Introduction | Retail Services | Discount Services | Online Services | Additional Info | Reference

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• Discount Mailing Services
• Choosing a Mailing Service
• Choosing a Postage Payment Method
• Preparation Overview
• Sortation Overview
• Mail Entry Overview
• Example
• Discount Postage Rates
• Where to Go From Here

Discount Mailing Services

Discount mail, or “bulk mail,” is your best option if you mail in volume. In order to claim these lower rates, you must have a minimum quantity and do some additional work to make your mail easier for the Postal Service to handle.

ADVANTAGES

• A proven, cost-effective business tool
• Offers a lower price on postage for the work you perform
• Can accommodate a variety of business needs
• Gives your business or organization a professional image with customers
• Can promote your business or organization name through use of permit imprint, postage meter, or PC Postage technology

HOW DOES IT WORK?
Your discount depends on the mailing service you choose and the work you do. For example, if you mail 1,000 letter-sized flyers to everyone in your ZIP Code advertising your business's sale, it would cost $0.37 per piece for retail First-Class postage, or $370.

If you mail 1,000 flyers using Standard Mail to everyone in your ZIP Code by adding a barcode, sorting them by carrier route, and depositing them at the post office that handles their delivery, you might pay as little as $0.12 per piece, or $120.

COST

• The postage depends on the mailing service you choose and the characteristics of your mailpiece.
• For any discount mailing, you must do some of the work the Postal Service would otherwise do. The work you do, such as preparing, sorting, and entering your mailing, can lower your postage costs.
• You must pay an annual mailing fee at each facility where you enter mail. Different mailing services may require separate fees.
• Other optional aspects of a discount mailing, such as using permit imprints, business reply mail, or mailing endorsements, may require additional fees.

CHOOSING BETWEEN DISCOUNT MAILING SERVICES AND RETAIL MAILING SERVICES Even if your mailing has the required number of mailpieces to qualify for a discount rate, you still have to perform some of the work the Postal Service would normally do to receive the discount. When deciding whether to undertake a discount mailing, you should consider: Your technology Your technology and equipment, such as computers and software, will influence the discount services you can use and the time it will take you to complete the work. Your budget The amount of money you spend on a mailing is more than just the cost of postage. You should also consider the cost of designing and printing your mailpieces and obtaining a mailing list. If you can’t dedicate the technology or time to a discount mailing, consider using a mail service provider or retail mailing services, which let you quickly prepare and send your mailing. As your business grows, your resources may allow you to take advantage of discounts. Discount rates are not available for Express Mail or Priority Mail.   MAIL SERVICE PROVIDERS You can get help with discount mailing from a business that specializes in designing, preparing, and sorting mail. These businesses, typically called “mail service providers” (see page 76), can help you with a single part of a discount mailing, or you can hire them to handle the entire mailing, from creation to mail entry. Mail service providers can help you with: purchasing or renting an address list. managing your address database. designing and printing your mailpieces. sorting your mailpieces. combining your mailing with other businesses’ mailings to get a better postage rate. entering your mail into the mailstream.

Nonprofit Standard Mail rates are available for authorized nonprofit organizations. You must first apply for authorization to mail at nonprofit rates at your local post office and adhere to the content restrictions associated with Nonprofit Standard Mail. Discounts are available for larger volumes of international mail. Service options include International Priority Airmail, International Surface Air Lift, Publishers’ Periodicals, and Books and Sheet Music. For rates and standards visit USPS Global Delivery Services.

PLANNING A DISCOUNT MAILING
Several steps are involved in the discount mailing process. A successful discount mailing requires careful consideration of each step.

1. Choosing A Mailing Service
Which mailing service you choose depends on the shape, weight, and content of your mail, along with speed of delivery.

2. Choosing A Postage Payment Method
The Postal Service offers four ways for you to pay for and apply postage to your mailpieces.

3. Preparing Your Mail
“Machinable,” “nonmachinable,” and “automation” are the three ways the Postal Service classifies how mailpieces are prepared. These classifications are based on the ability of your mailpiece to be processed on Postal Service equipment.

4. Sorting Your Mail
Sort your mail according to Postal Service standards.

5. Entering Your Mail
The minimum requirement is to enter your mail at the business mail entry unit (BMEU) or post office where you hold a mailing permit. You can receive additional discounts by transporting your mail closer to where it will be delivered.

This section explains the steps for completing a discount mailing. First choose a mailing service, then a postage payment method. After these choices have been made, you prepare your mailpieces, then sort them by Postal Service standards. Finally, you enter your mailing at a postal facility.

