FAQs: USPS Picture Permit indicia January 25, 2017 USPS Picture Permit indicia General Prgram Infrmatin Requirements Picture Permit Authrizatin Prcess Cmmingling Of Mail Mail Service Prviders Permit Imprint Sample Mailpieces Additinal Infrmatin General Prgram Infrmatin The United States Pstal Service intrduced USPS Picture Permit Imprint indicia prgram in June 2012. This service is available fr Full-Service Intelligent Mail barcde (IMb) mailings f autmatin First-Class Mail and Standard Mail letters and pstcards. What is USPS Picture Permit indicia? USPS Picture Permit indicia (PPI) prvides rganizatins the pprtunity t include their crprate lg, brand images, r trademarks in the permit indicia space f First-Class Mail Full- Service Intelligent Mail barcde (IMb) autmatin letters and pstcards, and all Standard Mail Full-Service IMb letters and pstcards. The additin f images t the permit imprint indicia has the ptential f increasing pen rates and enhancing the value f the mail. Why des the U.S. Pstal Service ffer USPS Picture Permit indicia? The U.S. Pstal Service respnded t requests frm rganizatins t use their crprate lgs, brand images r trademarks in the permit indicia space and t imprve the pen rates f their mailpieces. In creating USPS Picture Permit indicia, the U.S. Pstal Service has develped guidelines and requirements fr the use f rganizatins prprietary images in the permit indicia space f the mailpiece. Hw will my cmpany benefit frm using USPS Picture Permit indicia? PPI culd bst the visual impact and pen rate f yur mailpiece, which will imprve the effectiveness f the verall mailing. Wh may apply fr USPS Picture Permit indicia? Organizatins that plan t use a new r existing mailing permit t send First-Class Mail Full- Service IMb autmatin letters and pstcards r Standard Mail Full-Service IMb letters and pstcards Hw d I apply? Fllw the instructins prvided n: https://www.usps.cm/business/pstage-ptins.htm
Requirements What are the requirements fr USPS Picture Permit indicia? The requirements fr PPI are the fllwing: Cmmercial Presrt Permit Imprint Autmatin First-Class Mail letters and pstcards Autmatin Standard Mail letters and pstcards Full-Service IMb mailing Custmized prtins f the prpsed indicia design must be in clr, e.g., yur crprate lg, brand images and trademarks. Required elements f the indicia must be in black, e.g., class f mail, U.S. Pstage Paid, permit number, etc. What mail is eligible fr USPS Picture Permit indicia? The fllwing types f mail are eligible fr PPI: First-Class Mail Full-Service IMb Autmatin letters and pstcards Standard Mail Full-Service IMb Autmatin letters and pstcards What are the required elements fr the USPS Picture Permit indicia space? The required elements fr the PPI space are the fllwing: Mail Class (in all caps) U. S. Pstage Paid Permit Number City and State (ZIP Cde ptinal) Cmpany Name May be used in lieu f Permit Number, City, and State if specific requirements per Sect. 604.5.3.9 f the Dmestic Mail Manual (DMM) are met. PPI is an enhancement fr the indicia space; it des nt replace the basic indicia elements. All existing permit indicia markings are still required, including the mail class, U.S. Pstage Paid, City, State, and Permit Number r the cmpany name in lieu f city, state, and permit number when using a cmpany permit imprint as per Sect. 604.5.3.9 f the DMM. Is use f the Full-Service IMb required fr USPS Picture Permit indicia mailings? Yes, Full -Service IMb is required. Why d the images in the USPS Picture Permit indicia need t be in clr? Black and white images did nt perfrm t satisfactin in peratinal tests; therefre clr images and lgs are required. Wh is respnsible fr the image in the USPS Picture Permit indicia space? The mail wner has the respnsibility fr the image in the PPI space. Images are nt prvided r endrsed by the Pstal Service. Is there a fee t use USPS Picture Permit indicia? Yes, there is a fee t use PPI The fee fr First-Class Mail Autmatin letters and pstcards is ne cent (1 ) per mailpiece (plus applicable pstage)
