On January 21, 2018 new Postal Service rates will take effect. Along with those new rates came many changes in the rules and regulations pertaining to prestorted mailings. Some of these changes may have significant changes in the postage rates you pay. We strongly advise you to contact us prior to printing so that we can review your mailer so that the lowest rates can apply. Call us 540-672-2327.
While mailing a single letter through the Postal Service is a simple straightforward process, mailing hundreds or thousands of pieces through the Postal Service can be a daunting process. Advance planning is the first requirement for postage savings. Please consult with us before you commit to printing. Simple things like the orientation of a mail piece or the placement of an address area can have postage cost implications.
We attempt to get every job in the mail within four full business days from the time everything needed is in our office. In practice most jobs go quicker. The more labor involved in a job the longer it will take. Complex tasks may require additional resources and take longer to complete.
Meeting your schedule and paying the lowest possible postage are important to us. Please give us the lead time that will allow us to complete your job on schedule.
United States Postal Service Standards
USPS rules and regulations fill a two inch thick book. This website section is just a general guide.
Mail prepared to meet automation requirements gets the lowest rates. In general, automation compatible mail is sealed in an envelope or a folded self-mailer that is closed with wafer seals.
There are two types of mail according to the USPS: letters and flats. A letter is larger than 3 1/2 by 5 inches and smaller than 6 1/8 by 11.5. Letter mail is "landscape", that is wider than it is tall. Flats are larger than 6 1/8 by 11 1/2, but smaller than 12 by 15 inches. The maximum thickness for a letter is 1/4 inch. The maximum thickness for a flat is 3/4 inch. Click here for a graphic of mail size requirements.
It goes without saying that your proposed mailer needs to meet UPSP requirements. Beyond that, if your job involves folding, nesting, inserting or other specific steps; we ask that you provide us a sample to work from. See this page for various machine requirements. If you are providing us a mailing list, this page has information on supported file types and how to get the file to us. We need your file a few days prior to your mailing so that we have enough processing time.
We ask for four days to get your job in the mail. Often the time is shorter, but if there are a number of other jobs ahead of you or you job has lots of hand work, we need all four days. A quicker turn around or same day service may be possible, but rush charges will apply.
Here are a few things you should check as you plan your mailing. Please contact us if you have questions.
— DMR maintains your mailing list, or you have a compatible file?
— Mail piece meets USPS requirements?
-- The correct indicia (postal permit) is on the mail piece or there is room for DMR to add it?
If you have a non-profit authorization from the Postal Service, please be sure your mail piece has your return address on it. It is required to be the address of the permit holder.
— To qualify for automation discounts your letter-size mail piece needs to be closed on the bottom edge. If the closed fold is at the bottom, we can apply two wafer seal to the top. If the opening is at the bottom. If the letter size piece is also bound by staples three tabs are required, one on the trailing edge and two on the leading edge.
— If you will be printing on glossy paper, please tell your printer that we will be using a water based ink for addressing. Some printing hass coating and won't allow the waterbased ink to dry.
— The orientation and size of a mailpiece can effect the postage. Letter-size pieces are less expensive than flat sizes. See the USPS Standards for details.
— If you want us to insert something into your envelope, our machinery has specifications. Please ask before printing. We can do your job by hand, but it costs more since it takes more time.