Customer Support Ruling

Company Permit Imprint

August 2012

PS-342 (604.5.3)

This Customer Support Ruling discusses the use of a company permit imprint.

A company permit imprint is one in which the exact name of the company or individual holding the permit is shown in the indicia in place of the city, state, and permit number as noted in Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) 604.5.3.9 and the basic format under exhibit 604.5.3.11.

It is being noted that some customers are producing company permit imprint indicia that include a company related image as part of the indicia. Only the words “US Postage Paid, or the word “PAID” and the class or subclass can be printed in bold type in the indicia. As options to the basic format under 604.5.3.11, permit imprint indicia may be prepared as a picture permit imprint indicia or in other optional indicia formats subject to certain conditions in 604.5.3.12.  However, customer images placed within the indicia area itself would not meet the conditions for an optional indicia format which does not carry a fee.

Picture permit imprint indicia is an option which allows the indicia to contain business-related color images, such as corporate logos, brand, trademarks and other pictorial business images for a per piece fee. The picture permit imprint is an innovative use of the permit indicia space that affords prospective customers the opportunity and ability to enhance the marketing properties of their mailpieces. In the cases where the company name or other text is printed in a different font style, size, color or abbreviated as a text image within the indicia area, it is considered a picture permit imprint and the associated per piece fee must be paid.

A customer that presents a permit imprint mailing with an unauthorized image in the indicia, or one who wishes to use preprinted stock bearing an unauthorized picture permit imprint indicia, must submit an exception request. The exception request must be submitted to the local acceptance unit for authorization by the PCSC (regardless whether or not the customer wishes to convert to the picture permit imprint program and even if the indicia was not designed to align with all other requirements for picture permit imprint indicia). The mail owner must send a signed dated letter on their letterhead requesting an exception and the customer must also pay the appropriate per piece price for each piece mailed under the PCSC exception.

Some examples of company permit classified as picture permit imprint indicia (not to scale):

(Signed)

Lizbeth Dobbins

Manager

Product Classification

Headquarters, US Postal Service

Washington, DC  20260-5015