For each step, you will need to complete the minimum level of work required by the Postal Service. You may also choose to complete higher levels of work to receive greater postage discounts. In some cases, the characteristics of your mailpieces will determine which rates and discounts are available to you.

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Choosing a Mailing Service

The shape of your mail can help you determine which mailing services are available to you.

First-Class Mail
Postcards and letters can be sent using First-Class Mail. This service is required for personal correspondence, handwritten or typewritten material, and bills or statements of account. It may also be used for any mailable item including advertisements and lightweight merchandise. This service is typically the fastest service offered within discount mail.

Standard Mail
Letters containing mailable items not required to be sent using First-Class Mail can be sent using Standard Mail. Standard Mail is typically used for advertisements and flyers. There are no postcard rates for Standard Mail, but postcards can be mailed at the letter rates. Additional content restrictions must be met for authorized nonprofit mailers.

Periodicals
This service requires prior authorization by the Postal Service. Typical Periodicals are newspapers, magazines, and newsletters.

See detailed content restrictions for more information.

First-Class Mail Flats can be sent using First-Class Mail. This service is required for personal correspondence, handwritten or typewritten material, and bills or statements of account. It may also be used for any mailable item, including advertisements and lightweight merchandise. This service is typically the fastest service offered within discount mail. Standard Mail Flats containing mailable items not required to be sent using First-Class Mail can be sent using Standard Mail. Standard Mail is typically used for advertisements, flyers, and catalogs. Additional content restrictions must be met for authorized nonprofit mailers. Periodicals This service requires prior authorization by the Postal Service. Typical Periodicals are newspapers, magazines, and newsletters. Bound Printed Matter Flats can be sent using Bound Printed Matter. Contents are limited to permanently bound printed sheets of directory, advertising, or editorial matter, such as catalogs or phone books.

Media Mail pieces also can be prepared as flats. See detailed content restrictions for more information.

First-Class Mail Small parcels can be sent using First-Class Mail. This service is required for personal correspondence, handwritten or typewritten material, and bills or statements of account. It may also be used for any mailable item, including advertisements and lightweight merchandise. Standard Mail Small parcels containing mailable items not required to be sent using First-Class Mail can be sent using Standard Mail. Standard Mail is typically used for lightweight merchandise. Additional content restrictions must be met for authorized nonprofit mailers. Parcel Post Small and large parcels typically containing gifts and merchandise can be sent using Parcel Post. Bound Printed Matter Small and large parcels can be sent using Bound Printed Matter. Contents are limited to permanently bound sheets of directory, advertising, or editorial matter, such as catalogs or phone books. Media Mail Small and large parcels can be sent using Media Mail. Contents are limited to books, manuscripts, sound recordings, recorded videotapes, and computer-readable media (not blank). Informally called “Book Rate,” Media Mail cannot contain advertising, except books can contain incidental announcements of other books.

See detailed content restrictions for more information.

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Choosing a Postage Payment Method

Postage for discount mail can be paid in four ways. Some methods require special equipment and all require you to fill out a postage statement.

METERED POSTAGE
You can use a meter to affix postage to all discount mail except Periodicals. The meter stamp shows the amount of postage paid.

How Do I Get a Postage Meter?
You lease a meter from an authorized provider. See Postage Meters for more information and a list of authorized meter providers.

Meter License
You must have a license granted by the Postal Service to use a postage meter. You apply for this license through your provider on Form 3601. The license allows you to meter mail and names the licensing post office where you must enter your mail.

How Do I Apply for a Meter License?
You must file an application (Form 3601) for a meter license through your meter provider. There is no application fee. A meter is licensed for only one postal location. You must complete Form 3615 (no fee) and enter your discount mailings at this location. If you want to enter your mail at more than one location, or if you want to enter your mail closer to its final destination, consult your local post office for more information.

How Do I Pay for Postage?
All postage meters are remotely reset by your meter provider—you do not need to go to the post office. Your meter provider will give you information about the payment options currently authorized by the Postal Service.

PERMIT IMPRINT
A permit imprint uses a printed or hand-stamped imprint to indicate that postage has been paid for all discount mail except periodicals. All pieces in your mailing must weigh the same amount unless authorized by the Postal Service.

How Do I Apply?
You must file an application (Form 3615) for a permit at the post office where your mailings will be entered. USPS forms are available online.

Is There a Cost?
You pay a one-time fee to set up your account. You need a permit account at each postal facility where you enter your mail. Additionally, you must enter at least one mailing with your permit imprint during a 24-month period for the permit to stay active. Otherwise, you will have to pay the account set-up fee again prior to your next mailing.

How Do I Pay for Postage?
Postage is paid from an account you set up at the post office where you enter your mail.