The fee fr Standard Mail Autmatin letters and pstcards is tw cents (2 ) per mailpiece (plus applicable pstage) USPS Picture Permit indicia Authrizatin Prcess What is the authrizatin prcess fr Picture Permit? Step 1: The rganizatin ges t: https://www.usps.cm/business/pstage-ptins.htm t review the guidelines, required elements and t cmplete the nline registratin. Step 2: Once registered, the rganizatin will receive a link t cmplete the nline PPI applicatin, PS Frm 3615-A which requires yur rganizatins permit indicia # and ther infrmatin. Submit the signed PS Frm 3615-A t picturepermit@usps.cm. Step 3: The Prgram Office (PO) will cnfirm the applicatin has been apprved via email. The rganizatin will then need t submit a PDF cpy f an addressed mailpiece shwing envelpe/pstcard dimensins, IMb, clear zne and prpsed Picture Permit design t: picturepermit@usps.cm. Evaluatin Prcess Step 4.1 (Optin 1) Engineering Evaluatin Requirements Letter Mail cnfrming t DMM 604.5.4, USPS Picture Permit indicia (PPI), shall underg the standard engineering evaluatin prcess which takes apprximately 45 business days. Organizatins shall prvide 500 prductin samples which will replicate what will be printed and inducted int the live mailstream. In additin t the Full-Service Intelligent Mail barcde, each sample mailpiece must include a cmplete and valid destinatin address. D nt use the same address fr all mailpieces; the 500 samples must cntain a variety f valid addresses. Step 4.2 (Optin 2) Engineering Evaluatin Requirements* Letter Mail cnfrming t DMM 604.5.4, USPS Picture Permit indicia (PPI), and all f the fllwing restrictins, may be subject t Optin 2 engineering evaluatin perid f apprximately 10 business days. After apprval fr alternative engineering evaluatin, rganizatins shall prvide 50 prductin samples r samples f sufficient quality t accurately represent the mailpiece including cmplete address, keyline and Full Service IMb infrmatin printed n each sample (DMM 708.4.3). Letter Mail nt cnfrming t all f these requirements shall underg the standard engineering evaluatin prcess. Clr image shall nt cntain embedded text r numbers. Clr image shall nt have a drp shadw n any edge. PPII area (including.50 left and bttm clear zne) t be n white backgrund (n reverse print). PPII shall be psitined in upper right-hand crner with clear znes as shwn in Fig. B Overall width f lngest text line shall nt be less than width f image as shwn in Fig. C All mail class text t cnfrm t the apprved template prvided by USPS. N disk mailers, reusable envelpes, perfrated flded self-mailers, windwed envelpes.
Des nt exhibit any f the nn-machinable criteria listed in DMM 101.1.2. *Fr mre details please review the Picture permit Technical Requirements dcument Please mail samples t: U.S. POSTAL SERVICE ATTN: USPS PICTURE PERMIT indicia 475 L ENFANT PLAZA SW, RM 5538 WASHINGTON, DC 20260-5538 USPS Engineering will then test the designed mailpieces. If the prpsed PPI passes these tests, the PO will request a mailing schedule, including dates and vlumes Where may I find mre infrmatin abut USPS Picture Permit indicia nline? Additinal PPI infrmatin (listed belw) can be fund at https://www.usps.cm/business/pstage-ptins.htm Prgram Overview Fact Sheet FAQs USPS Picture Permit indicia Prduct Requirements USPS Picture Permit indicia Technical Requirements Registratin Link PPI Prgram Office (PO) email address Hw will I knw if my applicatin is apprved? The PPI PO will email yur rganizatin with authrizatin t mve t the next step. Hw d I cntact the Picture Permit Prgram Office? By Mail: UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE ATTN: USPS PICTURE PERMIT indicia 475 L ENFANT PLAZA, SW ROOM 5538 WASHINGTON, DC 20260-5538 By Email: picturepermit@usps.gv Cmmingling f Mail Can mail be cmmingled fr USPS Picture Permit indicia? Yes, mail can be cmmingled fr PPI. Des the cmmingled mailing need t be entered as part f a Full-Service autmatin mailing? Yes, the cmmingled mailing needs t be entered as part f a Full-Service autmatin mailing. Are mailings cnsisting f nly Intelligent Mail basic price pieces (i.e. n Intelligent Mail Full-Service pieces) eligible fr USPS Picture Permit indicia pricing?
