Published in the Federal Register February 5, 2025.

Optional 5-Digit/3-Digit/ADC Sortation

AGENCY:  Postal Service^™.

ACTION:  Proposed rule.

SUMMARY:

The Postal Service is proposing to amend Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM^®) to change the standards for First-Class Mail^® and USPS Marketing Mail^® flats from a “required” 5-digit, 3-digit, and ADC preparation to an “optional” preparation.

DATES:  Submit comments on or before March 7, 2025.

ADDRESSES:  Mail or deliver written comments to the Director, Product Classification, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room 4446, Washington, DC 20260-5015. If sending comments by email, include the name and address of the commenter and send to PCFederalRegister@usps.gov, with a subject line of “Optional 5-Digit/3-Digit/ADC Sortation”. Faxed comments are not accepted. You may inspect and photocopy all written comments, by appointment only, at USPS® Headquarters Library, 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, 11th Floor North, Washington, DC, 20260. These records are available for review on Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., by calling 202-268-2906. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Dale Kennedy at (202) 268-6592 or Doriane Harley at (202) 268-2537.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

All submitted comments and attachments are part of the public record and subject to disclosure. Do not enclose any material in your comments that you consider to be confidential or inappropriate for public disclosure. 

Currently, the standards in DMM sections 235 and 245 require mailers of First-Class Mail and USPS Marketing Mail flats to make a 5-digit, 3-digit, and ADC bundle and tray preparation. The Postal Service is proposing to amend the standards in DMM sections 235 and 245 to make the 5-digit, 3-digit, and ADC preparation “optional” when preparing bundles and trays of First-Class Mail and USPS Marketing Mail flats.

Published in the Federal Register January 27, 2025.

New Mailing Standards for Hazardous Materials Outer Packaging and Nonregulated Toxic Materials

AGENCY:  Postal Service™

ACTION:  Final rule.

SUMMARY:

The Postal Service is amending Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail (Pub 52 or Publication 52) by adding new section 131 to require specific outer packaging when mailing most hazardous materials (HAZMAT) or dangerous goods (DG), to remove quantity restrictions for nonregulated toxic materials, and to remove the telephone number requirement from the lithium battery mark.

DATE:  Effective January 19, 2025.

For Further Information Contact: Dale Kennedy, (202) 268-6592, or Jennifer Cox, (202) 268-2108.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Postal Service amends Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail (Pub 52 or Publication 52), with the provisions set forth herein. While not codified in Title 39, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Publication 52 is a regulation of the Postal Service, and changes to it may be published in the Federal Register. 39 CFR 211.2(a)(2). Moreover, Publication 52 is incorporated by reference into Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) section 601.8.1, which is incorporated by reference, in turn, into the Code of Federal Regulations. 39 CFR 111.1 and 111.3. Publication 52 is publicly available, in a read-only format, via the Postal Explorer^® website at https://pe.usps.com. In addition, links to Postal Explorer are provided on the landing page of USPS.com, the Postal Service's primary customer-facing website, and on Postal Pro, an online informational source available to postal customers.

Published in the Federal Register January 3, 2025

International Return Receipt

AGENCY:  Postal Service^™.

ACTION:  Final Rule.

SUMMARY:

The Postal Service™ is revising Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM^®), and Notice 123, Price List, to reflect changes to international Return Receipt as established by the Governors of the United States Postal Service.

DATES:  Effective: January 1, 2025.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Dale Kennedy at 202-268-6592 or Kathy Frigo at 202-268-4178.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On October 10, 2024, the Postal Service filed a notice in PRC Docket No. MC2025-58, which the PRC favorably reviewed on December 2, 2024, in Order No. 8179, regarding the termination of international Return Receipt as an extra service for Priority Mail International and First-Class Package International Service, effective January 1, 2025, although international Return Receipt will continue to be eligible when combined with registered letters and flats sent as First-Class Mail International.