p000 basic information
p010 general rules
summary
p011 describes the correct payment of postage by the sender. also covers material that can be mailed in or on private mail receptacles, collection of postage due, and revenue deficiencies for non-profit and general standard mail.
1.0payment in advance and postage due
1.1prepaid conditions
Sender is responsible for proper payment of postage. postage on all mail must be prepaid in full at the time of mailing, except as specifically provided by the rule for:
a. business reply mail (see s922) and metered reply mail (see p030) handled as business reply mail.
b. merchandise return service (see s923).
c. certain mail sent by members of the armed forces (see e030).
d. certain matter by or for the blind or disabled (see e040).
e. official mail (see e050 and e060).
f. keys and identification devices returned to owners (see e120 and e130).
1.2mail without postage
Item of any kind, including that for which special services are listed, received at the post office or home office postage-free, is endorsed, returned postage-paid, and returned to sender undelivered. if a mail recipient attempts to return or forward the mail without paying additional postage when required, the mail is endorsed postage-returned and returned to the recipient. If the return address is not shown, or the delivery and return addresses are identical, or the delivery and return addresses are different but to the same person or organization, the item is treated as dead mail.
1.3unpaid metered reply mail
metered reply mail where the sender did not print a meter stamp is treated as business reply mail (brm). such mail is delivered on payment of postage and the applicable business reply piece charge for basic brm.
1.4unpaid matter for private delivery
if postage-free mailable material intended for delivery by a private delivery company is found in usps collection boxes (or other mail deposit receptacles), usps facilities, or processing operations of usps mail, the company is contacted to pick up the matter before the close of the next business day. if the company does not pick up the matter, it is returned to the sender, postage due. if the sender cannot be identified or rejects the subject, it is treated as dead mail.
1.5basic standards of mailbasic
mail of any kind, including mail indicating special services (except express mail, certified mail, and first-class mail that cannot be machined), received at the post office or at the post office of the address without sufficient postage is marked to show the total deficiency (rounded up) of postage and fees. such individual pieces (or quantities less than 10) are delivered to the recipient upon payment of the charges marked in the mail. for shipments of quantities of 10 or more pieces, the sender is notified so that shipping charges can be adjusted prior to shipment.
1.6short pay express mail
An express mail shipment with insufficient postage is never endorsed as postage due and collection of insufficient postage from the recipient is never attempted. in the event of an overnight, second day, military service, or same day airport service express mail item received at the shipping office without sufficient adhesive or meter seals, the sender is contacted to correct the deficiency prior to shipment . If postage is paid through a corporate express mail account or federal government indications postage and fees paid, and the sender enters an incorrect postage and/or fees amount, the account is debited for the correct amount. for a custom designed service item received at the shipping office with an incorrect weight, and if postage is paid by adhesive or meter stamps, the shipper is contacted to correct the deficiency prior to shipment. If postage is paid through a corporate express mail account or federal government indications postage and fees paid, the account is debited for the correct amount.
1.7registered mail paid
If registered underpaid mail is found in regular mail, with only the first class postage fee paid, the piece is delivered to the recipient as regular first class mail. If the amount of postage and the posted fees indicate that the item was intended to be registered, the item is marked postage due and sent to the recipient via certified mail. If in the certified mail there is certified mail of insufficient payment, the piece is delivered without the collection of postage due. additional postage is charged to sender.
1.8short payment non-machinable mail
underpaid non-machinable first class mail is returned to sender for additional postage.
1,9parts not deliverable and rejected with insufficient payment or unpaid
Postage-deficient mail that is refused by the recipient or is otherwise undeliverable is:
a. returned to sender with reason for non-delivery returned postage added if first class mail with return address. Sender can fix additional postage, cross out reason for non-delivery, and reship part.
b. returned to sender and delivered when sender pays full deficient postage and additional postage for reshipment or return if not first class mail and with a return address.
c. it will be treated as dead mail if it has no return address.
1.10original postage
Postage stamps or postage stamps originally placed on postage-due mail are accepted as payment for postage in the amount of their face value when the mail is re-presented for postage.
1.11packages containing written material
a package containing written material and subject to postage due is charged:
a. at the first class rate if the article consists mainly of first class matter.
b. at the following rates if only a small part of the content is non-permitted written material:
2.0mailable matter in or on private mail receptacles
2.1penalty
who knowingly and willfully deposits any material that can be sent by mail (such as account statements, circulars, sales invoices or other similar material) in which postage is not paid, in any established, approved mailbox or accepted by the postmaster general for the receipt or delivery of mail by any route, with the intent to avoid payment of the applicable legal postage, shall be fined for each violation of not more than $300 (18 usc 1725).
2.2responsibility for postage
Except for the limited use of newspapers under d041, any postage-free mailable material that is in, on, affixed to, supported by, or hung from private mail receptacles described in d041 is subject to the payment of the same postage if it is transported by mail.
2.3partial distribution
If there is a distribution of parts to some, but not all, addresses in a route, the parts are returned to the delivery unit for postage due calculation. First class mail rates apply to items that would require first class mail postage if sent by mail. on the other hand, if the piece weighs less than 16 ounces, the applicable first-class mail or priority mail single-piece rate based on the weight of the piece applies, or an applicable parcel services fee applies, whichever be less. if the item weighs 16 ounces or more, the package services fee applies.
