Basics of Mail
Presented by: Leanne Herman
Senior Postal Affairs Specialist, RR Donnelly & Sons
Secretary, Milwaukee Postal Customer Council
Leanne Herman
Leanne has been working in Postal Affairs for over 18 years. She is a graduate
of Upper Iowa University and holds the CMM, CMDSM and GAE professional
certifications.
Leanne has been a local and regional speaker at numerous PCC events.
Address Hygiene
• CASS: Process of using CASS Certified Software to standardize addresses
according to the USPS specifications
Example
201 East Progress Drive would standardize to
201 E Progress Dr
Addresses must be standardized to receive
lower postage rates and be able to be
processed through Merge/Purge or NCOA
See Basic Mailing Definitions and Address Standardization Handouts
• Merge/Purge: Putting 2 or more files together and ridding
them of duplicate records
• Dedupe: Removal of records either within one data file or
between a set of merged files. The customer determines
how the dedupe is performed.
• Can be an exact match on name and address or by exact
match on company field (only one per company)
• NCOA: National Change of Address
• When an individual, family or business moves, a
Change of Address card is typically filed with the
USPS
• NCOA processing is done prior to mailing to
ensure the most recent address is used on the
mail piece
• Presort: Software is used to analyze a data file to sort the
mailing list by geography and group by USPS facilities
where possible. In certain cases, the mail is sorted to the
actual route the mail carrier walks.
• First Class, Standard Mail, Periodicals and
Package Services mail can all be presorted
• Standard Mail MUST be presorted to get the
lower postage rate
• Postage for presort and drop shipped mailings is
lower due to worksharing
Postage Payment Options
• Mailing Permit: Mail owners can obtain their own mailing
permit for mailing Standard, First Class or to use Precanceled Stamps
There is an annual cost for permit
unless the permit is in fee Waiver status
• Postage: Can be paid via meter, indicia (also
called permit imprint) or stamps
• CAPS Account: An agreement between a permit
holder and the USPS that the permit holder will
pay postage electronically
CAPS Trust vs. Debit Options
• Indicia: Can represent Presorted Standard, Presorted First
Class, Straight First Class or Package Services
Permit can always list the permit number, city and state of mailing
Example
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO 50
MENOMONEE FALLS WI
Some customers want a Company Style Permit which doesn’t include the permit
number or city and state of mailing
PRST STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
XYZ
Postal Requirement = complete return address must be on mail piece
Customer must have permission from USPS to use type of permit
See PS Form 3615 Handout
• Stamps: Can be either full rate or pre-canceled
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Pre-canceled stamps are affixed to each mail piece
and represent a certain cash value
• Stamps always represent same amount
• Stamp Denominations
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Postcard - $.15
Nonprofit - $.05
Standard Mail- $.10
First Class - $.25
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The cash value of the stamp will never cover actual postage – additional postage is paid
either via a meter strip or through an additional postage account
Stamps ordered- typically come in rolls of 3,000 or 10,000 for production purposes
Regular full rate stamps = sheets or rolls
Classes of Mail
• First Class Mail:
Includes : Priority Express, Priority, First Class, Business Reply, Postcard Rate
Category
All items can be mailed at First Class rates; however all items of personal nature must
be mailed First Class
Statements of account, invoices, payment histories, donation amounts, etc.
Presorted First Class must be a minimum of 500 pieces
• Standard Mail
Cannot exceed 16 oz. Typically comprised of advertising mail
Circulars, flyers, advertisements, etc.
Presorted Standard Mail must be a minimum of 200 pieces or
50 lbs.
Nonprofit Mail is a subcategory only of Standard Mail and Periodicals Mail
There is no First Class Nonprofit Postage Rate category.
• Periodicals:
A very specialized class of mail that
requires different processing
• Package Services
Includes: Bound Printed Matter, Parcel Select, Media Mail, Library Mail
Basically same content as Standard Mail – difference is that it exceeds the 16 oz.
weight restriction
Presorted BPM must be a minimum of 300 pieces and must be bound and printed
BPM can be flats or parcels, depending on thickness
Catalogs over .75” thick are BPM parcels.
Specialized rules and fees regarding drop shipment eligibility and postage rates.
Types of Mail Pieces
• Mail piece type: Determined by the physical
characteristics of a mail piece. Types of physical mail
pieces are:
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Postcards
Letters
Flats
Parcels
See Types of Mailpieces Handout
Postcards
Card Dimensions
Minimum
Maximum
Length
5 inches
6 inches
Height
3-1/2 inches
4-1/4 inches
Thickness
0.007 inch
0.016 inch
• The term postcard is typically a design term meaning 2-pager
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Postcards are only a true mailing category in First Class Mail
Specialized type of letter to USPS
Must meet all letter requirements including aspect ratio* and addressing standards
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Length divided by height = 1.3 to 2.5 inclusive
* Exception for Postcard-Sized Pieces only – 4.25 x 5.5” is
acceptable at 1.29 aspect ratio
Letters
Letter Dimensions
Minimum
Maximum
Length
5 inches
11-1/2 inches
Height
3-1/2 inches
6-1/8 inches
Thickness
0.007 inch
1/4 inch
• Letters are a very diverse type of product to the USPS
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Can mail at First Class, Standard Mail or Periodical postage rates
Letters don’t need envelopes / having an envelope does not mean a piece is a letter
Must meet requirements including aspect ratio and addressing standards
• 2-pagers (postcard design)
• Maximums – 6.125” x 11.5”, 3 oz.
