Country Conditions for Mailing — Great Britain and
Northern Ireland

(Includes England, Scotland, Wales,
Northern Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey,
Alderney, Sark, and the Isle of Man)

 

Prohibitions (130)

 

Any postal item containing enclosures addressed to different persons at different addresses.

Arms and parts of arms, except as noted under Observation #5 below.

Articles, goods infringing British trademarks or copyright laws.

Bullion, coins, banknotes, securities, or negotiable financial instruments of any kind.

Cards decorated with mica or ground glass or similar materials unless they are placed in envelopes.

Citizens Band Radios, walkie-talkies, microbugs, and radio microphones that are capable of transmitting on any frequency between 26.1 and 29.7 megacycles per second and 88 to 108 Mhz per second.

Goods made in foreign prisons, except those imported for a non-commercial purpose or of a kind not manufactured in the UK.

Horror comics and matrices.

Jewelry, precious metals, precious or semi-precious stones.

Obscene articles, prints, paintings, cards, films, videotapes, etc.

Perishable infectious biological substances.

Seal skins except those from an accepted source.

Switchblade knives.

Restrictions  

Foods or beverages to which any preservative or other substance has been added must comply with the British regulations for importation.

Live bees.

Live queen bees must be accompanied by an import license issued by a UK Government Agricultural Department and a health certificate issued by the appropriate Government Department of the country of origin stating that the bees are free of disease.

Meat, meat products, and animal products including dry sausage and dried milk require import license issued by appropriate UK Agricultural Department.

Plants and parts of plants require import permit issued by the appropriate Agricultural Department in UK.

Observations  

1. The following is a list of the names of the counties and city names in Northern Ireland. The County names are in capital letters. The geographic identifiers should be used in addressing mail to Northern Ireland:

 

 

ANTRIM:	DOWN:	LONDONDERRY:
Antrim	Banbridge	Coleraine
Ballymena	Bangor	Kilrea
Belfast	Downpatrick	Limavady
Carrickfergus	Kilkeel	Londonderry
Larne	Newcastle	Magherafelt
Lisburn	Newry	Portstewart
Portrush	Newtownards	TYRONE:
Toomebridge	FERMANAGH:	Cookstown
Whitehead	Enniskillen	Dugannon
ARMAGH:		Moy
Armagh		Omagh
Lurgan		Strabane
Portsdown

2. Many types of merchandise, unless sent as unsolicited gifts, require import licenses that the addressees must obtain from the British Board of Trade. Before mailing commercial shipments, senders should be assured that the addressees can obtain licenses if needed.
3. All goods sent to the UK are liable to customs duty and Value Added Tax on importation whether or not the package is marked as a “gift.” Packages are admitted free of customs charges, however, if they meet the following conditions:
1. Gift packages of small value provided they do not contain any tobacco goods, spirits or wine;
2. Gift packages containing only well-worn clothing (excluding garments of high value), limited quantities of foodstuffs (other than caviar), soap or consumable medical supplies.
4. Postal packages without a customs declaration that contain goods liable to customs duty or control may be seized by the customs authorities.
5. Firearms that are intended for sporting purposes are mailable to Great Britain, provided the prospective addressee has obtained the required import license.
6. Great Britain limits the weight of M-bags to 20 kg. (44 lbs.).

 

 

Global Express Guaranteed (210) Price Group 3

 

Refer to Notice 123, Price List, for the applicable retail, Commercial Base, or Commercial Plus price.

Weight Limit: 70 lbs.

 

General Conditions for Mailing  

See Publication 141, Global Express Guaranteed Service Guide, for information about areas served in the destination country, allowable contents, packaging and labeling requirements, tracking and tracing, service standards, and other conditions for mailing.

Size Limits (211.22)

The surface area of the address side of the item to be mailed must be large enough to completely contain the Global Express Guaranteed Air Waybill/Shipping Invoice (shipping label), postage, endorsement, and any applicable markings. The shipping label is approximately 5.5 inches high and 9.5 inches long.

Maximum length: 46 inches

Maximum width: 35 inches

Maximum height: 46 inches

Maximum length and girth combined: 108 inches

Value Limit (212.1)

The maximum value of a GXG shipment to this country is $2,499 or a lesser amount if limited by content or value.

 

Insurance (212.5)

 

Insured Amount not over	Fee	Insured Amount not over	Fee
$100	No Fee	For document reconstruction insurance or non-document insurance coverage above $800, add $1.00 per $100 or fraction thereof, up to a maximum of $2,499 per shipment.
200	$1.00
300	2.00
400	3.00
500	4.00
600	5.00
700	6.00
800	7.00	$2,499 max.	$24.00

 

Priority Mail Express
International (220) Price Group 11

 

 

Refer to Notice 123, Price List, for the applicable retail, Commercial Base, or Commercial Plus price.

Weight Limit: 66 lbs.

 

Priority Mail Express International — Flat Rate Envelopes and Flat Rate Boxes

Flat Rate Envelopes: The maximum weight is 4 pounds. Flat Rate Boxes: The maximum weight is 20 pounds. Refer to Notice 123, Price List, for the applicable retail, Commercial Base, or Commercial Plus price.

