[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 25, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 4728-4729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-01350]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Post Office Box Fee Refund

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 clarify 
the refund policy for customers who qualified for a Group ``E'' (free) 
Post Office BoxTM. The Postal Service is also making an 
amendment for consistency with refund standards.

DATES: Effective March 1, 2023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Phong T. Quang at (202) 268-2857 or 
Garry Rodriguez at (202) 268-7281.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 13, 2022, the Postal Service 
published a notice of proposed rulemaking (87 FR 76170-76171) to 
clarify the refund policy for customers who qualified for a Group ``E'' 
(free) P.O. Box. The Postal Service did not receive any customer 
comments.
    To ensure uniform treatment of customers who were not provided 
Group E P.O. Box service, the Postal Service is providing a refund 
policy if it has been determined that a customer paying for P.O. Box 
service is entitled to Group E P.O. Box service. A refund of prorated 
fees may be issued for each full consecutive month preceding the 
determination, up to a maximum of 24 months. Interest will not be paid 
on the amount refunded.
    The Postal Service is also making a minor revision to the text in 
subsection 508.4.5.2c for clarity in the standard and in subsection 
604.9.0 to establish a link to the P.O. Box fee refund standards in 
subsection 508.4.6.
    We believe the proposed revisions will provide customers with a 
more efficient mailing experience.
    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.
    We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to 
reflect these changes.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

    Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.

    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, 401-404, 414, 416, 3001-3018, 3201-3220, 3401-
3406, 3621, 3622, 3626, 3629, 3631-3633, 3641, 3681-3685, 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)

* * * * *

500 Additional Services

* * * * *

508 Recipient Services

* * * * *

4.0 Post Office Box Service

* * * * *

4.5 Fee Group Assignments

* * * * *

4.5.2 Fee Group E--Free P.O. Box Service

    Customers may qualify for Group E (free) P.O. Box service at a Post 
Office if their physical address location meets all of the following 
criteria:
* * * * *
    [Revise the first sentence of item c to read as follows:]
    c. USPS does not provide carrier delivery to a mail receptacle at 
or near a physical address for reasons other than those in 4.5.3b. * * 
*
* * * * *

4.6 Fee Refund

* * * * *
    [Add new 4.6.3 to read as follows:]

4.6.3 Group E P.O. Box Service Fee Refund

    If a postmaster determines that a customer paying for P.O. Box 
service was entitled to Group E (free) P.O. Box service under 4.5.2, a 
refund of prorated fees may be issued for each full consecutive month 
preceding the determination, up to a maximum of 24 months. Interest is 
not paid on the amount refunded.
* * * * *

600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services

* * * * *

604 Postage Payment Methods and Refunds

* * * * *

9.0 Exchanges and Refunds

* * * * *
    [Add new 9.6 to read as follows:]

[[Page 4729]]

9.6 Post Office Box Fee Refunds

    Fee refunds for P.O. Box service are provided under 508.4.6.
* * * * *

Tram T. Pham,
Attorney, Ethics and Legal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2023-01350 Filed 1-24-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P