[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 197 (Thursday, October 11, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 51359-51360]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-22107]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


POSTNET Barcode

AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is amending Mailing Standards of the United 
States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) to remove all 
references to the POSTNETTM barcode.

DATES: Effective Date: October 11, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lizbeth Dobbins at (202) 268-3789 or 
Garry Rodriguez at (202) 268-7261.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Postal Service published a notice of 
proposed rulemaking on July 23, 2018, (83 FR 34806-07) to amend the DMM 
to remove all references to the POSTNET barcode. This decision was 
based on the limited use of the POSTNET barcode and the need to 
simplify the standards in regard to barcoding letter-size and flat-size 
mailpieces.
    The Postal Service received 1 formal response which was in 
agreement with the removal of POSTNET barcodes in the DMM.
    The Postal Service will remove all references to the POSTNET 
barcode from the DMM. The Postal Service will continue to process 
mailpieces with a POSTNET barcode to accommodate customers who may have 
preprinted stock bearing a POSTNET barcode.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

    Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.

    The Postal Service adopts the following changes to Mailing 
Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual 
(DMM), incorporated by reference in the Code of Federal Regulations. 
See 39 CFR 111.1.
    Accordingly, 39 CFR part 111 is amended as follows:

PART 111--[AMENDED]

0
1. The authority citation for 39 CFR part 111 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 13 U.S.C. 301-307; 18 U.S.C. 1692-
1737; 39 U.S.C. 101, 401, 403, 404, 414, 416, 3001-3011, 3201-3219, 
3403-3406, 3621, 3622, 3626, 3632, 3633, and 5001.

0
2. Revise the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, 
Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) as follows:

Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail 
Manual (DMM)

* * * * *

200 Commercial Mail Letters, Cards, Flats, and Parcels

* * * * *

202 Elements on the Face of a Mailpiece

* * * * *

5.0 Barcode Placement Letters and Flats

5.1 Letter-Size

* * * * *

5.1.4 Additional Barcode Permissibility

    [Revise the text of 5.1.4 to read as follows:]
    An automation letter or a letter claimed at Enhanced Carrier Route 
saturation or high density automation letter prices may not bear a 5-
digit or ZIP+4 Intelligent Mail barcode in the lower right corner 
(barcode clear zone). The piece may bear an additional Intelligent Mail 
barcode in the address block only if a qualifying Intelligent Mail 
barcode with a delivery point routing code appears in the lower right 
corner.
* * * * *

5.2 Flat-Size

5.2.1 Barcode Placement for Flats

    [Revise the fifth sentence of 5.2.1 to read as follows:]
    * * * An additional Intelligent Mail barcode may also appear in the 
address block of an automation flat, when the qualifying Intelligent 
Mail barcode is not in the address block. * * *
* * * * *

6.0 Barcode Placement for Parcels

* * * * *
    [Revise the heading and text of 6.3 to read as follows:]

6.3 Intelligent Mail Barcodes

    Intelligent Mail barcodes (IMb) do not meet barcode eligibility 
requirements for parcels and do not qualify for any barcode-related 
prices for parcels, but one barcode may be included only in the address 
block on a parcel, except on eVS parcels. An Intelligent Mail barcode 
in the address block must be placed according to 5.3.
* * * * *

8.0 Facing Identification Mark (FIM)

* * * * *

8.2 Pattern

    [Revise the third sentence in the introductory text of 8.2 to read 
as follows:]
    * * * The required FIM pattern as shown in Exhibit 8.2.0 below 
depends on the type of mail and the presence of an Intelligent Mail 
barcode as follows:
* * * * *

204 Barcode Standards

Overview

    [Revise the link heading under ``Overview'' to read as follows:]

1.0 Standards for Intelligent Mail Barcodes

* * * * *
    [Revise the heading of 1.0 to read as follows:]

1.0 Standards for Intelligent Mail Barcodes

1.1 General

    [Revise the text of 1.1 to read as follows:]

[[Page 51360]]

    An Intelligent Mail barcode is a USPS-developed method to encode 
ZIP Code information on mail that can be read for sorting by automated 
machines. Intelligent Mail barcodes also encode other tracking 
information.
    [Delete 1.2, POSTNET Barcode, in its entirety and renumber 1.3 
through 1.6 as 1.2 through 1.5.]
* * * * *

507 Mailer Services

* * * * *

4.0 Address Correction Services

* * * * *

4.2 Address Change Service (ACS)

* * * * *

4.2.6 Additional Standards--When Using Intelligent Mail Barcodes

    * * * Mailpieces must meet the following specifications:
* * * * *
    [Revise the text of item b to read as follows:]
    b. Flat-size mailpieces may be mailed at nonautomation or 
automation prices.
* * * * *

600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services

* * * * *

604 Postage Payment Methods and Refunds

* * * * *

4.0 Postage Meters and PC Postage Products (``Postage Evidencing 
Systems'')

* * * * *

4.3 Postage Payment

* * * * *

4.3.3 Placement of Postage

    * * * When placing indicia on mailpieces, position indicia at least 
\1/4\ inch from the right edge of the mailpiece and \1/4\ inch from the 
top edge of the mailpiece and as follows:
* * * * *
    [Revise the text of item e to read as follows:]
    e. Do not allow the indicia to infringe on the areas reserved for 
the FIM, Intelligent Mail barcode, or optical character reader (OCR) 
clear zone.
* * * * *

Index

* * * * *

P

* * * * *
    [Delete the ``POSTNET'' line item in the Index.]
* * * * *
    We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to 
reflect these changes.

Brittany M. Johnson,
Attorney, Federal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2018-22107 Filed 10-10-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7710-12-P