PRECANCELED STAMPS
Precanceled stamps are available for discount First-Class Mail or Standard Mail. You affix a stamp to each piece of mail you are sending. Precanceled stamps are available from the post office, or you can request authorization to use a precanceled postmark.

How Do I Apply?
You must file an application (Form 3615) for a permit at the post office where your mailings will be entered. USPS forms are available online.

Is There a Cost?
There is no application fee.

How Do I Pay for Postage?
The face value of the stamp may not cover the cost of the postage. Any remaining postage is calculated and paid at the time of mailing.

PC POSTAGE TECHNOLOGY
PC Postage allows you to print postage from your computer for all discount mail except Periodicals.

How Do I Get It?
PC Postage software and services are leased from an authorized provider. See PC Postage Products and Services for more information and a list of authorized providers. To use PC Postage technology you must obtain a license.

How Do I Apply for a License?
PC Postage products prompt you through the application process (Form 3601). There is no application fee.

How Do I Pay for Postage?
Set up an account and pay for postage through your provider.

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Preparation Overview

Preparing your mailpieces according to Postal Service standards allows your mailpieces to be processed more efficiently.

In addition to shape, the Postal Service classifies mailpieces by the way they are prepared. These classifications are based on how efficiently your mailpieces can be processed on Postal Service equipment. The Postal Service classifies all mailpieces into one of three categories:

• Machinable. If you prepare your mailpiece so that it has an accurate address and can be processed on Postal Service equipment, your mailpiece is “machinable” and eligible for “presort” rates.
• Nonmachinable. If your mailpiece does not meet the machinable standards, you may have to pay the presort rate plus a “nonmachinable surcharge.”
• Automation. If your letter-size or flat-size mailpiece is machinable and displays the correct barcode, you can qualify for lower, “automation” rates.

MACHINABLE MAIL
A mailpiece is machinable if it can be sorted on Postal Service processing equipment. Sorting machinable pieces is less work than sorting nonmachinable pieces. Machinable mailpieces must meet specific standards, including size, shape, and weight. Machinable parcels with barcodes are eligible for a barcode discount.

MACHINABLE MAIL DIMENSIONS

Postcards Dimensions   minimum maximum length 5 inches 6 inches height 3-1/2 inches 4-1/4 inches thickness 0.007 inch 0.016 inch Letters** 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 Flats** Dimensions   minimum maximum length 11-1/2 inches*** 15 inches height 6-1/8 inches*** 12 inches thickness 1/4 inch*** 3/4 inch Parcels** Dimensions   minimum maximum length 6 inches 34 inches height 3 inches 17 inches thickness 1/4 inch 17 inches

Positive customer response to a unique and eye-catching mailpiece may justify paying the nonmachinable surcharge. All Standard Mail parcels are subject to the “residual shape” surcharge. * Letters over 4-1/4 inches high and/or 6 inches long must be at least 0.009 inch thick. ** The content, design, weight, or shape of a mailpiece may cause it to become nonmachinable. These elements are listed on the previous page under “Nonmachinable Mail.” *** Must exceed one of these dimensions.

NONMACHINABLE MAIL
A mailpiece is nonmachinable if it cannot be sorted by Postal Service equipment. A nonmachinable surcharge may be added to mailpieces that do not meet machinable standards. Additionally, nonmachinable letters require extra steps when you sort your mail. Examples of a nonmachinable mailpiece include a:

First-Class Mail letter weighing 1 ounce or less, or Standard Mail letter weighing 3.3 ounces or less if:

• it has an aspect ratio (length divided by height) of less than 1.3 or more than 2.5 (a square envelope has an aspect ratio of 1, making it nonmachinable).
• it is over 4-1/4 inches high and/or 6 inches long and is less than 0.009 inch thick.
• it is polybagged, polywrapped, or enclosed in any plastic material.
• it has clasps, strings, or buttons.
• it is too thin or too rigid.
• it has a delivery address parallel to the shorter side of the mailpiece.
• it contains items such as pens, pencils, or keys that create an uneven thickness.

First-Class Mail, flats and parcels weighing 1 ounce or less if:

• it has an aspect ratio (length divided by height) of less than 1.3 or more than 2.5.
• it is more than 6-1/8 inches high or 11-1/2 inches long or 1/4 inch thick.

