Are Registered Mail Receipts Bonded Instruments

ARCHIVED DMM - AUG x, 2003

S900 Special Postal Services

S910 Security and Accountability

S911 Registered Mail

Summary

S911 describes the standards for registered mail service including what matter is eligible and ineligible for this service. It as well discusses fees, liability, and procedures for preparing registered mail service.

ane.0 Basic Information

one.ane Description

[five-20-03] Registered postal service is the about secure service that the USPS offers. It incorporates a organisation of receipts to monitor the move of the mail service from the betoken of acceptance to commitment. Registered mail provides the sender with a mailing receipt and, upon request, electronic verification that an article was delivered or that a delivery attempt was made. Customers can recollect the delivery status in three means: (i) over the Internet at www.usps.com by entering the commodity number shown on the mailing receipt; (ii) past telephone at i-800-222-1811; or (iii) by bulk electronic file transfer for mailers who provide an electronic manifest to the Postal service. A delivery record (which includes the signature) is maintained past the Postal Service for a specified period of fourth dimension.

1.2 Eligible Matter

Only matter prepaid with postage at the First-Class Post rates may exist registered. The face (address side) of the registered article must be at to the lowest degree 5 inches long and three-i/ii inches loftier, regardless of thickness. Items returned under merchandise render service (S923) may be registered without prepayment of postage and fees.

i.3Identify of Mailing

Registration may exist obtained by presenting mail to the following:

a. A retail employee at a post part, station, or branch (including any contractor-operated unit). A postmaster may require that an article of unusually high value exist presented just at the primary part or at designated stations and branches.

b. A rural carrier on a rural route. The article and sufficient cash for postage and required fees for mailing the commodity may be left in a rural mailbox. The carrier must hand any alter to the sender or identify information technology in an envelope and leave the envelope in the box on the carrier'due south side by side trip. Responsibility is non assumed for the commodity or cash until a receipt is issued. No responsibility is assumed for the change left in the box by the carrier.

c. A rural carrier at a nonpersonnel rural unit. The sender must encounter the rural carrier to accept mail registered.

1.4Ineligible Thing

Registration may non be obtained for mail service that is handled as follows:

a. Sent as business reply mail service or in a business respond envelope.

b. Placed in a street letterbox or post office maildrop.

c. Addressed to a post office to which information technology cannot be transported safely.

d. Prepared improperly or packed inadequately to withstand normal handling (see three.7).

e. Tied or fastened with one or more articles, unless enclosed in the aforementioned envelope or wrapper.

f. Presented for mailing in a padded envelope; envelope or mailer manufactured of spun-bonded olefin, such as Tyvek; plastic envelope or mailer; or envelope or mailer made of glossy-coated paper.

1.v Additional Services

Purchasing registered postal service service allows customers to then purchase restricted delivery service or a render receipt. The following additional services may be combined with registered mail service if the applicable standards for the services are met and the boosted service fees are paid:

a. Collect on delivery (COD) service.

b. Delivery Confirmation.

c. Signature Confirmation.

2.0 Fees and Liability

2.iFull Value

Regardless of whatever insurance that may cover the article, the mailer must always declare its total value to the USPS when presenting it for registration and mailing (run into chart beneath). The mailer must tell the USPS clerk (or enter on the firm sheet if a firm mailer) the full value of post thing presented for registration. Individual insurance carried on registered mail service does non alter the requirements for declaring the full value. The accepting USPS employee may ask the mailer to show that the total value of the matter presented is declared, and may refuse to accept the matter as registered mail if a satisfactory proclamation of value is non provided. But articles of no value may be mailed as registered mail without insurance.

Mail Matter	Value to Be Alleged
Negotiable Instrument (instruments payable to bearer, including stock certificates endorsed in bare)	Market value (value based on value at time of mailing)
Nonnegotiable Musical instrument (registered bonds, warehouse receipts, checks, drafts, deeds, wills, abstracts, and similar documents (certificates of stock considered nonnegotiable then far as annunciation of value is concerned unless endorsed in bare))	No value or replacement cost if postal insurance coverage desired (see annotation below)
Money	Full value
Jewelry, Gems, Precious Metal	Market value or price
Merchandise	Market place value or cost
Nonvaluable (matter without intrinsic value such equally letters, files, records)	No value or replacement price if postal insurance coverage desired
Note: A mailer who does not know replacement costs should contact a person or business firm familiar with such documents and make up one's mind replacement costs earlier mailing the articles.

