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Chicago Mailing Service Permits

Use one of these permit indicias if you want to use our permit.





	Oak ParkChicago






	PRSRT STD
US Postage
PAID
Permit 384
Oak Park IL		Presorted
First Class
US Postage
PAID
Permit 384
Oak Park IL		PRSRT STD
US Postage
PAID
Permit 6828
Chicago IL		Presorted
First Class
US Postage
PAID
Permit 6828
Chicago IL

USPS Postal Regulations

The USPS provides lower postage rates if you follow these rules. Below are the rules that are related to the design of the mailpiece, such as how much space is left for an address, how it is folded, and how it is secured (wafer seals, etc.). If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

 

Address “clear zone” information:

 

The link above will get you to the official instructions, here is a summary:

Be careful when you are laying out postcards (4×6″), the basic rule is to leave 5/8″ of blank, white space at the bottom.

 

Address Clear Zone Information

Folding/Wafer seal information for newsletters and fliers

 

The USPS categorizes folded mailpieces into either Folded Self Mailers, or Folded Booklets. The main difference is whether there is any binding (a staple, a stitch, etc). There are many ‘rules and regulations’ about these mailpieces, all related to how well they go through the USPS sorting machinery, and ultimately, how much postage is charged. If you get this wrong, you’ll pay more in postage. I’ve seen mailings that were supposed to go out at 0.18 each be re-rated to 0.58 each, and there wasn’t any time to reprint the mailpiece… it was for a live event that was just a 10 days away. If you have any questions, it’s always better to ask us upfront, or send a .pdf of the artwork before sending to the printer.

 

To summarize these rules: (as of June 2014, and they are updated periodically)

1. The FINAL FOLD IS AT THE BOTTOM of the mailpiece, when reading the address.

2. The bound/folded edge is at the right hand side, when reading the address.

3. If you bind with a staple, the USPS requires two wafer seals on the right, and one on the left edge. If there is no binding (staple), the USPS requires two wafer seals on the top.

 

Examples of the two most common wafer seal placements.

Postage Rates (effective 1/26/2014)

 

USPS published price list

Ancillary Endorsements

 

The USPS has a standard way of handling undeliverable mail. If you’d like them to handle it differently, you print an Ancillary Endorsement on the mailpiece. This document covers the location of where the endorsement should be printed, and what words to use for specific types of handling.

 

Put your ancillary endorsement in one of these four places.