The Postal Service is revising the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) 503.8, to add a new extra service called Adult Signature. This new service has two available options: Adult Signature Required and Adult Signature Restricted Delivery.On March 28, 2011, the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) approved Adult Signature as a new extra service which will provide a method for customers to obtain a signature (upon delivery) from an adult recipient who is 21 years of age or older. This new extra service will be available only to commercial and online mailers beginning June 5, 2011.
This is the first time the Postal Service is offering a service that includes verification of the age of the recipient at the time of delivery. These services will be available to commercial and online customers using Express Mail®, Priority Mail® (including Critical Mail [TM] ), Parcel Select® barcoded nonpresort, and Parcel Select Regional Ground mailpieces. The requirements for the two service offerings are:Show citation box
* Adult Signature Required—requires the signature of someone 21 years of age or older at the recipient’s address.Show citation box
* Adult Signature Restricted Delivery—requires the signature of a specific addressee (or authorized agent), who must be 21 years of age or older.Show citation box
Prior to signing for the mailpiece, the recipient must show a government-issued photo identification that includes his or her date of birth. Adult Signature mailpieces cannot be left at the address without first obtaining the signature of an adult who is 21 years of age or older.Show citation box
Adult Signature Required and Adult Signature Restricted Delivery are only available for customers who pay for postage and applicable fees using any of these methods:Show citation box
* Click-N-Ship®.Show citation box
* USPS®-approved PC Postage® (registered end-users only).Show citation box
* Permit imprint, if the customer electronically submits postage statements and mailing documentation.Show citation box
* USPS-approved Information-Based Indicia (IBI) postage meters that print the IBI with the appropriate price marking and electronically transmit transactional data to USPS.Show citation box
Technical specifications for privately printed Adult Signature labels are located in the Intelligent Mail Package Barcode Specification and the addendum to Publication 91, Addendum for Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) and 3-digit Service Type Code, available on the RIBBS® Web site at http://ribbs.usps.gov. Show citation box
Additionally, in combination with Express Mail or Priority Mail and postage paid by Click-N-Ship or PC Postage, Adult Signature will provide an optional delivery method for the mailing of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco under the “Exception for Certain Individuals” standard as described in DMM section 601.11.Show citation box
All other requirements and conditions related to mailing cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products under the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act (PACT) of 2009 remain in effect; such as:Show citation box
* Each shipment must be presented via a face-to-face transaction with a postal employee.Show citation box
* No Pickup on Demand or Carrier Pickup options are available.Show citation box
* Each package must bear its own unique exception package markings.Show citation box
While the minimum age to purchase tobacco in the state or locality where the shipment is tendered or delivered may be different from age 21, if Adult Signature is used, the recipient must be 21 years of age.
source: Federal Register