Parcel Post parcel if:

• it measures more than 34 inches long or more than 17 inches high or more than 17 inches thick.
• it measures less than 6 inches long or 1/4 inch thick or 3 inches wide.
• it weighs less than 6 ounces or more than 35 pounds (for books and other printed materials, the weight limit is 25 pounds).
• it contains more than 24 ounces of liquid in one or more glass containers.
• it contains 1 gallon or more of liquid in metal or plastic containers.
• it is a metal-strapped or metal-banded box.
• it is a can, roll, or tube.
• it is an insecurely wrapped, unwrapped, paper-wrapped, or sleeve-wrapped article.
• it is a metal or wood box.

AUTOMATION MAIL
Your cards, letters, and flats can receive significant postage discounts if they are prepared according to automation standards. Your mailpiece meets automation standards and qualifies for automation rates if it meets the specific addressing, barcoding, and design standards established for your mailing service and your level of sortation. There are no automation rates for parcels, but machinable parcels are eligible for a barcode discount. For more information about automation standards, refer to the Quick Service Guides, which provide a summary of the standards for automation cards, letters, and flats.

Barcodes for Cards, Letters, and Flats
To receive the automation rates for cards and letters, all of the pieces in your mailing must have a delivery point barcode. Automation rate flats must have a delivery point barcode or a ZIP+4 barcode. All barcodes must meet placement, size, and legibility standards. Software is available for printing barcodes from your address list.

Parcel Barcodes
For Package Services (Parcel Post, Bound Printed Matter, and Media Mail) mailings of 50 or more machinable pieces, parcels may receive additional discounts if they are prepared and barcoded based on the standards for your mailing service. Each piece in a barcoded parcel mailing must have a correct 5-digit barcode and meet certain placement, size, and legibility standards. For Standard Mail, the minimum volume needed to receive this discount is 200 pieces or 50 pounds. Barcode discounts are not available for First-Class Mail parcels.

Letters
The aspect ratio (length divided by height) must be between 1.3 and 2.5, inclusive.

Flats
Two different machines sort automated flat mail, each with its own set of preparation standards. To receive automation rates, your mailpiece must meet the standards for either the Automated Flat Sorting Machine 100 (AFSM 100) or the Flat Sorting Machine 1000 (FSM 1000).

Maximum Weight for AFSM 100

• First-Class Mail cannot weigh more than 13 ounces.
• Periodicals cannot weigh more than 20 ounces.
• Standard Mail must weigh less than 16 ounces.
• Bound Printed Matter cannot weigh more than 20 ounces.

Maximum Weight for FSM 1000

• First-Class Mail cannot weigh more than 13 ounces.
• Periodicals cannot weigh more than 6 pounds.
• Standard Mail must weigh less than 16 ounces.
• Bound Printed Matter must meet the criteria for the AFSM 100.

AUTOMATION MAIL DIMENSIONS

ADDRESSING AND ENDORSEMENTS Accurate addressing and the proper use of endorsements can help your mail get there. Addressing for Discount Mail Address quality is the key to automation compatibility, barcode accuracy, sorting accuracy, and carrier route coding, as well as the timely processing and delivery of your mail. Minimum standards for address quality, for discount mailing services, include Move Update requirements and requirements for updating ZIP Codes. Basic Address Quality Standards A. Delivery address information, including apartment number, placed on the same line B. Predirectional in delivery address line C. Correct spelling of street name D. Correct suffix for delivery address E. Secondary address information F. Correct spelling of city name G. Standard state abbreviation H. Correct ZIP Code Automation Address Quality Standards A. POSTNET Barcode (Required for automation discounts) B. Attention Line (Optional) C. Group, Department, Division Name (Optional) D. Business / Firm Name (Required) E. Delivery Address (Required) F. City, State, ZIP Code (Required)

Simplified Addressing (“Postal Customer”) can be used for mail sent to all delivery points on a rural route or to all boxholders at post offices without city carrier service. Government agencies may also use the Simplified Addressing format for official mail sent to all delivery points on a city route or to all boxholders at any post office.

Endorsements
Ancillary Service Endorsements tell the Postal Service how to handle a mailpiece if it cannot be delivered as addressed. Reasons for nondelivery can include instances when the recipient has moved or the address is missing information, such as an apartment number. Based on the endorsement, the mailpiece will be forwarded to the addressee’s new location, returned to you, or discarded. If you use these services, you must pay any additional charges for forwarding the mailpiece, returning the mailpiece to you, or notifying you of the new address, depending on the mailing service you choose. First-Class Mail is forwarded or returned at no additional charge.

What Do the Endorsements Do?
Change Service Requested tells the Postal Service to dispose of the undeliverable mailpiece and to inform you of your addressee’s new location or why the mailpiece can’t be delivered. This service helps you eliminate inaccurate addresses from your address list.

