January 23, 2012

January DMM Update

Postal Explorer^® (pe.usps.com) is your source for up-to-date mailing standards. The Domestic Mail Manual (DMM^®) is fully searchable on Postal Explorer and features fly-out menus, cross-reference links, and an extensive subject index. Yesterday, we updated our mailing standards to include the following changes:

New Standards for Domestic Mailing Services

We revised various sections to reflect price adjustments and mailing requirements changes associated with the October 2011 filing with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC).

Domestic Shipping Services Pricing and Mailing Standards Changes

We revised various sections to reflect changes to prices and mailing standards for the following Shipping Services: Express Mail^®, Priority Mail^®, First-Class Package Service™, Parcel Select^®, Parcel Return Service, Mailer Services, and Recipient Services. These changes are associated with the November 2011 filing with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC).

Combined Mailings of Standard Mail and Periodicals Flats

We added a new section, 705.15.0, providing optional standards for combining Standard Mail^® flats and Periodicals flats within the same bundle, when placed on pallets; and for combining bundles of Standard Mail flats and bundles of Periodicals flats on the same pallet.

Periodicals PS Form 3541-M - Discontinued

We revised 707.17.5.1 to revise the practice of submitting one Periodicals postage statement for all issues mailed in a calendar month.

Priority Mail Commercial Plus Cubic Packaging Alternatives

We revised 402.2.2, 423.1.4, and 425.2.3 to introduce two new Priority Mail Commercial Plus Cubic packaging alternatives—soft-pack envelopes and padded envelopes.

Intelligent Mail Package Barcode Implementation for Commercial Parcels

We revised various sections to provide new standards for the use of Intelligent Mail^® package barcodes (IMpb).

Combined Mailings of Standard Mail and Periodicals Flats—Clarification

We revised 705.15.0 to reflect standards changes related to combined mailings of Standard Mail and Periodicals flats.

Copalletized, Combined, or Mixed-Price Level Palletized Mailings—Correction

We revised 705.8.7.4 to clarify that the presort level of Standard Mail letter-size pieces that are part of a copalletized or combined mailing must accurately reflect the postage and entry discount paid at the origin site.

Eligibility for Destination Entry Prices per NDC and ASF Labeling Lists

We revised various sections to delete destination network distribution center (DNDC) eligibility Exhibits 246.3.1, 346.3.1, 366.4.1, 446.3.1, 453.3.1.3, and 466.4.4.

Products Mailable at Nonprofit Standard Mail Prices

We revised 703.1.6.11 to indicate that products mailed at Nonprofit Standard Mail prices must meet at least one of three exceptions. A low-cost item is one of the exceptions referenced in the Internal Revenue Code.

Express Mail Domestic Postage Refund Policy and Waiver of Signature

We revised various sections to modify the policy for filing claims for domestic Express Mail postage refunds from 90 days to 30 days after the date of mailing.

Antique Firearms—Clarification

We revised 601.12.1.1a to clarify that antique firearms that meet the definition of a handgun according to USPS standards are also subject to the mailing requirements in 601.12.2 through 601.12.7.

Our next scheduled DMM update is March 5.