Proposed Rule2025-17659
Manifest Mailing System Retired
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
September 12, 2025
Issuing agencies
Postal Service
Abstract
The Postal Service is proposing to amend Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) subsection 703.2.0 to retire the manifest mailing system (MMS).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 175 (Friday, September 12, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 175 (Friday, September 12, 2025)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 44153-44155]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-17659]
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POSTAL SERVICE
39 CFR Part 111
Manifest Mailing System Retired
AGENCY: Postal Service.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is proposing to amend Mailing Standards of
the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg])
subsection 703.2.0 to retire the manifest mailing system (MMS).
DATES: Submit comments on or before October 14, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver written comments to the manager, Product
Classification, U.S. Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 4446,
Washington, DC 20260-5015. If sending comments by email, include the
name and address of the commenter and send to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#93c3d0d5f6f7f6e1f2ffc1f6f4fae0e7f6e1d3e6e0e3e0bdf4fce5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3666757053525344575a6453515f45425344764345464518515940">[email protected]</span></a>, with a subject line of ``MMS Retired''.
Faxed comments are not accepted.
You may inspect and photocopy all written comments, by appointment
only, at USPS[supreg] Headquarters Library, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, 11th
Floor North, Washington, DC 20260. These records are available for
review on Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., by calling 202-268-
2906.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Duffy at (517) 703-4246, Geriann
Wakely at (631-913-1116) or Garry Rodriguez at (202) 268-7281.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: All submitted comments and attachments are
part of the public record and subject to disclosure. Do not enclose any
material in your comments that you consider to be confidential or
inappropriate for public disclosure.
Background
The Postal Service has streamlined the acceptance, induction, and
verification of commercial cards, letters, flats, and package mailings
to electronic files and documentation including:
[[Page 44154]]
<bullet> Full-Service Mailings
<bullet> Electronic Induction (eInduction)
<bullet> Seamless Acceptance
<bullet> Move Update
<bullet> Mail Irregularities
<bullet> USPS Ship
These key initiatives leverage existing technology to:
1. Improve mail quality by sharing information on mail preparation,
identification of trends, and trend-based quality measurements.
2. Simplify the induction of mailings through automated and
standardized acceptance, verification, and induction processes.
3. Provide end-to-end visibility through scanning data.
4. Enable mailers, through an account management portal, to manage
account activities, view account balances, and generate reports based
on mailings.
Streamlined mail acceptance for cards, letters, and flat mailers is
achieved through the implementation of the following:
Full-Service: Full-Service Mailings use Intelligent Mail[supreg]
barcodes (IMb[supreg]) on mail containers, handling units (trays,
sacks), and mailpieces to provide end-to-end visibility into the
mailstream. First-Class Mail[supreg] (cards, letters, and flats),
Periodicals (letters and flats), and USPS Marketing Mail[supreg]
(letters, and flats) meeting eligibility requirements for automation or
carrier route prices (except for USPS Marketing Mail Enhanced Carrier
Route saturation flats) and Bound Printed Matter (BPM) presorted or
carrier route barcoded flats, are potentially eligible for incentives.
Electronic verifications are performed to ensure mailer compliance with
the program requirements.
Seamless Acceptance: Seamless Acceptance automates the verification
of commercial mailings by leveraging electronic documentation (eDoc),
Intelligent Mail container barcode (IMcb), Intelligent Mail tray
barcodes (IMtb), IMb, and information collected from both handheld
sampling devices and mail processing equipment scans. Seamless
Acceptance is mandatory for all detached mail unit (DMU) locations.
Streamlined mail acceptance for package mailers is achieved through
the implementation of the following:
USPS Ship: USPS Ship supports postage calculation and adjustment
for Domestic and International package products including Priority Mail
Express[supreg], Priority Mail[supreg], USPS Ground Advantage[supreg],
Priority Mail Express International[supreg], Priority Mail
International<SUP>TM</SUP>, and First-Class Package International
Service[supreg]. USPS Ship also supports USPS Connect[supreg] Local,
USPS Connect Local Mail, USPS Connect Regional, USPS Returns[supreg],
and Parcel Return Service (PRS).
Manifest customers submit Shipping Service File (SSF) version 1.6,
version 1.7, or version 2.0 including rate ingredients(weight,
dimensions, packaging, entry) postage, and payment method for each
package to USPS via PDX, SFTP, or AS2. USPS Ship validates and prices
each individual package using claimed rate ingredients. If a package
fails to price, USPS Ship uses advanced processing logic to update the
rate ingredients included in the mailing to price as many packages as
possible. Details can be found in Publication 199, Intelligent Mail
Package Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide for Confirmation Services
and Electronic Payment Systems.