2.2 Payment

The fee and postage may be paid with ordinary postage stamps, meter stamps, or let imprints. If a let imprint is used, the exact corporeality of postage and fees paid must be shown within the permit banner. For pieces that are office of a manifest mailing, just the registry fee must exist shown inside the permit banner. The fee and postage on official mail of authorized federal agencies may likewise be paid with penalty stamps, penalty meter stamps, or penalty permit imprints. The fees and postage on items registered with merchandise return service are paid through a postage due business relationship nether S923.

2.3Postal Insurance

Postal insurance is provided for manufactures with a value of at to the lowest degree $0.01 upwards to a maximum insured value of $25,000. Insurance is included in the fee. Postal insurance is not bachelor for articles with no value ($0.00).

2.4 Refund

A fee for registered mail is not refunded after the USPS accepts the mail even if the sender later withdraws the mail nether 3.10. A fee for return receipt service or restricted commitment service is non refunded unless the USPS fails to provide the service. The sender must nowadays the registered mail service receipt showing payment of these services.

2.fiveOfficial Mail

Official postal service of authorized government agencies, if prepared under applicable standards in E060 for transmission of postal service without prepayment of postage, may be sent past registered post without prepayment of a registration fee.

2.6Trade Return

Matter registered with merchandise render service under S923 may be sent by registered postal service without prepayment of postage stamp and fees.

ii.7Indemnity

Except for matter registered with trade return service, no indemnity is paid for whatever matter registered without prepayment of postage and fees. If a government bureau wants indemnity coverage, both the applicable stamp and registry fee must be paid in full with stamps or meter stamps.

3.0 Mailing

3.1USPS

USPS employees are non permitted to assist customers prepare or seal mail service to be registered.

3.iiAddressing

The mail service must bear the complete names and addresses of both sender and leaseholder.

3.3Opened Envelope

Whatsoever envelope or package that appears to have been opened and resealed, or otherwise improperly prepared, may not be registered.

3.iv Label 200

Registered mail must bear a barcoded carmine Label 200 (see Exhibit three.iv). The characterization must be placed above the commitment accost and to the correct of the return address, or to the left of the commitment address on parcels. A big-book mailer tin obtain Characterization 200 in rolls of 600.

Showroom 3.four Label 20 0

Shows the label for Registered Mail.

3.5 Privately Printed Label 200

If authorized, a mailer may utilise a privately printed Label 200 for domestic postal service only. Privately printed labels must exist nearly identical in design and color to the USPS form, with a barcode and human-readable numbers that meet USPS specifications in Publication 109. A minimum of three preproduction samples must be submitted to the business organization postal service entry manager serving the mailer's location for review past the mailpiece pattern analyst. Once canonical, the mailer must print sample labels with barcodes to be certified under the technical requirements in Publication 109.

3.6 Sealing

The mailer must securely seal envelopes. Paper or cellulose strips or wax or paper seals must non be placed over the intersections of flaps of letter-size envelopes where the postmark impressions are made. Packages must be sealed with mucilage or glue or with plain paper or material tape. Packages containing currency or securities may non be sealed exclusively by paper strips, but must commencement be sealed securely with mucilage or gum. Large envelopes (flats) that are completely sealed and that also accept newspaper strips or newspaper tape across the intersections of the flaps may exist considered packages for sealing requirements. To exist used on registered mail service, record must visibly damage the envelope or wrapper if removed and must absorb the ink in a postmark impression.

3.7 Fragile Detail

The mailer must tell the USPS employee whether the item is fragile and, if so, describe the interior packing. All manufactures presented for registration must be packed as specified in C010. The USPS may refuse packages not properly packed to withstand normal handling in the mail service. Indemnity may be denied if manufactures are not properly packaged.

3.8Window Envelope

A window envelope must accept a transparent panel covering the opening to exist eligible for registry. If the console is glued to the envelope, the envelope may contain but matter without intrinsic value. If the panel is role of the envelope, the envelope may be used for all registered postal service.

