Standard Mail

PROCESSING CATEGORIES STANDARD MAIL PROCESSING CATEGORIES Letters Letters Flats Flats Machinable Parcels Machinable Parcels Irregular Parcels Irregular Parcels The size and shape of your mailpiece determines the prices available to you.

Standard Mail weighs less than one pound and includes circulars, printed matter, pamphlets, catalogs, newsletters, direct mail and merchandise. Standard Mail is not closed against postal inspection. It may not include: Standard Mail is not closed against postal inspection. It may not include: Mail of a personal nature Mail of a personal nature Bills or invoices Statements of account Handwritten or typewritten matter Identification devices STANDARD MAIL

Application Fee $ (Permit Imprint only) Annual Presort Mailing Fee $ Minimum 200 pieces (or 50 lbs) per mailing Make at least one mailing every two years (to retain the permit imprint) or continue to pay the annual fee Mailpieces must weigh less than one pound Correct name, address and ZIP Code on mailpieces Properly sorted into bundles, trays, sacks or pallets Deposited at designated entry point Required Postage Statement STANDARD MAIL STANDARD MAIL BASIC REQUIREMENTS

Postage Payment Methods PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID BALTIMORE MD PERMIT NO. 3 Permit Imprint Meter Precanceled Stamp PRSRT STD NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID BALTIMORE MD PERMIT NO. 1 STANDARD MAIL NONPROFIT ORG

$ one-time nonrefundable fee ( PS 3615) $ annual Presort Mailing Fee Imprint produced via printing, hand stamping, or computer All pieces in a permit imprint mailing must be identical in weight, unless an approved special postage payment system is used Open advance deposit (trust account) by depositing money at post office to cover cost of mailing prior to or at the time of mailing Permit Imprint Standard Mail PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID COLUMBIA MD PERMIT NO. 3 PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID COLUMBIA MD PERMIT NO. 3

COMPANY PERMIT IMPRINT OPTION PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID JOHN DOE COMPANY PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID JOHN DOE COMPANY NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID AMER RED CROSS NONPROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID AMER RED CROSS The name of the company in the indicia must be the company that possesses the permit. The permit holder must retain records of mailing for one year. Mailpiece must bear a domestic return address.

No Application fee (but form 3615 required) Annual Presort Mailing Fee required Assigned value of $0.05 (non-profit) $ 0.10 (commercial) Pay additional postage at time of mailing Domestic U.S. return address or mailer’s postmark required Pre-canceled Stamps PRSRT STD STANDARD MAIL

No Application fee, but form 3615 required Meter license required Lease meter from manufacturer “Presorted Standard” or “PRSRT STD” slug; or “Non Profit org.” for non-profit mailers (order from meter manufacturer) Affix postage at the correct or lowest price Postage Meter 189 PRSRT STD STANDARD MAIL

Unlike First-Class Mail, Standard Mail doesn’t use weight to determine postage for pieces that weigh less than 3.3 ounces. All pieces of Standard Mail weighing less than 3.3 ounces can be mailed at the same per piece postage price, applicable to the sortation and entry levels. Pieces weighing more than 3.3 ounces are charged a per-piece and a per-pound price. Standard Mail Standard Mail

BOOKLETS AND FOLDED SELF- MAILERS MUST BE SEALED There are new standards for booklets, available in DMM Most designs require three 1-1/2” tabs, with specific sealing depending on design. New standards are being proposed for folded self-mailers. The proposal should be published by March MACHINABILITY STANDARDS

Standard Mail height Flat Size Length: 11-1/2 to 15 inches Height: 6-1/8 to 12 inches Thickness:.25 to.75 inch (Nonautomation flats must have one dimension that exceeds the “minimums” noted above) Weight: less than 16 ounces Flats mailed at automation prices have smaller minimum dimensions, but the same maximum dimensions. 15” 12” Length

No tabbing requirements Final Fold or Bound Edge Forward pc mag JOURNAL NEWS DAILY

Address Placement for Flats Delivery address must appear on the “postage” side of mailpiece in the top half of the piece. Delivery address may be parallel or perpendicular to the top edge, but can not be upside down. See DMM for additional standards for enveloped or polywrapped mailpieces and for bound or folded mailpieces (not enveloped or polywrapped).

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Only USPS- approved films are acceptable for all flats See RIBBS for listing of approved vendors Polywrap, Polybag, Shrinkwrap JOEL SCHROEDER US POSTAL SERVICE 500 W CHESTNUT EXPY RM 140 SPRINGFIELD MO

Presorting a Mailing Optional Endorsement Line (OEL) Pressure-sensitive barcoded bundle labels –Label F – Same address (Periodicals only) –Label 5 SCH – Same 5-Digit Scheme Group –Label 5 – Same 5-Digit ZIP Code –Label 3 SCH – Same 3-Digit Scheme Group –Label 3 – Same 3-Digit ZIP Code –Label A – Same ADC or AADC –Label X – Mixed ADC or Mixed AADC Labeling Options

Presorting a Mailing Labeling bundles Label 5 (SCH) – All pieces for same 5-Digit ZIP (scheme combination) Label 3 (SCH) – All pieces for same 3-Digit ZIP (scheme combination) Label A – All pieces for same Area Distribution Center (ADC) or Automated Area Distr. Ctr. (AADC) Label X – Mixed ADCs or Mixed AADCs

