2 General Guidelines

21 Mailability

211 General

Under 18 U.S.C. § 1716, all matter that is outwardly or of its own force dangerous or injurious to life, health, or property is nonmailable. The knowing deposit of such matter in the mail is a crime punishable by fine, imprisonment, and/or other penalty.

Certain hazardous, restricted, or perishable matter are mailable when the requirements in this publication are met. These requirements can be found in the following sections of this publication:

1. Chapter 3, Appendix A, Appendix C: Hazardous materials mailing conditions.
2. Chapter 4: Restricted matter mailing conditions.
3. Chapter 5: Perishable matter mailing conditions.
4. Chapter 6: International dangerous goods, perishable, and restricted mailing conditions, including Army Post Office, Fleet Post Office, and Diplomatic Post Office (APO/FPO/DPO) addresses.
5. Chapter 7: Mailing conditions via air transportation.