• Minimum – 0.009” Thick
• Enveloped Letters
• Maximum - 6.125” x 11.5”, 3.5 oz.
• Minimum - 0.009” Thick
Booklet Style Mailpieces
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Maximums: 6 x 10.5”, 3 oz
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Simple Spine Booklets
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Up to 9” long
Minimum 50# book weight cover pages
Simple Spine Booklets
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Weight is critical – under trim if necessary
Over 9” and up to 10.5” long
Minimum 60# book weight cover pages
Body Pages do not have to match stock of cover
pages
Spine at Bottom in relation to the address area
Must have 2 or more stitches or staples
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DO NOT ALLOW 1 stitch or staple - EVER
SIMPLE SPINE BOOKLETS
Maximum weight—3 ounces
Maximum height—6 inches
Maximum length—9.5 inches unless noted
Cover paper weight—80-pound paper unless noted: see
Exhibit 3.2
Basic
Cover:
5" to 9" long at least 50-pound
paper
Over 9" up to 10.5" at least 60pound paper
The front cover may be up to a
maximum of 0.25” shorter than
pages and rear cover.
Nonperforated 1.5” tabs.
Place one tab on the leading and
trailing edges within 1" from the
top; position one tab on the lower
leading edge 0.5" from the bottom.
Oblong Booklets
OBLONG BOOKLETS
Maximum weight—3 ounces
Maximum height—6 inches
Maximum length—10.5 inches
Cover paper weight—70-pound paper unless otherwise
noted: see Exhibit 3.2
All Tab
Cover:
5" to 9" long: 60-pound paper
Over 9" up to 10.5": 70-pound
paper
Place two 1.5" nonperforated tabs
on the top edge and one tab on
trailing edge. Position top tabs 1inch from left and right edges.
Position one 1.5" nonperforated
tab in the middle of the trailing
edge.
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Have different paper stock requirements
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Up to 9” long
Minimum 60# offset cover pages
Over 9” and up to 10.5” long
Minimum 70# offset cover pages
Body Pages do not have to match stock of cover
pages
Spine at Leading Edge in relation to the address
area
Must have 2 or more stitches or staples
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DO NOT ALLOW 1 stitch or staple - EVER
Folded Booklets
FOLDED BOOKLETS
Maximum weight—3 ounces
Maximum height—6 inches
Maximum length—10.5 inches unless noted
Vertical Spine
Cover paper weight—40-pound
paper
Two 1.5" nonperforated tabs on
leading edge and one tab on
trailing edge. Position upper tabs
within 1-inch from the top edge.
Position lower leading tab 0.5 inch
from the bottom edge.
• Folded booklets must have the spine of the leading
edge and final fold at the bottom
• Minimum of #40 book
• MUST have two or more staples or stitches
Folded Self Mailers
• Maximums:
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6 x 10.5”, 3.0 oz.
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No more than 8 panels (especially important with quarter folded pieces)
• Nested Sheets – no stitches, staples, glue, tape or press pasting
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<1 oz, #70 book minimum on all pages
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>1 oz but less than 3 oz, #80 book minimum on all pages
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Needs (2) 1” nonperforated tabs (or glue specs)
Needs (2) 1.5” nonperforated tabs (or glue specs)
Note: you can always use larger tabs for manufacturing efficiencies
• Quarter folded self mailers – 55 lb minimum if news print
• There are many, many rules and possible configurations for
Folded Self Mailers
See Folded Self Mailer Reference Guide Handout
Flat Dimensions
Flats
Minimum*
Maximum
Length
11-1/2 inches
15 inches
Height
6-1/8 inches
12 inches
Thickness
1/4 inch
3/4 inch
* Flats exceed at least one of these dimensions,
except auto flats (barcoded) must exceed 5” x 6”.
• Typically flats exceed a letter dimension
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Automated flats can be mailed at flats rates if they exceed 5” x 6”
Flats can be: First Class, Standard Mail or Bound Printed Matter
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First class flats cannot exceed 13 oz. or they must go as Priority Mail
No flat can exceed 0.75” thick
• Standard Mail
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Max weight: 16 oz, 0.75” thick
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Heavier flats are Bound Printed Matter
Must meet flexibility and deflection (droop) testing requirements and
must meet FSS addressing requirements (where applicable)
FSS Addressing requirements must be met for Standard Mail,
Periodicals and Package Services Flats
See FSS Addressing Requirements Handout
Paper Basis Weight Conversion Table
Mail Anywhere
Mail Anywhere is a relatively new USPS initiative to offer Mail Service Providers
(MSPs) an additional incentive to participate in Full Service Intelligent Mail.
For MSPs that demonstrate quality preparation and presentation and acceptable
volume levels of Full Servie IM to the USPS, the plant can request to be certified
for the Mail Anywhere program.
Only the MSP producing plant gets certified for participation. Mail Owners and
Permit Holders are not eligible for certification.
Approval for participation means that the MSP can verify and mail locally for any
customer that holds a valid permit anywhere in the country. This is a great benefit
for Mail Owners and Mail Service Providers alike.
See Mail Anywhere Handout