October 2015 1

Mailing Free 

Matter for Persons 

Who are Blind or 

Visually Impaired

Questions and Answers

Publication 347

October 2015
Consumer and Industry 

Affairs, U.S. Postal 

Service®, has produced this 

pamphlet. The pamphlet 

answers the questions asked 

most often about mailing free 

matter domestically for the blind 

and other eligible persons with 

impairments. The information in 

this pamphlet is based on the 

39 United States Code sections 

3403-3405, as implemented by 

703.5.0 of the Mailing Standards 

of the United States Postal 

Service, Domestic Mail Manual 

(DMM®). 
October 2015 1

Q: Who is eligible to mail items 

free of postage due to a 

physical impairment?

A: Persons who are blind or 

who cannot read or use 

conventionally printed matter 

due to a physical impairment 

(referred to throughout 

this brochure as “eligible 

persons”), as follows:

a. Certified participants in 

the Library of Congress 

National Library Service for 

the Blind and Physically 

Handicapped.

b. Blind persons that fit one of 

the following criteria:

(1) Visual acuity, as 

determined by 

competent authority, 

is 20/200 or less in 

the better eye with 

correcting lenses, or

(2) Widest diameter of 

visual field subtends 

angular distance no 

greater than 20 degrees.
2 Publication 347

c. Other persons with physical 

impairments certified by 

a competent authority as 

meeting one or more of the 

following conditions:

(1) Having a visual disability, 

with correction and 

regardless of optical 

measurement, that 

prevents the reading 

of standard printed 

material.

(2) Being unable to read or 

to use standard printed 

material because of 

physical limitations.

(3) Having a reading 

disability resulting from 

organic dysfunction 

that is severe enough 

to prevent their reading 

printed material in a 

normal manner.

(4) Meeting the 

requirements of 

eligibility resulting from 

a degenerative, variable 

disease that renders 
October 2015 3

them unable to read or 

use conventional printed 

material because of 

impaired eyesight or 

other physical factors. 

These persons are 

eligible during the 

time in which they are 

certified by a competent 

authority as unable to 

read or use conventional 

materials.

d. Persons must be:

(1) Residents of the United 

States, including its 

territories, insular 

possessions, and the 

District of Columbia, or

(2) American citizens 

domiciled abroad.

Q: I fit in one of those categories. 

What must I do to qualify to 

mail items free of postage?

A: You may have a competent 

authority certify in writing 

that you are unable to read 

conventional reading matter.
4 Publication 347

■ A competent authority 

includes doctors of 

medicine; doctors 

of osteopathy; 

ophthalmologists; 

optometrists; registered 

nurses; therapists; and 

professional staff of 

hospitals, institutions, 

and public or private 

welfare agencies 

(e.g., social workers, 

caseworkers, counselors, 

rehabilitation teachers, and 

superintendents). 

■ In the absence of any of 

these, certification may 

be made by professional 

librarians or by any person 

whose competence under 

specific circumstances is 

acceptable to the Library 

of Congress (see 36 CFR 

701.10(b)(2)(i)). In the case 

of a reading disability 

from organic dysfunction, 

“competent authority” 
October 2015 5

is defined as doctors of 

medicine and doctors of 

osteopathy.

A postmaster may extend 

the free matter privilege 

to you based on his or her 

personal knowledge of your 

eligibility. Persons who are 

not considered to be blind 

or unable to read or use 

conventionally printed material 

who want to use the free 

matter privilege for mailing 

must provide evidence of 

eligibility, or verify by other 

means, that the intended 

recipient of the mail matter is 

eligible to receive free matter.

Q: Where must I submit the 

evidence of eligibility?

A: You must submit the evidence 

of eligibility to the Post OfficeTM

where you will make or receive 

postage-free mailings. Upon 

verification, you will then be 

considered eligible to use the 

free mailing privilege.
6 Publication 347

Q: What can I, as an eligible 

person, mail free of postage?

A: An eligible person may mail 

the following free of postage:

a. Unsealed letters that 

contain no advertising. The 

letters must be printed in 

raised characters (Braille), 

in 14-point or larger sightsaving type, or be in the 

form of sound recordings. 

b. Any of the eligible matter for 

the use of eligible persons, 

as described in the next 

question.

You cannot mail free of 

postage handwritten, printed, 

or typed letters that are in 

a type size smaller than 

14-point. These letters are 

subject to the applicable rate. 

Other items not eligible for free 

postage include the following:

■ Bills paid by an eligible 

person, and

■ Letters in any form from 

sighted individuals to 

eligible persons.
October 2015 7

Q: What matter may I, a noneligible person, send free of 

postage for the use of eligible 

persons?