N, nly Intelligent Mail Full-Service pieces are eligible fr PPI pricing. Can Full-Service and Basic Service autmatin pieces be included and qualify fr payment f the USPS Picture Permit indicia fee within the cmbined mailing? Yes, Full-Service and Basic Service autmatin pieces may be included and qualify fr payment f the PPI fee within the cmbined mailing. Can Nn-Autmatin mailpieces be submitted and qualify fr payment f the USPS Picture Permit indicia fees? Yes, nn-autmatin mailpieces can be submitted and qualify fr payment f the Picture Permit fees prvided: Machinable (presrt) mailing are presented as a cmbined mailing and supprted by electrnic dcumentatin and separate pstage statement by client. Or machinable (presrt) mailing may be presented as a separate identical weight presrt mailing fr just the PPI pieces. Single-piece PPI pieces may qualify fr payment f the PPI fee when prepared and presented in grups f 100 by unce increment. Hw are the cmmingled mailings submitted? The cmmingled mailings are submitted n edc (Mail.dat r Mail.xml) and the Mail Owner and Mailing Agent must be identified in the edc. Is the mail wner required t be listed n the Custmer Mail Reprt? Yes, the mail wner is required t be listed n the Custmer Mail Reprt. Des a separate pstage statement need t be submitted fr each USPS Picture Permit indicia mail wner? Yes, a separate pstage statement needs t be submitted fr each PPI mail wner. D all f the mailpieces represented n the individual pstage statement need t be 100% USPS Picture Permit indicia? Yes, all f the mailpieces represented n the individual pstage statement need t be 100% PPI. Will USPS Picture Permit indicia piece cunts be verified in cnjunctin with the Mail Piece Cunt Verificatin perfrmed at time f acceptance? Yes, PPI piece cunts will be verified in cnjunctin with the Mail Piece Cunt Verificatin perfrmed at time f acceptance.
Mail Service Prviders Can a Mail Service Prvider (MSP) apply fr USPS Picture Permit indicia authrizatin n behalf f their clients? Yes, MSPs may apply fr the PPI as lng as they have written authrizatin frm the mail wner. Hwever, the mail wner remains respnsible fr the images appearing n the PPI space. Permit Imprint Is a mailing permit required t participate in USPS Picture Permit indicia? Yes, a new r existing mailing permit is required t participate. Can I custmize my existing permit with images? Yes, yur existing permit imprint indicia may be mdified as lng as yu cmplete the 4 step authrizatin prcess as utlined n the web site. Hw d I btain a mailing permit t participate in USPS Picture Permit indicia? Cmplete PS Frm 3615, Mailing Permit Applicatin and Custmer Prfile, and submit it t the Pst Office where yur mailings will be entered. Sample Mailpieces What infrmatin is required n the sample mailpieces? The infrmatin that is required n the sample mailpieces are: Cmplete and valid destinatin address. D nt use the same address fr all samples must cntain a variety f valid addresses. Picture Permit Imprint Indicia Full-Service Intelligent Mail barcde (IMb) Why are a variety f valid addresses needed n sample pieces? In rder t test return-t-sender and undeliverable-as-addressed autmatin capabilities, a variety f valid addresses are needed. Withut a cmplete and valid address, all pieces are rejected and therefre cannt be apprpriately tested. Where d I submit the sample mailpieces fr USPS Picture Permit indicia? Yu submit the samples t the prgram ffice at the fllwing address: UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE ATTN: USPS PICTURE PERMIT indicia 475 L ENFANT PLAZA, SW ROOM 5538 WASHINGTON, DC 20260-5538 Additinal Infrmatin: Fr additinal infrmatin n PPI, please g t: https://www.usps.cm/business/pstage-ptins.htm r email questins t picturepermit@usps.gv.