What's New in the DMM?

The online DMM is updated monthly on Postal Explorer

A complete summary of changes to the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) since January 8, 2006, is available on Postal Explorer at pe.usps.com; click "DMM Summary of Changes." Mailers with questions regarding these changes should contact the Post Office where they enter their mailings.

Sack Labels
We revised standards to clarify that mailers may use 2-inch labels with sacks that have 2-inch label holders. The use of 2-inch labels is important to ensure that labels do not fall out during transportation and processing. We also eliminated the requirement to use "zebra codes" on barcoded tray labels. See the May 11, 2006, Postal Bulletin.

Sacks for Periodicals Mail
We now allow mailers to use either brown sacks or the new plastic sacks for Periodicals flats and irregular parcels. Mailers may continue to use brown sacks until inventories are depleted. See the May 11, 2006, Postal Bulletin.

New Mail Preparation for Periodicals Mail
We adopted two new required sacks — a 3-digit carrier routes sack and a merged 3-digit sack. We also adopted a new (hard) minimum of 24 addressed pieces for most other sacks. These standards encourage more efficient mail preparation. See the January/February 2006 Mailers Companion and the January 19, 2006, Postal Bulletin.

Periodicals, Standard Mail, and Package Services Mail on Pallets
We revised the preparation standards for bundles of Periodicals, Standard Mail, and Package Services flats and irregular parcels (i.e., publications, catalogs and other flat-shaped pieces exceeding one or more of the maximum dimensions for flats) placed on pallets. See the January/February 2006 Mailers Companion and the January 19, 2006, Postal Bulletin.

Periodicals Mail on Pallets
We added an option for Periodicals mailers to reallocate bundles of flats and irregular parcels on pallets to protect an ADC pallet. These new standards will increase the volume of mail placed on pallets, and reduce the volume of mail falling to sacks. See the January/February 2006 Mailers Companion and the January 19, 2006, Postal Bulletin.

Address Change Service
We revised Address Change Service (ACS) standards to clarify where mailers may place the ACS participant code and mailer keyline information on mailpieces. See the April 27, 2006, Postal Bulletin.

Bundles of Flats and Irregular Parcels
Mailers must now use two bands to secure all presort destination bundles of flats and irregular parcels (i.e., publications, catalogs and other flat-shaped pieces exceeding one or more of the maximum dimensions for flats) when bundles are not prepared using shrinkwrap. See the March 2, 2006, Postal Bulletin and see the article "Perfect Presort Destination Bundles" in the November/December 2005 Mailers Companion.

Combining Package Services Mail
Mailers may combine different subclasses of Package Services machinable parcels for destination BMC entry and, where applicable, destination BMC rates. Previously mailers could commingle Package Services parcels only when combined with Standard Mail machinable parcels. See the April 13, 2006, Postal Bulletin.

Low-Cost Items
We adjusted the maximum value of a low-cost item mailable at Standard Mail Nonprofit rates from $8.30 to $8.60. See the January 19, 2006, Postal Bulletin, and the January/February 2006 Mailers Companion.