Doctors Note: Oh boy, did the good doctor stir things up last month with the question regarding forwarding business reply mail (BRM). I’ve never received so much e-mail (Thank you, writers). The information provided last month is correct. BRM is First-Class Mail and, therefore, can be forwarded as stated in the article. What the question didn’t ask, and I didn’t provide, is how it is done. You can find this information below, in the article titled “Business Reply Mail — Change of Address.”

Business Reply Mail — Change of Address

When business reply mail (BRM) permit holders relocate, they should stop distribution of all BRM displaying their old address. However, if they have some BRM still in circulation that they want delivered to their new business address, the BRM permit holder can file a change-of-address order for the reply pieces.

BRM is forwarded in one of two ways:

(1) If a BRM account is still active at the Post Office serving the old address, the applicable First-Class Mail postage, and BRM per-piece fees are deducted from the account. The Post Office forwards the BRM pieces under postal cover directly to the BRM permit holder’s new address.

(2) If the permit holder has applied for a new BRM account and has paid the annual BRM fee at the Post Office serving the new address, the BRM pieces are forwarded — separately or in batches — to the postage due unit at the new Post Office. The applicable First-Class Mail postage and BRM per-piece fees are deducted from their new account.

In either case, the permit holder is responsible for paying only the applicable First-Class Mail postage and BRM per-piece fees for the forwarded pieces. Because BRM is First-Class Mail, it is forwarded at no cost for months 1 through 12, as indicated in DMM F010.5.1.

Send questions regarding mail preparation, standards, or regulations to “Ask Dr. Barcode” via e-mail to drbar@usps.gov or fax to 703-292-3876. The good doctor will select one or two of the most challenging questions for publication.