QSG 301 Commercial Flats - Physical Standards for Commercial Flats

ARCHIVED QSG - MAY 12, 2008

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Quick Service Guide 301

Commercial Flats

Physical Standards for Commercial Flats

May 12, 2008
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Overview



	Minimum*	Maximum
Length	11-1/2 inches	15 inches
Height	6-1/8 inches	12 inches
Thickness	1/4 inch	3/4 inch
* Flats exceed at least one of these dimensions

For physical standards of automation flats, see Quick Service Guide 301a.

In addition to shape, the Postal Service classifies mailpieces by the way they are prepared. These classifications are based on how efficiently your mailpieces can be processed on Postal Service equipment. The Postal Service classifies commercial flats as either nonautomation or automation flats or machinable and nonmachinable for Periodicals.

A flat meets automation standards and qualifies for automation prices if it meets the specific addressing, barcoding, and design standards. Automation price flats must have a delivery point barcode, ZIP+4 barcode, or an Intelligent Mail barcode.

Dimensions, Shape, Flexibility, and Uniform Thickness (301.1.0)

Dimensions:

Minimum: more than 11-1/2 inches long, or more than 6-1/8 inches high, or more than 1/4 inch thick.

Maximum: 15 inches long, 12 inches high, and 3/4 inch thick.

The length of a flat-size mailpiece is the longest dimension. The height is the dimension perpendicular to the length.

Shape: rectangular, with four square corners, or with finished corners that do not excced a radius of 0.125 inch (1/8 inch).

Flexibility: flat-size piece must meet flexibility criteria in 301.1.3.

Uniform thickness: the contents must be uniformly thick so that any bumps, protrusions, or irregularities do not cause more than 1/4 inch variance in thickness (301.1.4). When determining variance in thickness, exclude the outer edges of a mailpiece (1 inch from each edge) when the contents do not extend to the edges.

Mailpieces that do not meet the standards for flexibility in 301.1.3, or for uniform thickness in 301.1.4, must pay applicable prices as follows:

First-Class Mail—parcel prices.

Standard Mail—Not Flat-Machinable or parcel prices.

Bound Printed Matter—parcel prices.

Presorted Nonautomation Flats (301.2.0)

Maximum weight:

First-Class Mail: 13 ounces.

Standard Mail: less than 16 ounces.

Bound Printed Matter: 15 pounds.

Automation Flats (301.3.0)

Flats may qualify for the automation discount based on the physical standards in 301.3.0.

See Quick Service Guide 301a, Designing Flats for Automated Processing, for an overview.

Standard Mail Not Flat-Machinable Pieces (401.2.2)

For Standard Mail Not Flat-Machinable pieces, see Quick Service Guide 401.

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.