Definitions Links Dimensions & Standards

Before you go to print, preview the links on pre-press and effectiveness of a mail piece design. Some of the most detrimental work occurs in design. We will also pre-view a mail piece prototype (or finished piece) for you to determine if it complies to USPS specifications. Compliance means lower postage costs for you, lower processing fees from us, and faster delivery by the post office. Please don’t hesitate to call us! The post office also publishes many pamphlets, books, and posters to help. Remember…our job is knowing the postal regulations… we just want you to be an informed consumer.

Have your designer keep in mind:

is this a self-mailer…needing a "mailing side"
is it to be inserted in an envelope… standard size (#10)… or will there be additional costs to order special envelopes?
If a postcard…is there enough room for the address? Is the address area in the "standard location"…i.e. not requiring the postcard "stand on end" and therefore require additional postage?

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Links

	Direct Mail Library
	United States Postal Service
	Direct Mail Strategies

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COMMON ADDRESS PROBLEMS

We have found the following common mistakes used when typing addresses, causing considerable time delay in correcting addresses:

Spacing, misspelling, no numerical street address (house numbers)
Rural routes need a space between RR and route number: RR 1 not RR1
Only official postal abbreviations should be used: ask for Publication #25 or #28 from the USPS
When typing numbers, use numbers…not letters – such as O for 0 the letter l instead of 1.
Small towns that do not have home delivery must have a PO Box. Locally, Kipton and Wakeman are an example of these.
Use State Route, not SR
Use US Highway, not US Route… and be sure it is a state vs. US highway!
Use County Route, not CR
Use Township Road, not TR
An address error called multi-match happens when an address is typed as: 1111 Main Street … when the street is actually either N Main or S Main… doubly difficult if both N and S Main have the same house numbers!

The list could go on, but I think you get the idea… be kind to your mail house … they have your best interest at heart! Also… names should be in 2 or 3 fields: First, Middle, Last; and City, State, Zip should also be separate. Not separate in your database? NO PROBLEM…. We can automatically separate them for you!

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DEFINITIONS

CASS Certified	Coding Accuracy Support System. Your address are checked against the post office’s database using an approved system.
DPBC	Delivery Point Bar Code. Written as Zip+4+2. It contains additional digits to further define the delivery address.
Endorsement	Used when asking for the return of a non-deliverable mail piece.
Flat	Larger than letter size…see dimensions
Indicia	See permit.
Length	The longest side is always the length
Letter	A matter of dimension…NOT just for #10 envelopes! Letter size could includes 8.5x11 paper folded in half (like booklets). Letter postage is lower than "flat".
OCR	Optical Character Reader (a machine)
PAVE	Presort Accuracy Verification and Evaluation. This is a USPS-certified system for showing why the way your mail is sorted and bundled should earn you a certain postage rate.
Permit	It is the square in the upper right corner with permit number, city, state, zipcode. Known as an Indicia.
Postcard	Smaller than letter size, see the dimensions chart. If you postcard exceeds any of these, it simply becomes "letter rate".
Presort	Mail that is sorted before it gets to the post office, saving the USPS time and money by not requiring additional labor to sort through zip codes.
Ratio	Width divided by height. Ratio must be between 1.3 and 2.5 … for those of you who hate math… stop in… we have a grid we can match your piece to check the ratio !!! (Hurray!)… also visit your local post office.
Saturation	Can be used if you plan to send to everyone in a particular area. You provide the post office with enough pieces of generic mail, counted and bundled properly…for them to deliver one piece to every address on the route. Print the words "Postal Customer" where the address would normally go. Saturation mail is only allowed for rural routes.
Self-Mailer	A folded piece, requiring tab seals… open end at top…please!
Tab Seal or Wafer Seal	A 1" round wafer (adhesive tab) which seals folded pieces, to comply with automation guidelines. If you are doing your own mailing / labeling…do NOT use staples. The USPS Thanks You!

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DIMENSIONS & STANDARDS

		Minimum	Maximum

LETTER	Height	3-1/2"	6-1/8"
	Width	5"	10"
	Thickness	.009"	1/4"
	Weight	1 oz. or under 1^st Class to avoid per pound cost	under 3.3 oz Standard to avoid per pound cost
	Ratio	1.3	2.5

FLAT	Height	6"	12"
	Length	6"	15"
	Thickness	.009"	1/4"
	Weight		11 oz 1^st Class
			16 oz Standard Class
	Stiffness	You can have your local USPS check for flexibility – flats must be flexible to run through machines.

POSTCARD	Height	3-1/2"	4-1/4"
	Width	5"	6"
	Thickness	.009"	.016"

FOLDED PIECES	Open Edge	At top = 1 wafer seal preferred	Bottom = 2 wafer seals (doubles your cost)
		Folded edges must meet evenly to be tabbed

PAPER WEIGHT	Your mail will look better if you use good paper. Machining is much faster and more reliable also. Minimum weights would include:
	Single folded sheet			28 lb.
	two folded sheets			24 lb.
	booklets (more than 2 folded sheets)			20 lb.
	Postcards			75 lb.
	Oversized postcards			90 lb. Index

PAPER COLOR & FINISH	Your mail piece must be readable by OCR machines. Keep the address side white or very light. Use no patterns or flecks. Also avoid glossy and coated stock			Provides best contrast between background and barcode.

ENVELOPES	#10	Standard business size envelope
	9 x 12	Must have the open end on long side to be machineable. Other will require handwork.
	6 x 9	"Booklet Envelope" has the opening on the long edge, making them machineable

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Diana L Lyon
134 Cleveland Avenue
Amherst, Ohio 44001-2229
440-988-8882
Fax: 440-988-5843
E-Mail: Dianamite@centurytel.net