The US Postal Service will require all bound printed matter (BPM) mailings be paid by permit only as of September 11.
Postage payment for all BPM mailings, which include “carrier route, presorted, and non-presorted (single-piece) flats and parcels, regardless of volume,” will be limited to permit imprint, the USPS said.
As a result of this classification change, mailers will no longer be able to pay for postage with adhesive stamps, a customer-generated postage meter or PC Postage, according to the USPS. And, moving forward, BPM mailings will not be accepted at retail counters, in collection boxes or by carriers. Instead, mailers must deposit BPM mailings at the Post Office facility that issued them the permit.
Those who hold merchandise return service permit will be able to continue to pay non-presorted BPM prices on eligible items that are returned with a merchandise return service label.
The USPS filed notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission in March requesting this classification change. In July, the commission accepted the change, allowing it to go into effect.
