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.

505b Quick Service Guide

Meter Reply Mail

Related QSGs

505, Business Reply Mail (BRM)

505a, Courtesy Reply Mail (CRM)

Overview (604.4.0)

Mailers may use indicia generated by any postage evidencing system (see 604) to prepay reply postage on Priority Mail Express; Priority Mail (when the rate is the same for all zones); on First-Class Mail, and on single-piece Media Mail and Library Mail.

The USPS provides free of charge the FIM (facing identification mark) and appropriate barcode to print on meter reply letter-size mailpieces. The guidelines on page two will help optimize the use of this format.

The following conditions apply (604.4.5.2):

The postage amount must be sufficient to prepay the full postage due.
Indicia must be printed directly on a mailpiece or or on a label that bears the delivery address of the meter license holder. A label must adhere so that once applied, it cannot be removed in one piece.
Reply mail prepaid with meter stamps is delivered only to the address of the license holder.
The address side must follow the style and content of the example on page two.
Meter stamps used to prepay reply postage must not show the date, except for IBI generated by a PC Postage system (604.4.6.1c).
Mailers may use FIM A on barcoded letter-size First-Class Mail reply mail except when using PC Postage.
When using PC Postage, mailers must use FIM D for prepaid reply mail when the indicium is printed directly on the mailpiece.
Print the words “NO POSTAGE STAMP NECESSARY POSTAGE HAS BEEN PREPAID BY” directly above the address.

Barcodes (204.1.0)

Envelopes and cards formatted for meter reply mail on which the mailer failed to imprint a meter stamp are treated as basic BRM. Such mail is delivered after payment of postage and the applicable BRM per-piece charge (505.1.0).

Delivery point Intelligent Mail barcodes on letter-size pieces may be placed either in the address block or in the lower right barcode clear zone.

All letter-size reply cards and envelopes (Business Reply Mail, Courtesy Reply Mail, and meter reply mail) provided as enclosures in automation First-Class Mail, Periodicals, and USPS Marketing Mail must meet the standards in 201.3.18.

Meter Reply Mail Layout Guidelines

Dimensions: Between 3-1/2 by 5 inches and 6-1/8 by 11-1/2 inches. To qualify for the card price, cards must be between 3–1/2 by 5 inches and 4-1/4 by 6 inches. Larger postcard sizes are mailable, but they are charged at the regular First-Class Mail letter price. Card thickness must be between 0.007 and 0.016 inch.

If letter mail is more than 4–1/4 inches high or more than 6 inches long, it should be at least 0.009 inch thick.

A surcharge is assessed for nonmachinable letter-size mailpieces (101.1.2). The surcharge must be included in the prepaid postage amount.

Ink/paper Colors and Type Styles: Not all colors of paper and/or ink and type styles are compatible with automated equipment. Contact your local Post Office for guidance.

All Letter-size reply cards and envelopes (Business Reply Mail, Courtesy Reply Mail, and meter reply mail) provided as enclosures in automation First-Class Mail, Periodicals, and USPS Marketing Mail must meet the standards in 201.3.0.