Quick Service Guide 230b

Commercial Letters and Cards

First-Class Mail Nonmachinable Letters

May 12, 2008
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Physical Standards (201)

Maximum weight: 3.5 ounces.

For an overview of the physical standards for discount letters and cards, see Quick Service Guide 201.

Prices and Fees (233.1.0)

Annual $180.00 presort mailing fee.

Content (233.2.0)

First-Class Mail is required for personal correspondence, handwritten or typewritten material, and bills or statements of account. First-Class Mail may also be used for most mailable items, including advertisements and lightweight merchandise.

Eligibility Standards (233.4.0)

Mailings of 500 or more addressed pieces, sorted and marked as described below. All pieces must be letter-size and meet one of the nonmachinable criteria in 201.2.0. Pieces mailed at card prices and pieces mailed at letter prices must meet separate 500-piece minimums.

Each piece must include a complete delivery address with correct ZIP Code or ZIP+4 code.

Addresses on all pieces must be updated within 185 days (95 days, effective November 23, 2008) before mailing through a USPS-approved address update method (e.g., ACS, NCOALink, FASTforward, or the appropriate ancillary service endorsement except Forwarding Service Requested, under 507.1.5). For an overview of the Move Update standards, see Quick Service Guide 230a.

A certified process (233.3.6.2) must be used within 12 months before mailing to ensure accuracy of 5-digit ZIP Codes.

Mailers can apply Repositionable Notes for an additional charge of $0.005. See 705.21.0.

Postage Payment and Documentation (234)

Precanceled stamp (604.3.0), meter (604.4.0), or permit imprint (604.5.0).

Additional standards apply to mailings of nonidentical-weight pieces.

Documentation:

Mail Preparation (235.5.3)

Mark each piece "Presorted" or "PRSRT" and "First-Class" in the postage area. For optional marking location, see 202.3.0.

When preparing full trays, mailers must fill all possible 2-foot trays first; if there is mail remaining for the presort destination, mailers must use a combination of 1-foot and 2-foot trays that result in the fewest total number of trays for that presort level.

See page two for preparation and labeling.

Use 2-inch tray labels (245.4.0).

Trays sleeved and strapped (235.3.4). See 235.3.5 for exceptions to strapping for mixed ADC trays and mailings that originate and destinate in delivery area of same SCF.

Enter and Deposit (236)

Mailing entered at an acceptance point designated by USPS.

For the specific DMM standards applicable to this category of mail, consult the DMM sections referenced above and the general sections within each DMM module.

Preparation

Bundling and Traying Sequence (235.5.3)
5-Digit Bundles: Required, pieces must be bundled if 10 or more pieces to same 5-digit ZIP Code; fewer than 10 pieces in a bundle not permitted. Bundling not required if sufficient quantity to fill a 5-digit tray. Labels: Red Label 5 or optional endorsement line (OEL) (708.7.0).	3-Digit Bundles: Required, pieces must be bundled if 10 or more pieces to same 3-digit ZIP Code prefix; fewer than 10 pieces in a bundle not permitted.1 Labels: Green Label 3 or OEL.	ADC Bundles: Required, pieces must be bundled if 10 or more pieces to same ADC (see L004); fewer than 10 pieces in a bundle not permitted.1 Labels: Pink Label A or OEL.	Mixed ADC Bundles: Required, any remaining pieces must be bundled in mixed ADC bundles. Labels: Tan Label X or OEL.
Trays: Required, full trays only for pieces to same 5-digit ZIP Code; bundling not required; less-than-full trays not permitted. Labels: For Line 1, use city, state, and 5-digit ZIP Code on mail. Price: Presorted	Trays: Required, full trays only for bundles to same 3-digit ZIP Code prefix; less-than-full trays not permitted. Exception: One less-than-full tray must be prepared for any remaining bundles for each origin 3-digit ZIP Code prefix. Labels: For Line 1, use L002, Column A, for destination facility. Price: Presorted	Trays: Required, full trays only for bundles to same ADC (see L004); less-than-full trays not permitted. Labels: For Line 1, use L004, Column B, for destination facility. Price: Presorted	Trays: Required for any remaining bundles placed in mixed ADC trays; only one less-than-full tray permitted. Labels: For Line 1, use L201. For mail originating in 3-digit ZIP Codes in Column A, use "MXD" followed by city/state/3-digit ZIP Code in Column C. Price: Presorted
Bundling required in mailings consisting entirely of postcard-size pieces and for other pieces in less-than-full trays. The maximum bundle thickness is 6 inches (235.2.3).

1Bundling not required if sufficient quantity to fill a tray and none of the mail in the tray would have been more finely sorted if bundled (235.2.4).

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