As part of the Postal Service's 100% Visibility initiative, USPS
launched a class-specific barcode for virtually every product and
combination of extra services available to retail and commercial
customers across all payment channels. For package customers,
Intelligent Mail package barcode (IMpb[supreg]) and associated files
satisfy a wide range of data and product requirements for businesses,
consumers, and the Postal Service through the comprehensive information
it contains. The IMpb or unique tracking barcode is required for all
parcels shipped through the Postal Service. Package acceptance can be
achieved through USPS Ship or Click-N-Ship[supreg].
Proposal
The Postal Service is proposing to retire the manifest mailing
system, By retiring manifest mail preparation along with the hard copy
documentation, the Postal Service is proposing to migrate customers to
Electronic Documentation (eDoc), Full Service, Seamless, and
eInduction, for Letters, Cards and Flats. Options for Package customers
are USPS Ship, and Click-N-Ship. Mailers of Letters, Cards, and Flats
can reference Mail.dat/Mail.XML Technical Specifications posted on
PostalPro available at <a href="http://postalpro.usps.com">postalpro.usps.com</a>. Package shippers can
reference Publication 199, Publication 205, and USPS Ship documentation
on PostalPro.
As a result of retiring MMS, Publication 401, Guide to the Manifest
Mailing System, will no longer be available on PostalPro after the
effective date. The decision to retire manifest mailing preparation is
based on the migration plan for all manifest mailers to migrate over to
a more secure, efficient and streamlined alternative to MMS.
There are several advantages and benefits for our manifest mailers
to migrate. Mailers will no longer be required to provide hard copy
documentation information at the time of mailings. All information is
submitted and available electronically eliminating the need for hard
copy documentation. Mailers will no longer be required to maintain
quality control documents previously required with MMS, and onsite MMS
authorization reviews are no longer required.
The Postal Service is proposing to implement this change effective
April 1, 2026.
Resources
<bullet> HQMailEntry <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#eaa2bba78b8386af849e9893aa9f999a99c48d859c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="034b524e626a6f466d77717a43767073702d646c75">[email protected]</span></a>
<bullet> USPS Ship is our next generation package platform for postage
payment and adjustments. Our new, improved platform simplifies your
shipping process, so you can focus on your core business:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2451575457574c4d54575154544b565064515754570a434b52"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="95e0e6e5e6e6fdfce5e6e0e5e5fae7e1d5e0e6e5e6bbf2fae3">[email protected]</span></a> or 1-877-264-9693, Opt. 2
<bullet> Click N SHIP: Tech Sheets for APIs, Click-N-Ship, and USPS
Ship [verbar] PostalPro or 1-800-344-7779
<bullet> Information about electronic documentation can be found on
Postal Pro: <a href="https://postalpro.usps.com/mailing/edoc">https://postalpro.usps.com/mailing/edoc</a>
<bullet> Shipping Solutions and information about USPS SHIP can be
located on Postal Pro: Shipping Services [verbar] PostalPro
<bullet> Publication 199 Publication 199: Intelligent Mail Package
Barcode (IMpb) Implementation Guide for Confirmation Services and
Electronic Payment Systems [verbar] PostalPro
<bullet> Guide to USPS SHIP: Guide to USPS Ship for New Shippers
[verbar] PostalPro
Although exempt from the notice and comment requirements of the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553(b), (c)) regarding proposed
rulemaking by 39 U.S.C. 410(a), the Postal Service invites public
comment on the proposed revisions to Mailing Standards of the United
States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), incorporated by
reference in the Code of Federal Regulations.
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, the Postal Service proposes 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):
[[Page 44155]]
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)
* * * * *
700 Special Standards
* * * * *
705 Advanced Preparation and Special Postage Payment Systems
* * * * *
[Revise the heading and text of 2.0 to read as follows:]
2.0 Mailing Services
The Postal Service offers customers the following mailing services:
a. Letters (cards) and Flats:
1. Full-Service Automation Option, see 705.23.
2. Seamless Acceptance Program, see 705.22.
b. Packages: The USPS Ship program is an electronic manifest
mailing system for packages that allows mailers to document and pay
postage and extra services fees by transmitting electronic files to the
Postal Service without generating paper manifests, postage statements,
or clearance documents. Business Acceptance Solutions, USPS
Headquarters, must approve these systems. Unless authorized by Business
Acceptance Solutions, mailers may not commingle USPS Ship mail with
non-USPS Ship mail within the same mailing, or place USPS Ship mail and
non-USPS Ship mail in or on the same mailing container. For additional
information reference PostalPro.
* * * * *
Colleen Hibbert-Kapler,
Attorney, Ethics & Legal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2025-17659 Filed 9-11-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on September 12, 2025.
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