************* 5 DIGIT Jonathan R. Marburger CHAIN BRIDGE RD FAIRFAX VA Information Line Formats Optional Endorsement Line

Nonmachinable Letters P R E P A R A T I O N

Any remaining pieces must be put into mixed- ADC bundles Place tan label X in lower left corner of top piece of bundle Nonmachinable Letters 5-digit3-digitADCMixed-ADC X 3 A Bundling

Prepare full trays for the same 5-digit ZIP Code – Bundling is optional for full 5-digit trays Nonmachinable Letters 5-digit Traying 5-digit Full 10+ 5

Place remaining bundles (5s & 3s) for the same 3- digit area in 3-digit trays One less-than-full or overflow tray allowed for a 3-digit area Nonmachinable Letters 5-digit3-digit Traying 5-digit Full 3-digit 3-Digit or ADC price

Trays with 150 pcs. or more to the same ADC – Consult Labeling List L004 to match ZIPs with correct ADC Nonmachinable Letters 5-digit3-digitADC Traying Required at 150 pcs. ADC Price A

Place any remaining bundles in mixed-ADC tray(s) Tray need not be full Nonmachinable Letters 5-digit 3-digit ADC Traying Mixed-ADC Mixed ADC price X A 5

Tray label for 5-digit tray Line 1, use city, state, ZIP Code of destination Use of barcoded labels is recommended (required for automation) Nonmachinable Letters WASHINGTON DC STD LTRS 5D MANUAL WASHINGTON DC WASHINGTON DC STD LTRS 5D MANUAL WASHINGTON DC Destination Contents Origin Tray Labeling

Tray label for 3-digit tray Line 1, use L002, column A for destination facility Nonmachinable Letters WASHINGTON DC 200 STD LTRS 3D MANUAL WASHINGTON DC WASHINGTON DC 200 STD LTRS 3D MANUAL WASHINGTON DC Destination Contents Origin Tray Labeling

Tray label for ADC tray Line 1, use L004, Column B for destination facility Nonmachinable Letters WASHINGTON DC 200 STD LTRS ADC MANUAL WASHINGTON DC WASHINGTON DC 200 STD LTRS ADC MANUAL WASHINGTON DC Destination Contents Origin Tray Labeling

Tray label for Mixed ADC tray Line 1, use “MXD” followed by city, state and ZIP of origin facility in L011, column B Nonmachinable Letters MXD JCTM WASH DC STD LTRS MANUAL WASHINGTON DC MXD JCTM WASH DC STD LTRS MANUAL WASHINGTON DC Destination Contents Origin Tray Labeling

MACHINABILITY STANDARDS Length Divided by Height = Acceptable Unacceptable 5 ÷ 4 = 1.5 Aspect Ratio 6" 4" 5" ÷ 4 = Aspect Ratio

MACHINABILITY STANDARDS Polywrap, Polybag, Shrink-wrap on Letters Bill Russell 3447 Harbor Dr. Westridge, MA Don’t even think about it! AMY JONES 4532 WEST DRIVE SAN ANTONIO TX

4 3/4” 5/8” Barcode Clear Zone READABILITY STANDARDS Barcode Clear Zone

Machinable Letters P R E P A R A T I O N

Prepare trays for each origin 3-digit ZIP – Optional – One less-than-full tray permitted – Bundling permitted for less-than-full tray only – Bundling required for card-size pieces Nonmachinable Letters 3-digit Origin/Entry Traying 3-digit

AADC trays optional, but required for AADC price 150-piece minimum to the same AADC Place all remaining pieces in Mixed AADC tray Machinable Letters AADC 150+ AADC Mixed AADC Traying AADC Mixed AADC AADC or Mixed AADC price

Tray label for 3-digit tray (origin only) Line 1, use Labeling List L002, Column A, for destination facility Machinable Letters LAKELAND FL 338 STD LTRS 3D MACH WASH DC LAKELAND FL 338 STD LTRS 3D MACH WASH DC Destination Contents Origin Tray Labeling

Tray label for AADC tray Line 1, use Labeling List L801 for destination facility Machinable Letters AADC WASHINGTON DC 200 STD LTRS AADC MACH WASH DC AADC WASHINGTON DC 200 STD LTRS AADC MACH WASH DC Destination Contents Origin Tray Labeling

Tray label for mixed-AADC tray Line 1, use Labeling List L011 Machinable Letters MXD WASHINGTON DC 200 STD LTRS MACH WKG WASH DC MXD WASHINGTON DC 200 STD LTRS MACH WKG WASH DC Destination Contents Origin Tray Labeling

SOURCES OF INFORMATION Local Postal Personnel Mailpiece Design AnalystBusiness Mail Entry Consult MDA Lookup Tool at Consult RIBBS at Reviews layouts before printing,Explains Postal requirements provides free Reply Mail artwork, concerning rates, mail sortation free design publications & templates.& preparation. National Contact National Customer Support Center (800) Postal services available for your address data base. Lists of certified CASS & PAVE software. NCOA, ACS, Move Update Information. Free Postal publications. POSTAL SERVICE UNITED STATES

SOURCES OF INFORMATION US Postal Service Web site pe.usps.com Latest information, Postal Bulletin, forms and publications available for downloading, lots of stuff! Use for ZIP Code lookups. Free Subscription DMM Advisory Send an to the following address with “subscribe” in the subject line: POSTAL SERVICE UNITED STATES

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