Do you mail "Flats"? New rules effective March 29

The USPS, in an effort to streamline the automated processing of "Flat" mail, has released new rules about the placement of addresses on this class, which is any mail with a dimension that exceeds the "letter Size" maximums of 6.125 inches x 11.5 inches. To make this long story short, if it's 8.5 x 11 when it's mailed, it's a "Flat".

As of March 29 the mailing information must be contained in the "upper portion" of the mailpiece with the binding (or final folded) edge to the right. To avoid any chance that this blog will give you incomplete or incorrect information please refer to this brief two page Fact Sheet from the USPS here.

Here is a relevent graphic from this Fact_Sheet.

Here is an alternate view from the Final Rule (p. 12). If this change has a potential impact on your publication please be sure to contact the USPS or your mailing services provider to verify your layout is in compliance. The last thing any of us want is for your project to run into trouble at the Post Office after it's printed. Let's all try to catch up with this situation and help each other maintain eligibility for the lowest possible postal rates.

There are more changes on the way from USPS which this blog will attempt to decipher. Until then, see you online!

Hugh Butler

Your friend in the printing business