2.4full distribution
If there is a distribution of identical parts to all or nearly all addresses in a route, only a representative number of parts are returned to the delivery unit. postage is calculated as described in 2.3.
2.5known vendor
If there is reason to believe that a private delivery company or person within the delivery area of the post office is responsible for the delivery, the local postmaster notifies that party of the number of pieces and the postage due . if, within 5 days of notification, the company or individual agrees to pay the postage due, payment is accepted and the pieces are delivered to the recipients. The party paying the postage may choose to reship the parts instead of having them delivered by the USPS. If it is found that the pieces have been removed incorrectly from the containers, they are delivered without shipping costs.
2.6unknown distributor
if delivery is unknown or postage is not paid by the requested company, the pieces are returned to the publisher or manufacturer, postage due and endorsed to show they were found in or on the recipient’s mailbox . no postage if a publisher or manufacturer gives the name and phone number of a contact person and guarantees payment of the postage, the pieces are forwarded to the recipients. if the publisher or manufacturer is unknown or rejects the parts, the matter is treated as dead mail.
3.0collection of postage due
3.1pick up at the time of delivery
customers must pay cash for postage due mail before the mail is delivered. If postage due charges equal approximately $10 or more every 60 days, payment may be made by pre-depositing money into a postage due account. postage on quantity shipments found in private mailboxes is subject to 1.5. Government agencies using penalty mail must pay postage due through an OMAS postage due account. Government agencies can no longer use penalty meter strips or penalty postage stamps to pay postage due.
3.2when not collecting
When the cancellation impression shows that a postage stamp(s) is/are lost in whole or in part, the piece is treated as if the correct postage for the class and weight of the piece had been paid, unless proven otherwise.
3.3advance deposit account
Shippers may choose to establish an advance escrow account(s) from which postage, piece charges and other fees are deducted. for certain special services, an advance deposit account is required. shippers can use a single advance escrow account to pay postage charges for more than one specialty service (for example, business reply mail, merchandise return service, and bulk package return service).
3.4annual accounting fee
Except for accounts used solely to pay postage due for underpaid mail, address correction notices, and parts that cannot be delivered based on the return address (for example, requested return service), shippers must pay a separate annual accounting fee for each special service paid through an advance deposit account. This fee covers the administrative cost of maintaining the account and provides the sender with an accounting of all charges deducted from that account. the accounting fee is charged once every 12-month period on the anniversary date of the initial payment of the accounting fee. the fee can be paid in advance only for the next year and only during the last 60 days of the current service period. the rate charged is the one in force on the date of payment.
4.0income deficiencygeneral
4.1failure
income deficiency means a shortage or underpayment of postage or fees. revenue deficiencies are generally assessed by the postmaster or manager, commercial mail entrance, who issues a written notice to the customer citing the amount of the deficiency and the circumstances.
4.2judgment appeal
[1-22-04] Except as provided in 5.0 and e670, a sender may appeal an income deficiency assessment by submitting a written appeal within 30 days of receiving notice to the administrator or administrator of corresponding mail in 4.2a to 4.2c. In all cases, the submitter may be asked for more information or documentation to support the appeal. failure to do so within 30 days of the request is grounds for denying an appeal. any decision not appealed as prescribed becomes the agency’s final decision. Submitters can submit appeals as follows:a. to the district manager, finance, for fee income deficiencies. The district manager, finance, issues the final USPS decision.
b. to postmaster or manager, business mail entry, for postage revenue deficiencies. The Postmaster or Manager, Business Mail Gateway, forwards the appeal to the PCSC Manager serving the Gateway Post Office. If the appeal concerns a decision that the mail, because of its content, should be entered first class mail rather than standard mail rates, the PCSC will forward the appeal to Manager, Mail Standards, USPS Headquarters , who will issue the agency’s final decision. . PCSC will issue the agency’s final decision on all other appeals.
c. to manager, shipping standards (see g043 for address), if the PCSC manager first assessed the deficiency. the administrator, the mail regulations issue the final decision of the agency.
5.0income deficiencynon-profit standard mail
5.1evaluation and appeal
A revenue deficiency in the amount of unpaid postage may be assessed against any person or organization that mailed, or caused to be mailed, material ineligible at non-profit standard mail rates in violation from e670. nonprofit senders have two levels of appeal. income deficiency assessments can be appealed as follows:
All appeals must be submitted in writing within 30 days of the previous USPS decision. any decision not appealed as prescribed becomes the agency’s final decision; There are no appeals available within the USPS beyond the second appeal.
5.2collection
Any deficiency assessed under 5.1 found to be due and payable to the USPS in the USPS’s final decision must be paid immediately. If payment is not received by the USPS within 30 days, the USPS may deduct from the violator’s trust account or any other fund in the possession of the USPS for any deficiency incurred within 12 months after the date of the final shipment in which deficiency was assessed.
dmm edition 58 updated on 12-9-04