[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 35 (Wednesday, February 24, 2021)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 11124-11125]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-03406]


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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111


Extra Services Refund Time Limit

AGENCY: Postal Service<SUP>TM</SUP>.

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 revise the 
time limit for extra service refunds.

DATES: Effective Date: April 5, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sheila Marano at (202) 268-4257, 
Adaisja Johnson at (202) 268-6724, or Garry Rodriguez at (202) 268-
7281.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 14, 2020, the Postal Service 
published a notice of proposed rulemaking (85 FR 28917-28918) to revise 
the time limit for extra service refunds on all classes of mail except 
Priority Mail Express[supreg]. The Postal Service elected to issue a 
second revised proposed rule on January 7, 2021, (86 FR 1080-1081) that 
included revising the timelines for Priority Mail Express with an extra 
service. One formal response was received as follows:
    Comment: The commenter requested the time limit for extra service 
refunds be revised on all classes of mail except Priority Mail Express.
    USPS Response: The Postal Services believes this revision to extend 
the time limits for filing a refund for all classes of mail will 
provide consistency within the refund policy.
    Currently, DMM Exhibit 604.9.2.1, Postage and Fees Refunds, 
provides that for Priority Mail Express with an extra service a 
customer must apply for an extra service refund no sooner than 10 days, 
or no later than 30 days, and for all other classes of mail with an 
extra service a customer must apply for an extra service refund no 
sooner than 10 days, or no later than 60 days, from the date the 
service was purchased.
    Certain extra services (e.g., Certified Mail[supreg]) have workflow 
timelines that extend beyond the current 10-day limit to initially file 
for a refund. As a result, to meet the required workflow timelines for 
these extra services, and for consistency in application of the refund 
processes, the Postal Service is extending the current Priority Mail 
Express with an extra service timeline to no sooner than 30 days, or no 
later than 60 days. For all other classes of mail with an extra 
service, the 10-day time limit will be extended to a 30-day time limit 
before a customer can file for a refund.
    We believe this revision will provide customers with a more 
efficient process and a more consistent customer experience.
    The Postal Service adopts the following changes to Mailing 
Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual 
(DMM), incorporated by reference in the Code of Federal Regulations. 
See 39 CFR 111.1.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

    Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.

    Accordingly, 39 CFR part 111 is amended as follows:

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, 403, 404, 414, 416, 3001-3011, 3201-3219, 
3403-3406, 3621, 3622, 3626, 3632, 3633, and 5001.


0
2. Revise the 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

* * * * *

604 Postage Payment Methods and Refunds

* * * * *

9.0 Exchanges and Refunds

* * * * *

9.2 Postage and Fee Refunds

* * * * *

9.2.1 General Standards

* * * * *

Exhibit 9.2.1 Postage and Fees Refunds

    Customers must apply for a refund within the time limits in the 
chart below.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     When to apply (from mailing date)
      Mail type or service       ---------------------------------------
                                    No sooner than       No later than
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                              * * * * * * *
[Revise the text of the
 ``Priority Mail Express with an
 Extra Service'' line item to
 read as follows:]
Priority Mail Express with an     30 days...........  60 days.
 Extra Service(s) (9.2.4h).
 
                              * * * * * * *
[Revise the text of the ``Extra
 Services'' line item to read as
 follows:]
All other classes of mail with    30 days...........  60 days.
 an Extra Service or Extra
 Services (9.2.4h).
 
                              * * * * * * *
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[[Page 11125]]

9.2.4 Postage and Fee Refunds Not Available

    Refunds are not made for the following:
* * * * *
    [Revise the text of item h to read as follows:]
    h. Fees paid for extra services, as allowed under 9.2.3, when 
refund request is made by the mailer less than 30 days, or more than 60 
days, from the date the service was purchased, unless otherwise 
authorized by the manager, Revenue and Field Accounting (see 608.8.0 
for address).
* * * * *

9.5 Priority Mail Express Postage and Fees Refunds

* * * * *

9.5.4 Conditions for Refund

    A postage refund request, as allowed under 9.0, must be made within 
the timelines provided in Exhibit 9.2.1.
* * * * *

Joshua J. Hofer,
Attorney, Ethics and Legal Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2021-03406 Filed 2-23-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P