day
For determining Periodicals eligibility and postage, an issue of a newspaper or other periodical that is published at a regular frequency, more often than once a month, on the same day as another regular issue of the same publication, is deemed to be a separate publication that must independently meet the applicable standards for Periodicals mailing privileges if:
a. More than 10% of the total copies of the issue is distributed on a regular basis to nonsubscribers or nonrequesters.
b. The number of copies of the issue distributed to nonsubscribers or nonrequesters is more than twice the number of nonsubscriber or nonrequester copies of the other issue distributed on that same day.
7.5Multiple Issues— Different
Days
For determining Periodicals eligibility and postage, an issue of a newspaper or other periodical that is published at a regular frequency, more often than once a month, but not on the same day as another regular issue of the same publication, is deemed to be a separate publication that must independently meet the applicable standards for Periodicals mailing privileges if:
a. More than 10% of the total copies of the issue is distributed on a regular basis to nonsubscribers or nonrequesters.
b. The number of copies of the issue distributed to nonsubscribers or nonrequesters is more than twice the number of nonsubscriber or nonrequester copies of any other issue distributed during the period between the distribution of each of the issues whose eligibility is being examined.
8.0 Editions
8.1Types
Issues mailed at Periodicals rates may be prepared in editions (e.g., demographic, morning). Subscribers and requesters must not routinely receive more than one edition of any issue.
8.2Extra Editions
Extra editions may be mailed at Periodicals rates to communicate news and information received too late for the regular edition. Extra editions may not be intended for advertising.
8.3Content
Editions may differ in content, but not so much that they constitute separate and independent publications. A separate publication is not acceptable as an edition of another publication.
9.0 Back Numbers and Reprints
Periodicals rates may be paid on mailings of unbound back issues (if the publication’s Periodicals entry is in effect), reprint copies of daily publications printed within 1 week of the issue date, and reprint copies of other than daily publications printed before the next issue is printed. Other mailings of back issues or reprint copies, including permanently bound back issues or reprint copies, are subject to the applicable First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, or Package Services rates.
10.0 Identification
10.1Title
The publication title must be shown on the front or cover page in a position and in a type style and size that distinguish the title from the publisher’s name or other items.
10.2Identification Statement
An identification statement, in an easily read type, must be included in all copies of publications authorized Periodicals mailing privileges and in all copies mailed pending approval of Periodicals mailing privileges.
10.3Unbound Publication
In an unbound publication, the identification statement must be shown conspicuously in one of the following places:
a. On one of the first five pages.
b. On the table of contents page.
c. In the masthead on the editorial page, if the location of the editorial page is shown in the table of contents on the front page of the publication.
10.4Bound Publication
In a bound publication (one secured with two or more staples, spiral binding, glue, stitching, or other permanent fastening), the identification statement must be shown conspicuously as described in 10.3 or on one of the last three nonadvertising pages inside the back cover.
10.5Identification Statement Content
The identification statement must contain:
a. The publication title and number. The publication number includes an alpha prefix and must be within parentheses immediately after or below the publication title. If an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is assigned, it must appear in the identification statement (e.g., “THE WEEKLY JOURNAL” (ISSN 9876-543X)). If an ISSN is not assigned, the USPS number assigned by the PCSC must appear in the identification statement within 90 days after being provided (e.g., “THE CIVIC BULLETIN” (USPS 876-690)). The publication number may be on the front or cover page instead of in the identification statement.
b. The issue date. The date may be omitted if it is on the front or cover page.
c. A statement of frequency, such as described in 5.2.
d. The issue number. Every issue of each publication must be numbered consecutively in a series that may not be broken by assigning numbers to issues unavoidably omitted. The issue number may be omitted if it is on the front or cover page.
e. At the publisher’s option, the subscription price, if the publication has one.
f. The name and address of the known office of publication, including street number, street name, and the ZIP+4 or 5-digit ZIP Code. The street name and number are optional if there is no letter carrier service. The known office of publication must be clearly distinguishable from the name of other offices of the publication. For foreign publications, the address of the publisher’s agent must be shown as the known office of publication.
g. The imprint “Periodicals Postage Paid at...” or, if mailed at two or more offices, “Periodicals Postage Paid at... and at additional mailing offices.” A notice of pending application is shown instead if copies are mailed while an application is pending: “Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Rates is Pending at....”
h. The mailing address for change-of-address orders, in the normal text type of the publication: “POSTMASTER: Send address changes to [publication title and mailing address].” Publications that are wrapped may use an alternative measure under C200. Change-of-address information may also be shown on the label carrier or container of publications prepared in envelopes, closed wrappers, or polybags.
11.0 Advertising Standards
11.1Advertising
Advertising is restricted or prohibited by E212 for the categories of Periodicals authorization. For these standards, the term advertising includes:
a. All material for the publication of which a valuable consideration is paid, accepted, or promised, that calls attention to something to get people to buy it, sell it, seek it, or support it.
b. Reading matter or other material for the publication of which an advertising rate is charged.
c. Articles, items, and notices in the form of reading matter inserted by custom or understanding that textual matter is to be inserted for the advertiser or the advertiser’s products in the publication in which a display advertisement appears.
d. A newspaper’s or periodical’s advertisement of its own services or issues, or any other business of the publisher, whether in display advertising or reading matter.
11.2Public Service Announcement
The term public service announcement means any announcement for which no valuable consideration is received by the publisher, which does not include any matter related to the business interests of the publisher, and which promotes programs, activities, or services of federal, state, or local governments or of nonprofit organizations, or matters generally regarded as in the public interest. A public service announcement is not treated as advertising.
12.0 Documentation
Each Periodicals mailing must be accompanied by a postage statement using the correct USPS form or an approved facsimile. Supporting documentation may be required under E216 or, for specific rates, under E220 through E270.
13.0 Fees
13.1Fee Required
The required fee must accompany an application for:
a. Periodicals mailing privileges (original entry).
b. News agent registry.
c. Additional entry (unless excepted in 13.2 or 13.3).
d. Reentry (unless excepted in 13.2 or 13.3) to request a:
(1) Change in title, frequency of issuance, or original entry office.
(2) Change in qualification category.
(3) Change in eligibility from preferred rates or the preferred rate discount to regular Outside-County rates.
(4) Modification or cancellation of an additional entry.
13.2No Fee
No fee is charged if reentry is only to change eligibility to preferred rates or the preferred rate discount.
13.3Single Fee
Only one fee is charged for a single complete additional or reentry application that requests establishing, modifying, or canceling one or more additional entries if the effective dates for the requested actions do not exceed 30 calendar days.
13.4Return of Fee
After an application is filed with the USPS, no part of the fee is returned to the applicant.
13.5Address Correction
The fee for manual or automated address correction service is charged per notice issued.
DMM Issue 58 Updated 12-9-04