A: Under the conditions specified 

below, the following matter is 

eligible:

1. Reading matter in Braille 

or 14-point or larger sightsaving type, musical scores, 

and sound reproductions. 

2. Paper, records, tapes, 

and other matter for the 

production of reading 

matter, musical scores, or 

sound reproductions. 

3. Equipment and parts for 

equipment, such as Braille 

writers, used for writing 

by eligible persons or for 

educational purposes.

4. Sound playback equipment, 

reproducers, and parts 

for sound reproductions 

specially designed or 

adapted for the use 

of persons with visual 

impairments.
8 Publication 347

5. Equipment or parts for 

equipment specifically 

designed or adapted for 

use by persons with visual 

impairments, such as Braille 

watches, white canes, and 

similar equipment.

Q: Are there restrictions on this 

matter?

A: The following restrictions apply 

to this matter:

■ May not contain any 

advertising. 

■ Must be sent either free 

of charge or at a charge, 

rental, subscription, or other 

fee that does not exceed the 

item’s cost. 

■ Must be open to inspection 

by the Postal ServiceTM and 

have a complete return 

address.

■ Must meet all other 

generally applicable mailing 

requirements.
October 2015 9

Note: Empty shipping 

materials for mailing eligible 

matter may not be sent 

free and must bear the full 

applicable postage.

Q: Who can mail eligible matter 

postage-free and to whom can 

it be mailed?

A: Individuals, libraries, and other 

noncommercial organizations, 

which serve eligible persons, 

may mail eligible matter 

free of postage to persons 

or organizations serving 

such persons who meet the 

eligibility requirements. Eligible 

persons may return eligible 

matter to these mailers free 

of postage. Eligible persons 

may exchange eligible matter 

among themselves free of 

postage. Libraries and other 

noncommercial organizations 

may exchange such matter 

among themselves free of 

postage.

Commercial producers of 

the eligible matter may mail 
10 Publication 347

such matter free of postage 

to an eligible person on the 

additional condition that if a 

charge or fee is required it 

does not exceed the cost of 

the matter.

Q: What class of mail is this 

matter?

A: It is not considered part of 

any particular class of mail. 

However, it is treated as FirstClass Mail® for purposes 

of processing, delivery and 

forwarding, and return if 

undeliverable. The matter must 

meet the applicable letter, flat, 

or parcel mailability standards.

Q: Why is my item not sealed 

against postal inspection?

A: The Postal Service must be 

able to inspect the item to 

ensure that the matter qualifies 

for postage-free mailing.
October 2015 11

Q: Are extra services available 

with postage-free mail?

A: A mailer may insure a postagefree item by paying only the 

required insurance fee. Use 

of extra services, such as 

Certified Mail® or Registered 

MailTM, requires payment of 

applicable fees.

Q: What must be marked on the 

mail to show that it qualifies 

for mailing free of postage?

A: You must place the words 

“FREE MATTER FOR THE 

BLIND OR HANDICAPPED” in 

the upper right corner of the 

address side of the envelope 

or parcel where the postage 

would normally be placed. The 

words may be printed, rubber 

stamped, or handwritten.

Q: Are special arrangements 

possible for delivery or 

pickup of free mail for eligible 

persons?
12 Publication 347

A: Eligibility for free mailing for 

the blind or other visually 

handicapped persons does 

not encompass such special 

arrangements. Post Offices 

may be able to make special 

arrangements depending on 

the local circumstances. You 

should contact your local 

Post Office to request special 

arrangements. Such requests 

will be handled in accordance 

with postal regulations 

concerning requests for 

special arrangements 

by persons with visual 

impairments.

Q: Since this brochure is about 

mailing free matter for the 

blind domestically, where can I 

find information about mailing 

free matter for the blind 

internationally?

A: You can refer to the IMM 

Section 270 to learn about 

eligibility and the conditions 

for using free international 
October 2015 13

mailing privileges. You can 

find the IMM at http://pe.usps.

com/cpim/ftp/manuals/Imm/

ImmTOC.pdf.

Q: Where can I get help if 

problems occur while using 

the procedures for mailing 

free matter for the blind and 

visually impaired?

A: Most problems can be 

resolved at your local Post 

Office. You may make 

inquiries or express concerns 

by telephone, letter, or in 

person. If a problem cannot be 

resolved satisfactorily at your 

local Post Office, you may 

call our Customer Care Center 

toll-free number at 

1-800-ASK-USPS 

(1-800-275-8777).
PSN 7610-01-000-9919