Postal Explorer

The Postal Service is reminding customers that metallic mercury and devices containing metallic mercury are always prohibited in the mail stream. This includes antique items such as thermometers, barometers, blood pressure monitors and similar devices.

240a Quick Service Guide

Commercial - USPS Marketing Mail Nonmachinable Letters

Physical Standards (201.2.0)

Maximum weight: less than 16 ounces.

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

Prices and Fees (243.1.0)

For a complete listing of commercial USPS Marketing Mail prices, see Notice 123–Price List.

Nonmachinable prices apply to pieces that have one or more of the nonmachinable criteria in 201.2.1.

There are no USPS Marketing Mail card prices; cards may be mailed at letter prices.

Destination discounts apply to mail prepared as prescribed by USPS and addressed for delivery within service area of destination NDC/ASF or SCF (246.2.0).

Annual presort mailing fee applies (243.1.4).

Content (243.2.0)

Letters containing mailable items not required to be sent using First-Class Mail can be sent using USPS Marketing Mail. USPS Marketing Mail is typically used for advertisements and flyers. Additional content restrictions must be met for authorized nonprofit mailers (703.1.0).

Eligibility Standards (243.5.0)

Mailings of 200 or more addressed pieces sorted and marked as described below. All pieces must meet one of the nonmachinable criteria in 201.2.0. Pieces are eligible if not required to be mailed at First-Class Mail prices or not eligible for Periodicals prices. Nonprofit prices require specific authorization (703.1.0).

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

A certified process (243.3.8) must be used within 12 months before mailing to ensure accuracy of 5-digit ZIP Codes.

Mailers can apply Repositionable Notes. See 202.7.0.

Addresses on all pieces must be updated within 95 days before mailing through a USPS-approved address update method (e.g., ACS, NCOALink, or the appropriate ancillary service endorsement (except Forwarding Service Requested) under 507.1.5.3). For an overview of the Move Update standards, see Quick Service Guide 602a.

Postage Payment and Documentation (244)

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:

Postage statement:

Regular: PS Form 3602-R, PS Form 3602-EZ.

Nonprofit: PS Form 3602-N, PS Form 3602-NZ.

Supporting documentation: required unless correct price is affixed to each piece or unless each piece is of identical weight and separated by price when presented for acceptance; documentation generated by PAVE-certified software (or printed in standardized format).

Mail preparation (245)

Marking on each piece in the postage area (202.3.0):

Regular: “Marketing” or “MKTG” or “MKT”, “Standard” or “STD”, “Presorted USPS Marketing” or “PRSRT MKTG” or “PRSRT MKT”, “Presorted Standard” or “PRSRT STD.”
Nonprofit: “Nonprofit Organization,” “Nonprofit Org.,” or “Nonprofit.”

Note: Both markings (e.g., Mktg or STD) are acceptable in the same mailing.

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.

Use 2-inch tray label (245.4.0).

Trays on pallets (705.8.5) are permitted and preferred.

Trays sleeved and strapped (245.3.0). See 245.3.0 for exceptions to strapping for mailings that originate and destinate in delivery area of same SCF. Strapping not required on trays placed on 5-digit, 3-digit, and SCF pallets that are secured with stretchwrap.

Enter and Deposit (246)

Mailing entered at an acceptance point designated by USPS.

Preparation

Bundling and Traying Sequence (245.5.4)

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. Except for card-size pieces, bundling not required if sufficient quantity to fill a 5-digit tray.

Labels: Red Label 5 or optional endorsement line (OEL) (203.7.0).

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 (Required)

Bundles: Any remaining pieces must be bundled in mixed ADC bundles.

Labels: Tan Label X or OEL.

Trays: Required, 150-piece minimum for pieces to same 5–digit ZIP Code; bundling not required; overflow mail permitted.²

Labels: For Line 1, use city, state, and 5-digit ZIP Code on mail. For Line 2, use “STD LTR 5D MANUAL.”

Price: Nonmachinable 5-Digit

Trays: Required, 150-piece minimum for bundles to the same 3-digit ZIP Code; overflow mail permitted.²^,³

Labels: For Line 1, use L002, Column A, for destination facility. For Line 2, use “STD LTR 3D MANUAL.”

Optional: Tray may be prepared for any remaining bundles for each origin 3-digit ZIP Code prefix.

Price: Nonmachinable 3-Digit or Nonmachinable ADC⁴

Trays: Required, 150-piece minimum for bundles to same ADC (see L004); overflow mail permitted.²,³

Labels: For Line 1, use L004, Column B, for destination facility. For Line 2, use “STD LTR ADC MANUAL.”

Price: Nonmachinable ADC

Trays: Required for any remaining bundles placed in mixed ADC trays.

Labels: For Line 1, use “MXD” followed by city, state, and ZIP Code of origin ADC facility in L011, Column B. For Line 2, use “STD LTR MANUAL WKG.”

Price: Nonmachinable Mixed ADC

1. Mailers must bundle pieces in less-than-full trays and all pieces in mailings consisting entirely of card-sized pieces.

2. Except as noted in footnote 1, bundling 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 (203.4.0).

3. Mailers may include overflow pieces in an existing qualified tray of at least 150 or more pieces at either of the next two tray levels. For example, 50 overflow pieces for ZIP Code 03431 may be placed in an existing 3-digit 034 tray, or if no 034 tray exists, in an existing ADC 030 tray. The 50 overflow pieces would still qualify for the 5-digit price if the total number of pieces for 03431 is 150 or more.

4. Nonmachinable ADC price for pieces placed in 3-digit origin/entry tray.