Forwarding Service Requested tells the Postal Service to forward the mailpiece to the addressee’s new location or to return the mailpiece to you if the recipient has not filed a change of address order in the last 12 months.

Return Service Requested tells the Postal Service to return the mailpiece to you with the addressee’s new location or the reason why it can’t be delivered. This service is beneficial when you are sending valuable or personal items.

Address Service Requested tells the Postal Service to forward the mailpiece to the addressee’s new location or to return the mailpiece to you if the recipient has not filed a change of address order in the last 12 months. Additionally, you will receive a notice of the addressee’s new location or why the mailpiece cannot be delivered. This service is helpful when you want to get a mailpiece to the addressee and you want to keep your address list updated.

How Do the Services Work?
Simply place the name of the service you want to use directly below the return address or in another Postal Service-approved place on the mailpiece.

For more information visit your local post office or see
- Quick Service Guide 015 Ancillary Service Endorsements (HTML)
- Quick Service Guide 015 Ancillary Service Endorsements (PDF)

ADDRESS LISTS
You can achieve better results and avoid wasting postage on undeliverable mailpieces by checking the accuracy of your addresses.

Why Check Your List?
In order to reach as many of your customers as possible, you should frequently check the accuracy of your address list. Consider the following:

• 16 percent of Americans change addresses annually.
• 43 million people move each year.
• One out of every six families moves each year.

Requirements for Checking Your List
The Postal Service suggests that you check the accuracy of your address list at least once a year. However, in order to qualify for discount rates, you are required to check the accuracy of certain aspects of your address list on a regular basis. To qualify for:

• Presorted rates, you must verify the 5-digit ZIP Codes at least 12 months prior to mailing.
• Automation rates, you must verify the complete addresses with CASS-certified software at least 180 days prior to mailing.
• Carrier Route rates, you must verify the Carrier Route information at least 90 days prior to mailing.

Move Update is required for all discounted First-Class mailings. A Postal Service-approved method must be used at least 180 days prior to the date of mailing. National Change of Address service includes Move Update.

By signing your postage statement when you enter your mail, you are saying that you have properly verified the addresses on your mailpieces.

Ways to Check Your List The Postal Service offers many ways to check the accuracy of your address list. Mail service providers also offer Postal Service-approved products and services for list maintenance. For more information, see Address Quality. Checking List Accuracy Through the Postal Service Use the ZIP Code Lookup to check the ZIP Codes in your address list. Mailing List Service. You can submit a printout of your address list to the Postal Service and any changes will be marked. There is a fee for this service, which is available through your Address Management System office. Contact your local post office. Publication 65, ZIP Code Directory. Use this book at your local post office to look up ZIP Codes. Checking List Accuracy Through a Mail Service Provider CASS-certified software. This service will take your computerized list and run it through special software that standardizes the addresses, corrects the ZIP Codes and any spelling mistakes, and adds the ZIP+4 codes. National Change of Address (NCOA). A licensed vendor will run your mailing list through software that updates addresses for your customers who have filed a change of address order with the post office. The advantage to using NCOA is that you clean up your list before you mail. You also know in advance how much it’s going to cost (because a vendor charges by the address). With an ancillary service endorsement you get the same result (a corrected address) when you mail, but you won’t know how much you’ll pay in fees until after the corrections come back.

Although the Postal Service does not provide address lists, many outside vendors sell or rent lists. These lists usually can be tailored to allow you to reach a specific geographic area or a particular demographic group. If you buy or rent a list from a vendor, you will need to ask if the addresses are updated and correct. For additional information, see Mail Service Providers.

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Sorting Overview

Mailpieces that are sorted by ZIP Code may receive lower postage rates.

SORTING Discount postage rates are affected by the level of sorting you do. With some discount services, you may be required to sort your mail to 5-digit or 3-digit ZIP Codes. A single mailing usually includes multiple sort levels. Each level may be charged a different rate. The Postal Service provides trays and sacks for sorting your mail. Letters are sorted into trays. First-Class flats are sorted into special flat trays. Parcels and all other flats are sorted into sacks. The opposite page shows a typical sort; however, different discount services have different standards. Refer to the Quick Service Guides (see page 58) to find the standards that are required for your discount service. Presort software can help you with the sorting process. Inexpensive software will sort and print your address labels by ZIP Code according to the standards of your chosen mailing service, as well as create tray and sack labels, sorting documentation, and completed postage statements. A list of Postal Service-certified presort software is available.

Remember, you must have enough mailpieces to meet the minimum quantity for the discount mailing service you choose.