 

Size Limits (221.52)

Maximum length: 36 inches

Maximum length and girth combined: 79 inches

Insurance (222.8)

Available for Priority Mail Express International merchandise shipments only

 

Insured Amount not over	Fee
$200	No Fee
500	$2.35
650 max.	3.85

Customs Forms Required (123)

 

Articles Admitted	Required Customs Form/Endorsement
Business correspondence, commercial papers, and documents.	No form required. Endorse item clearly next to mailing label as BUSINESS PAPERS.
Merchandise samples without commercial value.	PS Form 2976.
Merchandise and all articles subject to customs duty.	PS Form 2976-A inside PS Form 2976-E (envelope).

Note: For mailers completing PS Form 2976-B or other online USPS-produced combined shipping label and customs form, no additional customs form is required (see 222.5).

Notes:  

 

1. Coins; banknotes; currency notes, including paper money; securities of any kind payable to bearer; traveler’s checks; platinum, gold, and silver; precious stones; jewelry; watches; and other valuable articles are prohibited in Priority Mail Express International shipments to Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
2. Priority Mail Express International With Guarantee service — which offers a date-certain, postage-refund guarantee — is available to Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Reciprocal Service Name: Datapost

Country Code: GB

Areas Served:  

All points in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, and the Isle of Man.

 

 

Priority Mail International (230) Price Group 11

 

Refer to Notice 123, Price List, for the applicable retail, Commercial Base, or Commercial Plus price.

Weight Limit: 66 lbs.

Note: Ordinary Priority Mail International includes indemnity at no cost based on weight. (See 230.)

 

 

Priority Mail International — Flat Rate

Flat Rate Envelopes or Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes: The maximum weight is 4 pounds. Refer to Notice 123, Price List, for the applicable retail, Commercial Base, or Commercial Plus price.

Flat Rate Boxes — Medium and Large: The maximum weight is 20 pounds, or the limit set by the individual country, whichever is less. Refer to Notice 123, Price List, for the retail, Commercial Base, or Commercial Plus price.

 

Size Limits (231.22)

Maximum length: 60 inches

Maximum length and girth combined: 108 inches

 

Insurance (232.92)

NOT Available

 

Customs Forms Required (123)

Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes:

PS Form 2976 as required (see 123.61)

Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes:

PS Form 2976

Priority Mail International parcels:

PS Form 2976-A inside PS Form 2976-E (envelope)

 

 

First-Class Mail International (240) Price Group 5

 

Refer to Notice 123, Price List, for the applicable retail price.

Weight Limit: 3.5 ozs. for letters and postcards; 4 lbs. for large envelopes (flats)

Size Limits  

Letters: See 241.212

Postcards: See 241.221

Large Envelopes (Flats): See 241.232

Customs Form Required (123)

PS Form 2976 as required (see 123.61)

 

 

First-Class Package International Service (250) Price Group 5

 

Refer to Notice 123, Price List, for the applicable retail, Commercial Base, or Commercial Plus price.

Weight Limit: 4 lbs.

Size Limits  

Packages (Small Packets): See 251.22 and 251.23.

Customs Form Required (123)

PS Form 2976

 

 

Airmail M-bags (260) —

Direct Sack to One Addressee Price Group 5

 

Refer to Notice 123, Price List, for the applicable retail price.

Weight Limit: 44 lbs.

Customs Form Required (123)

PS Form 2976

 

Matter for the Blind or Other Physically Handicapped Persons (270)

Free when sent as First-Class Mail International, First-Class Package International Service, Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes, or Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes. Weight limit: 4 pounds.

Free when sent as Priority Mail International. Weight limit: 15 pounds.

Customs Form Required (123)

First-Class Mail International items, First-Class Package International Service items, Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes, and Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes:

PS Form 2976 as required (see 123.61)

Priority Mail International parcels:

PS Form 2976-A inside PS Form 2976-E (envelope)

 

 

Extra Services  

Certificate of Mailing (313)

 

Individual Pieces	Fee
Individual article (PS Form 3817)	$1.20
Firm mailing books (PS Form 3877), per article listed (minimum 3)	0.44
Duplicate copy of PS Form 3817 or PS Form 3877 (per page)	1.20
Bulk Quantities	Fee
First 1,000 pieces (or fraction thereof)	$7.05
Each additional 1,000 pieces (or fraction thereof)	0.85
Duplicate copy of PS Form 3606	1.20

 

Registered Mail (330)

Fee: $12.95

Maximum Indemnity: $46.14

Available only for First-Class Mail International,
including postcards, First-Class Package
International Service, Priority Mail International
Flat Rate Envelopes, Priority Mail International
Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes, and matter for the
blind or other physically handicapped persons.

 

Return Receipt (340)

Fee: $3.50

Available for Registered Mail only.

 

Restricted Delivery (350)

 

NOT Available for International Mail as of January 27, 2013

 

International Postal Money Order (371)

NOT Available

 

International Reply Coupons (381)

 

NOT Available for International Mail as of January 27, 2013

 

International Business Reply Service (382)

Fee: Envelopes up to 2 ounces $1.75; Cards $1.25