Production of Printed Sheets – Periodicals

UPDATED January 2017

PS-070 (207.4.4)

This Customer Support Ruling discusses permissible methods of producing printed sheets for Periodicals publications.

Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) 207.4.4 provides that Periodicals publications must be formed of printed sheets. Printed sheets may not be reproduced by stencil, mimeograph, or hectograph processes. Reproduction by any other process is permissible. Any style of type may be used. Sheets may be die cut or deckle-edged and may be made of paper, cellophane, foil, or other similar materials.

The offset printing process and xerography (photocopying) are examples of permissible methods of reproducing copies of Periodicals publications. The silk screen process, which is a stencil method of printing, is one example of a method that may not be used for pages of a Periodicals publication.

Publications produced on microfilm, microfiche, magnetic medium, CD-ROM, or similar media, are not acceptable in the mails at Periodicals prices. Such items are not printed sheets; therefore, they are subject to the appropriate First-Class Mail or USPS Marketing Mail prices.

(signed)

Sherry Suggs

Manager

Mailing Standards

Headquarters, US Postal Service

Washington, DC  20260-3436