UNDERSTANDING HOW SORTING WORKS (FIRST-CLASS MAIL LETTERS)

5-Digit Individual ZIP Codes Mailpieces that are sorted to 5 digits share the same ZIP Code and are usually concentrated in one small town or neighborhood. If you don’t have enough mailpieces to fill a tray for the same 5-digit ZIP Code, use 3-digit sortation.

3-Digit All ZIP Codes with same first 3 digits After sorting all possible 5 digits, all remaining mailpieces that share the same first 3 ZIP Code digits are grouped together. If you do not have enough mailpieces to fill a tray for the same 3-digit ZIP Code, use the AADC sortation.

AADC Automated Area Distribution Centers After sorting to the first 3 digits, all remaining mailpieces are sorted to Automated Area Distribution Centers (AADCs), which are areas that serve several 3-digit ZIP Codes in one area of the country. If you do not have enough mailpieces to fill a tray for the same AADC presort area, use mixed AADC sortation.

Mixed AADC Mixed Automated Area Distribution Centers After sorting to AADCs, all remaining mailpieces are sorted to the mixed AADC level. Mixed AADC presort includes mail that is sent to all parts of the country.

CARRIER ROUTE SORTING
If your mailing is highlyconcen-trated in one area, you may be able to take advantage of the Carrier Route rates offered in some discount services. To use this rate, your mailing must have a minimum number of deliveries on a single letter carrier’s route. For most Carrier Route rates, you will have to sort your mail in the order that the letter carrier will deliver it.

The opposite page shows a typical carrier route sort; however, different discount services have different standards for Carrier Route rates. Use the appropriate Quick Service Guide for the correct sorting standards.

Carrier Route rates are available for:

• First-Class Mail
• Standard Mail
• Periodicals
• Bound Printed Matter

UNDERSTANDING CARRIER ROUTE SORTING (STANDARD MAIL)

Basic Carrier Route Your mail qualifies for the Basic Carrier Route rates if you have 10 or more mailpieces going to the same carrier route and you sort the pieces in the sequence the carrier delivers the mail.

High Density Your mail qualifies for High Density rates, which are lower than Basic Carrier Route rates, if you are mailing 125 or more mailpieces to the same carrier route and you sort the pieces in carrier route sequence.

Saturation Your mail qualifies for Saturation rates, which are lower than High Density rates, if you are mailing to at least 75% of the total possible delivery points on a single carrier route or to 90% of the total residential addresses on a single carrier route, and you sort the pieces in carrier route sequence. Simplified Addressing You may be able to use a Simplified Addressing format (e.g., “Postal Customer”) for Saturation rates if you mail to all delivery addresses on a rural route or to all boxholders at post offices that don’t have city carrier service. Government agencies may also use the Simplified Addressing format for official mail sent to all delivery addresses on a city route or to all boxholders at any post office.

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Mail Entry Overview

You must take your mail to a business mail entry unit or post office where you hold a permit.

ORIGIN ENTRY Discount mail cannot be placed in a blue collection box or handed to your carrier. It must be presented at a business mail entry unit (BMEU) or designated postal facility where you hold a mailing permit. The Postal Service has thousands of facilities that can accept your mail. The staff at your BMEU can answer your mailing questions and help ensure that your mailing is prepared correctly. In addition, many BMEUs offer training seminars for new mailers. Your BMEU or post office can provide some of the supplies you will need, including stickers, trays, sleeves (tray lids), sacks, tray labels, postage statements, and instructions for sorting your mail. To locate a BMEU near you, visit Postal Explorer (click on “Postal Links”).

You can enter discount international mail at the same facility where you enter your discount domestic mail.

THE PROCESS OF ENTERING YOUR MAIL

Apply for Permit
Obtain authorization to enter discount mail and pay appropriate fees at a postal facility near you.

When you apply for a mailing permit on Form 3615, pay the fees, and receive authorization to enter mail at that location, check the hours of operation and find out where to bring your mail.

Postage Statements
When entering a mailing, submit a completed postage statement.

Postage statements are forms you use to describe your mailing and compute your postage. Documentation to support the information on the postage statement and the rates claimed may be required. Presort software programs can complete your postage statement for you.

Verify
The postal employee will check to ensure that your mail is correctly prepared and paid for.

When you bring your mail to the BMEU or post office, a postal employee will verify that your mailing matches what you claim on your postage statement. The postal employee will also check to see that your mail is properly sorted and is eligible for the rates claimed.

Postage Payment
Payment must be made before or at the time of mailing.

Once your mail has been verified, you will pay based on the postage payment method selected earlier. For more information, see Postage Payment Options.

