such box, is filed with the postmaster at the distributing office.

(g) Locks. The use of locks on boxes is not required. If customers provide locks, the keys should be delivered only to the postmaster, who will assign them to the carrier. The carrier will unlock and lock the boxes when serving them. To facilitate the carrier's work, customers should, as far as practicable, adopt locks for each route of such pattern that a master key may be provided the carrier for unlocking the boxes.

(h) Unstamped Rural newspapers. boxes are to be used for mail only, except that publishers of newspapers regularly mailed as second-class mail may, on Sundays and national holidays only, place copies of the Sunday or holiday issues in the rural and star route boxes of subscribers, with the understanding that copies will be removed from the boxes before the next day on which mail deliveries are scheduled.

(i) Boxes that do not conform to regulations. Rural carriers will report any boxes that do not conform to the regulations to postmasters, who will send to the owners of these boxes Form 4056, "Your Mail Box Needs Attention", requesting that the irregularities or defects be remedied.

[35 F.R. 19459, Dec. 23, 1970, as amended at 36 F.R. 23216, Dec. 7, 1971; 37 F.R. 18535, Sept. 13, 1972; 38 FR 18877, July 16, 1973; 38 FR 19041, July 17, 1973; 38 FR 33082, Nov. 30, 1973]

(b) Changes. Changes in line of travel, extensions of service and schedules may be ordered by the director, logistics division, at any time. Address requests for changes and extensions to him.

§ 157.3 Box delivery and collection service.

(a) Service required. Star route advertisements and contracts state whether box delivery, collection service, or other mail services are required and specify the area to be served. In addition to usual box delivery and collection service, on some routes the carriers are required to:

(1) Sell stamp supplies.

(2) Deliver registered, insured. certified, and COD matter.

(3) Accept matter presented by customers to be registered, insured, certified, or mailed COD, and money with applications for money orders and give receipts.

(b) Availability. Box delivery and collection service is provided without charge to customers. To qualify for service, a customer must:

(1) Reside on or near a route on which box delivery and collection service is required.

(2) Live at least one-fourth mile from a post office.

(3) Provide and erect a suitable box or provide a suitable sack or satchel with post upon which it may be hung. Where a box is newly installed or a present box is being replaced, an approved rural-type box must be used. The name and box number of the owner must be neatly inscribed in letters and numerals not less than 1 inch high on the side of the box visible to the carrier as he approaches, or on the door if boxes are grouped.

(4) Request, from the post office to which mail is addressed, delivery and collection service on Form 5431, Star

Route Box Patron Notice. Star route customers residing between two post offices may receive mail service from that post office which is the one next preceding the customer's residence, or from either post office if there is a return trip. In addition, the customer may receive delivery from the post office from which the star route originates.

(c) Delivery of mail. Mail matter addressed to a qualified customer of a star route will be taken by the carrier from the post office and deposited into the proper mailbox. If required by the contract, the carrier will deliver registered, certified, insured, and COD mail: Delivery of this mail will be made only when customer meets the carrier at the box or along the route. Parcel post packages too large to go into boxes may be delivered outside boxes, provided the addressee has filed with the postmaster a written request for delivery in that manner. Otherwise, notice will be left in customer's box to meet carrier on next trip. If delivery cannot be made by carrier, the mail will be held at the post office.

(d) Collection of mail. Mail matter properly stamped and placed in a mailbox for dispatch must be collected by the carrier and deposited in the next post office at which the carrier arrives, unless otherwise directed by the Postal Service. Mail collected on the route, addressed for delivery on that part of the route still to be covered before reaching the next post office, will be delivered on the day of collection. The carrier will cancel the stamps before delivery by writing across them the name of the post office last served, the State, the date, and the number of the route. Bulky mailable matter, properly prepared and stamped, will be collected by the carrier if placed on or near the box. Money left in mailboxes for the purchase of stamps will be at the risk of the customer.

furnish a box, sack, or satchel on each side of the road.

