[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 13, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 2141]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-685]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Addressing Requirements for Shared Mail Receptacles on Rural and 
Highway Contract Delivery Routes

AGENCY: Postal Service.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This final rule amends the Domestic Mail Manual to clarify 
addressing requirements for customers of rural or highway contract 
delivery routes who share mail receptacles.

DATES: This final rule is effective February 11, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jackie Estes, Operations Specialist, 
Delivery Policies and Programs, (202) 268-3543.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This rule change clarifies postal addressing 
requirements for certain customers of rural and highway contract 
delivery routes, when local governments implement street name and 
number systems. Normally this occurs in conjunction with Emergency 9-1-
1 service activation.
    Historically, customers of up to five (5) separate households on 
rural and highway contract delivery routes have been able to share a 
mail receptacle for purposes of receiving carrier delivery service, 
with the owner's written permission. In areas without street names and 
numbers, a postal route and box number addressing system (e.g., RR 1 
BOX 250) is used. The box address reflects the receptacle location and 
sequence on the delivery route. Therefore, customers sharing the 
receptacle use its particular address. If a customer subsequently 
decides to erect an individual receptacle, that receptacle is assigned 
its own route-and-box-number address, reflecting its particular 
location and sequence.
    When localities convert to street name and number systems, 
customers may continue to share a mail receptacle, but they still must 
use the address that reflects the particular box, e.g., the street name 
and number of the receptacle's owner, rather than the various street 
names and numbers now assigned to their individual properties. This 
addressing requirement is familiar to customers as the ``in care of'' 
address format, e.g.:

  JOHN DOE
  C/O R SMITH 123 MAIN ST
  ANYTOWN USA 00000-0000

    Customers who are entitled to individual carrier delivery but 
instead share a box, have always been able to erect individual 
receptacles. There is no change in this customer option. However, if a 
street name and number system is in place, the correct address for the 
individual receptacle will be the street name and number assigned to 
its owner's particular property.
    These amendments are being published without a notice and comment 
provision in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), since no customers are 
burdened by the rule change.
    The Postal Service hereby adopts the following amendments to the 
Domestic Mail Manual which is incorporated by reference in the Code of 
Federal Regulations, 39 CFR 111.1.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

    Postal Service.

PART 111--[AMENDED]

    1. The authority citation for 39 CFR part 111 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 39 U.S.C. 101, 401, 403, 404, 3001-
3011, 3201-3219, 3403-3406, 3621, 3626, 5001.

    2. Revise part D041 of the Domestic Mail Manual to read as follows:
D041  Customer Mail Receptacles
* * * * *
D041.2.0  CURBSIDE MAILBOXES
* * * * *
D041.2.8  More Than One Family
    If more than one family wishes to share a mail receptacle, the 
following standards apply:
    a. Route and Box Number Addressing. On rural and highway contract 
routes authorized to use a route and box numbering system (e.g., RR 1 
BOX 155), up to five families may share a single mail receptacle and 
use a common route and box designation. A written notice of agreement, 
signed by the heads of the families or the individuals who want to join 
in the use of such box, must be filed with the postmaster at the 
delivery office.
    b. Conversion to Street Name and Number Addressing. When street 
name and numbering systems are adopted, those addresses reflect 
distinct customer locations and sequences. Rural and highway contract 
route customers who are assigned different primary addresses (e.g., 123 
APPLE WAY vs. 136 APPLE WAY) should erect individual mail receptacles 
in locations recommended by their postmasters and begin using their new 
addresses. Customers having different primary addresses, who wish to 
continue sharing a common receptacle, must use the address of the 
receptacle's owner and the ``care of'' address format:

  JOHN DOE
  C/O ROBERT SMITH 123 APPLE WAY

    Customers having a common primary address (e.g., 800 MAIN ST, but 
different secondary addresses (e.g., APT 101, APT 102, etc.), may 
continue to share a common receptacle if single-point delivery is 
authorized for the primary address. Secondary addresses should still be 
included in all correspondence.
* * * * *
Stanley F. Mires,
Chief Counsel, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 99-685 Filed 1-12-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P