DESTINATION ENTRY DISCOUNTS If you are mailing Standard Mail, Periodicals, Parcel Post, or Bound Printed Matter, you may be eligible for further discounts if you enter your mail closer to its destination. After your mail is verified and postage is paid at the facility where you hold your permit, you can take your mail to one of three places to receive a destination entry discount: a destination bulk mail center (DBMC) (or destination area distribution center [DADC] for Periodicals), a destination sectional center facility (DSCF), or a destination delivery unit (DDU). The discount you receive depends on which of these locations you choose. To find more information on destination entry or to find locations, see Business Mail 101.

Mailers who live near a large mail processing plant may be able to take advantage of destination entry discounts simply by driving a short distance to enter their mail. You may want to consider holding your permit at one of these facilities. Your local BMEU or post office can help you understand your options.

LEVELS OF DESTINATION ENTRY

DBMC Destination Bulk Mail Center There are 21 DBMCs in the U.S. For this discount, you may choose to enter your mail at a destination bulk mail center. The 21 bulk mail centers in the United States handle mail for large areas. An auxiliary service facility (ASF) sometimes acts as a DBMC. To qualify for DBMC rates, your mailpieces must be addressed for delivery within the service area for that particular DBMC or ASF. Available for: Standard Mail Bound Printed Matter Parcel Post

DSCF Destination Sectional Center Facility There are 350 DSCFs in the U.S. You can receive a greater discount by entering your mail at a destination sectional center facility. To qualify for DSCF rates, your mailpieces must be addressed for delivery within the service area for that particular DSCF. Available for: Standard Mail Periodicals Bound Printed Matter Parcel Post

DDU Destination Delivery Unit (local post office) There are more than 33,000 DDUs in the U.S. You can receive an even greater discount by taking your mail to a destination delivery unit. Standard Mail and Periodicals mailings that are taken to a DDU must be claimed at Carrier Route rates and addressed for delivery within the service area for that particular DDU. Available for: Standard Mail (Carrier Route only) Periodicals (Carrier Route only) Bound Printed Matter Parcel Post

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Example

Discount mailing services can be a cost-effective solution for your business needs.

Natalie Fowler, the owner of a neighborhood coffeehouse, recognizes the advantages of using mail over other advertising media. She wants to begin a mailing program to advertise her seasonal and specialty coffees to households and businesses in her surrounding neighborhoods. She plans to send large mailings on a fairly regular basis. Natalie thinks that discount mailing services could offer the most cost-effective mailing method. Natalie uses the following steps to complete her mailing process.

2. CHOOSING A POSTAGE PAYMENT METHOD How Will Natalie Pay Postage? To make mailing easier, Natalie decides to preprint her envelopes with a permit imprint. She will not be charged for postage until she enters her mail at the Business Mail Entry Unit (BMEU). To use a permit imprint, Natalie fills out an application (Form 3615) at the BMEU where she will enter her mail. Natalie pays a $150 annual mailing fee and a one-time $150 setup fee for her permit imprint account.

Visit Postal Explorer for a Ratefold or request a Ratefold at your local post office.

3. PLANNING FOR DISCOUNTS Mail Preparation: Automation or Machinable? Natalie must now decide whether to prepare her mail as machinable letters or automation letters with barcodes. She talks to a Mailpiece Design Analyst from the Postal Service and finds that her mailpiece meets the size, shape, and design standards for machinable letters. To support her mailing program, Natalie recently purchased inexpensive presort software that provides printed address labels with barcodes in presort sequence, mailing documentation, and postage statements. Since her address list is already CASS-certified and the mailpieces contain barcodes, she can mail at the lower automation rate and save $0.08 per piece. Level of Sortation Because Natalie’s mail is going to the same local area, she knows her mail will need to be sorted only to 5 digits. Natalie realizes that she has two options for sorting her mail: doing it herself or hiring a mail service provider. If she does it herself, she can print her labels in ZIP Code order and have her employees place the mailpieces into trays she gets from the post office. If Natalie hires a mail service provider, they can print her advertisement, address and stuff her envelopes, apply postage, sort the mail into ZIP Code order, and put the mail into trays. Ultimately, Natalie decides to do this mailing on her own but knows that if she needs help she can hire a mail service provider at any time. Mail Entry Natalie will enter her mail at the BMEU near her business. When she calls the BMEU to check on its operating hours, she discovers that the BMEU is located within a Sectional Center Facility (SCF), which is a postal facility that processes the mail on its way to the delivery post office. Because the BMEU and the SCF are in the same location, Natalie can take advantage of the Destination Sectional Center Facility (DSCF) discount.

When you hire a mail service provider, you may be able to avoid paying certain fees, such as the annual mailing fee and the permit imprint fee, by using the mail service provider’s permits.

