Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 240 (Friday, December 13, 2024)

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 240 (Friday, December 13, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 100745-100746]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-29435]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Dual Shipping Labels Discontinued

AGENCY: Postal Service^TM.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is amending Mailing Standards of the United 
States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) to 
discontinue the use of dual shipping labels.

DATES: Effective: January 1, 2025.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine Knox at (202) 268-5636 or 
Garry Rodriguez at (202) 268-7281.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 15, 2024, the Postal Service 
published a notice of proposed rulemaking (89 FR 82948) to discontinue 
the use of dual shipping labels in DMM subsection 602.10. In response 
to the proposed rule, the Postal Service received four formal 
responses, one of which was in agreement with the proposal. Two of the 
responses had several comments. The comments and responses are as 
follows:
    Comment: Three comments requested an extension to the effective 
date.
    Response: The Postal Service has taken these comments into 
consideration and, upon request, may provide a 90-day extension for 
compliance until April 1, 2025, for mailers specifically impacted by 
the elimination of dual shipping labels. However, the effective date 
will remain January 1, 2025. Mailers seeking an extension should submit 
a request to the attention of Nicole T. Wilson at 
[email protected].

[[Page 100746]]

    Comment: One comment suggested the proposed solution failed to 
account for specific use cases where there is no clear alternative to 
dual shipping labels.
    Response: The Postal Service has considered specific use cases and 
determined that there are few, if any, instances in which there are no 
alternatives to dual shipping labels. The shipper always has the option 
to simply determine in advance of label creation what carrier will 
ultimately deliver the package. Alternatively, if a dual label was 
created after the effective date of the rule, such label could simply 
be over labeled or the carrier markings could be obliterated in such 
fashion as to only display the selected delivery carrier's markings.
    Comment: One comment suggests that the definition of what 
constitutes a ``dual shipping label'' for purposes of the enforcement 
of this rule is unclear.
    Response: The Postal Service has considered this comment. DMM 
section 602.10.0 currently states, ``Dual shipping labels are used by 
private shipper[s] to identify both the Postal Service and a private 
carrier as possible delivery agents.'' This definition will now be 
reinserted into the new rule. Consistent with this, under the new rule, 
a label that identifies the Postal Service as the carrier may also 
include additional items of information so long as none of those 
additional items of information identify delivery agents other than the 
Postal Service. In other words, a label will not be considered a 
prohibited ``dual shipping label'' simply because it includes 
additional information beyond what is required for Postal Service label 
and address formats. Instead, it will only be considered a dual 
shipping label if any of the additional information included thereon 
identifies or can be used to designate delivery agents other than the 
Postal Service.
    The Postal Service is discontinuing the use of dual shipping 
labels. Items bearing dual shipping labels should not be accepted and 
may be returned to the sender.
    The Postal Service adopts the described changes 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 amends Mailing Standards of the 
United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), incorporated 
by reference in the Code of Federal Regulations as follows (see 39 CFR 
111.1):

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 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)

* * * * *

600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services

* * * * *

602 Addressing

* * * * *

10.0 Dual Shipping Labels

    [Revise the text of 10.0 to read as follows:]
    Dual shipping labels are used by private shipper to identify both 
the Postal Service and a private carrier as possible delivery agents. 
Mailers must not use dual shipping labels. Items bearing dual shipping 
labels should not be accepted and may be returned to the sender.
* * * * *

Colleen Hibbert-Kapler,
Attorney, Ethics and Legal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2024-29435 Filed 12-12-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P