3.9Firm Sheet

If 3 or more than registered articles are presented for mailing at one fourth dimension, the mailer may use Form 3877 (house sail) or privately printed firm sheets. Privately printed or computer-generated firm sheets that contain the aforementioned data as Course 3877 may be approved by the local postmaster. The mailer may omit columns from Form 3877 that are non applicative to registered postal service. The mailer submits the forms in duplicate and receives one copy as a mailing receipt after the entries are verified by the postal employee accepting the mailing. All entries made on firm sheets must be made by typewriter, ink, or ballpoint pen. Alterations must be initialed by the mailer and accepting employee. All unused portions of the addressee column must be obliterated with a diagonal line.

3.10 Withdrawal or Recall

The sender may withdraw or recall registered postal service without charge before its delivery by writing on the receipt "Withdrawn before acceleration," and signing and surrendering the receipt; or filing a written request for its return later on dispatch at the post part where the article was mailed, giving names and addresses of sender and leaseholder, the registry number, and engagement of mailing. The sender must pay for all telephone calls. If remailed, the commodity must be under new cover and bear new postage and fees.

4.0 Delivery

4.1Bones Standards

Delivery of registered postal service is subject to D042. The postmaster may require the addressee to phone call for registered mail service at the post role if delivery by carrier would not be safe.

4.iiBad Condition

If the addressee accepts a registered article in bad condition (i.e., ane repaired with sealing stamps or reenclosed in a new envelope or wrapper), the leaseholder must open it without disturbing the seal, in the delivering employee's presence. If annihilation is missing, the envelope or wrapper must be given to the employee later on it is endorsed to testify what was missing.

5.0 Enquiry on Uninsured Article

5.iWho May File

If postal insurance was purchased, the merits procedures in S010 apply. The procedures in this section apply only to uninsured registered postal service. Merely the mailer may file an inquiry on uninsured registered mail. For affair registered without postal insurance with trade render service, only the permit holder may file an inquiry.

v.2When to File

The mailer may not file any research until 15 days afterward the mailing date of the article. An inquiry may be filed at any mail office, classified station, or classified co-operative, except for an inquiry almost matter registered with merchandise return service, which must be filed past the let holder at the post part where the permit is held. Form 1000 must be used in processing an inquiry for uninsured registered mail service. An inquiry may be filed in the following manner:

a. Any mailer filing an inquiry for the alleged loss of registered mail must provide proof that a loss occurred earlier a post office may have the inquiry.

b. Proof may be provided by these methods:

(1) The mailer may obtain Form 1000 from whatsoever postal service office. The mailer must complete the form and ship information technology to the addressee. USPS employees may not mail the inquiry for the mailer, only they may help a mailer consummate the form if requested. The addressee must consummate item 13 and items 17 through nineteen on Course 1000 and render it to the mailer. If the leaseholder signs the claim form and indicates the article was not received xv days or more afterward the mailing engagement, the mailer may then accept the merits form, with the original mailing receipt, to a mail service function and file an inquiry.

(2) If the mailer has the addressee'southward written and signed documentation (such as a letter dated at least xv days after the mailing engagement) stating the addressee did not receive the article, the mailer may take this documentation to a mail role, with the original mailing receipt, and file an enquiry.

(3) If the mailer cannot obtain the addressee'due south cooperation in signing Class yard for a registered article or, if preferable, the mailer may send a check or money gild for the "return receipt requested afterward mailing" fee in R900.23.0 to the post office of address and asking a copy of the delivery tape, if 15 days or more accept passed since the mailing date. Any such request for a delivery record must comprise the date the article was mailed, the registered number, and the complete names and addresses of the mailer and addressee. The response to this search of delivery records ends the inquiry process.

c. A merchandise return permit holder must inquire the leaseholder to consummate items one through 12 and xiv through 16 of Course g and return it, forth with the original mailing receipt, to the allow holder. The permit holder must complete item 13 and items 17 through nineteen and submit the completed form, along with the original mailing receipt, to the post function where the permit is held. An inquiry may be filed no sooner than 15 days afterward the mailing date.

five.3Duplicate Inquiry

A duplicate inquiry may non exist filed sooner than 30 days after the original inquiry.

DMM Issue 58 (8-10-03)

ARCHIVED DMM - AUG 10, 2003