4. FILLING OUT THE POSTAGE STATEMENT What Is a Postage Statement? Natalie is required to give the BMEU clerk a completed postage statement, which is a form that documents the volume of the mailing and the postage payable or affixed. The presort software Natalie bought will help her fill out the proper postage statement. By signing the postage statement, she certifies that the mail meets the eligibility and addressing standards for the rate claimed. Which Postage Statement Should Natalie Complete? Each discount mailing service and postage payment method has its own postage statement. Natalie can find postage statements online, at her post office or at her BMEU.

A. The permit number is on the receipt that Natalie received when she first applied for a permit.
B. Areas in gray are filled in by Postal Service employees.
C. Natalie is not a federal agency; she leaves this field blank.
D. Natalie enters the total number and type of containers.
E. Natalie figures out her cost on page two of the postage statement.
F. Natalie fills in the weight of the mailpiece in decimal pounds to four digits.
G. The mail service provider who sold Natalie her address list gave her the date that the list was last verified with CASS-certified software.

5. LOOKING AT COSTS Natalie uses the back of her postage statement to find that her cost for postage will be $164 for automation Standard Mail. For this first mailing, Natalie will also have to pay the $150 annual mailing fee and the $150 permit imprint fee. However, she will be able to recover these costs over time with the money she saves on future discount mailings. A. Natalie uses Section A because she is mailing letters at an automation rate. B. Natalie enters the number of pieces she is mailing. C. Natalie multiplies the number of pieces by the postage rate to find her cost for postage. D. Natalie’s total cost for postage is $164, which she reports on page one of the postage statement.

The Postage Statement Wizard is a free interactive program that helps you fill out your postage statements

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Discount Postage Rates

For more information on domestic and international rates, visit Postal Explorer or your local post office.

Simplified Rate Chart
Effective June 30, 2002

FIRST-CLASS MAIL

1 For each additional ounce, computed postage includes $0.225 for presorted and automation rates. The rates include a $0.041 discount for presorted and automation rate pieces weighing more than 2 ounces.
2 Nonmachinable surcharge might apply: presorted and automation $0.055.
3 Weight not to exceed 3.3 ounces.
4 Single rate applies to a double postcard when originally mailed; reply half of double postcard must bear postage at applicable rate when returned unless prepared as business reply mail.

STANDARD MAIL PARCEL POST - PARCEL SELECT BOUND PRINTED MATTER MEDIA MAIL Rates are based on shape, weight, and level of sortation. Nonprofit rates are also available. Pieces weighing 3.3 ounces or less pay a per piece rate. Pieces over 3.3 ounces pay a per piece plus a per pound rate. Pieces prepared as parcels also pay the “residual shape surcharge.” For example: the postage for a machinable letter weighing no more than 3.3 ounces can cost between $0.222 and $0.268. the postage for an automation (barcoded) letter weighing no more than 3.3 ounces can cost between $0.164 and $0.219. the postage for an enhanced carrier route letter weighing no more than 3.3 ounces can cost between $0.12 and $0.194. One ounce is approximately equal to four sheets of paper plus a standard envelope.   Rates are based on weight, destination entry, and zone. For example, the postage for a 5-pound parcel can cost between $1 and $6. Rates are based on shape, weight, zone, level of sortation, and destination entry. For example: the postage for a 1-pound phone book mailed as a parcel can cost between $0.539 and $1.574. the postage for a 1-pound clothing catalog mailed as a flat can cost between $0.462 and $1.497.   5-Digit Basic 1 lb $0.80 $1.12 2 lbs $1.22 $1.54 3 lbs $1.64 $1.96 4 lbs $2.06 $2.38 5 lbs $2.48 $2.80 Other rates are available up to 70 pounds. Fees Annual Mailing Fee* $150.00 Annual Destination Entry Fee (for Parcel Select and Bound Printed Matter only) $150.00 Permit Imprint Application Fee $150.00 * Separate annual mailing fees must be paid for presorted First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, and Media Mail.

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Where to Go From Here

Quick Service Guides, which provide a summary of each mailing service, including rates and procedures, are available at your local post office, or BMEU. A complete list of Quick Service Guides in PDF and HTML are available on Postal Explorer.

Many business mail entry units (BMEUs) offer training seminars for discount mailers and can answer your mailing questions. To locate a BMEU use the Business Mail Entry Locator.

This list contains some of the things you should consider before entering your mail.

• Choose a mailing service
• Choose a postage payment method and get the required mailing permit
• Prepare your mailpiece
• Get an address list
• Check the accuracy of your address list
• Sort your mail
• Fill out a postage statement
• Enter your mail

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