§ 157.5 Duties of postmasters. Postmasters will:

(a) Withhold delivery of registered, insured, certified, and COD mail to carrier, unless contract requires that the carrier deliver such mail.

(b) Not deliver mail to carrier outside of regular lock pouch before it has reached the post office to which it is addressed.

§ 157.6 Duties of carriers.

If the contract requires that the carrier case his mail, he must:

(a) Accept mail addressed to customers of the route, from the postmaster, and arrange it in order of delivery.

(b) Prepare and maintain a list of the names of the customers served, arranged in alphabetical order with the box number opposite each name.

(c) Markup and forward mail for customers on his route who have filed a change of address order and make appropriate entry in the roster book.

§ 157.7 Sale of stamps and stamp supplies.

If contract requires carrier to sell stamps and stamp supplies, a fixed credit will be provided by the postmaster at the head of the route. Where the carrier serves customers who receive mail through other offices on the route, the carrier will replenish his fixed credit at those offices in amounts representing sales made by him to customers served through these offices.

written and signed order or a telegram sent by the customer, his agent, or person in whose care mail will be addressed is acceptable. Furnish old and new addresses.

(2) Forwardable mail. Mail received at the old address will be handled as follows:

(i) All first-class mail, all official mail described in Part 137, and all third- and fourth-class mail of obvious value will be forwarded.

(ii) Second-class, and other thirdand fourth-class mail will be forwarded when specifically requested by the order.

(iii) Mail addressed to "Occupant or Postal Customer" will not be forwarded.

(iv) All third- and fourth-class mail for which the sender has guaranteed to pay the forwarding postage will be forwarded.

(v) Mail bearing specific instructions of the sender "Do not forward" will not be forwarded.

(3) Pledge to pay forwarding postage. The order to forward mail constitutes the pledge of the addressee to pay forwarding postage. When an addressee who has pledged to pay forwarding postage refuses to pay the postage due, the postmaster must send Form 3546, Notice to Change Forwarding Order, to the postmaster at the old address requesting him to discontinue forwarding mail of the class refused.

(b) Registered, certified, insured, and COD mail (1) Conditions. A change of Address Order for ordinary mail will cover registered, certified, insured, and COD mail unless the sender has given other instructions or unless the addressee moved outside the United States. The sender's instructions should be written or printed on the envelope or wrapper. Examples: "Do not forward; If not accepted within days return to

sender." Exceptions:

(i) COD mail will not be forwarded to the Canal Zone nor to overseas military post offices.

(ii) Domestic registered articles mailed outside the United States and addressed for delivery in the United States will not be forwarded to the Canal Zone if the postage indicates the articles were valued at more than $1,000. Articles mailed in the Canal Zone addressed for delivery in the United States will not be forwarded to any place outside the

United States if there is reason to believe the value exceeds $1,000.

(iii) Insured and COD parcels that have mailers' instructions to abandon or to sell perishable items, written or printed on the envelope or wrapper, will be treated according to the instructions. Examples:

Do not forward or return. If not accepted within days, treat as abandoned. Notify mailer of final disposition. Do not forward or return. If undelivered after days, sell contents to highest bidder and remit proceeds, less commission, to mailer.

Do not forward or return. If undeliverable after days, destroy. Notify mailer of

final disposition.

A commission of 10 percent, but not less than 25 cents, is retained by the Postal Service from the amount for which perishable items are sold.

(iv) COD mail may have written or printed on it a request that it be forwarded to a new addressee. The name and address of the new addressee must be shown in a bordered space with instructions that the mail be delivered either with or without the collection of COD charges.

§ 158.2 Time limit of change of address order.

(a) Time limit specified by addressee (not to exceed 1 year): State beginning and ending dates in the change of address order. The original order should be canceled when the addressee returns to his old address or moves to another permanent address within the specified period.

(b) Time limit not specified by addressee: Records of permanent change of address order, other than those subject to paragraph (d) of this section, are held for 1 year from the end of the month of the effective date recorded on Form 3575. The order is not renewable. Mail may continue to be forwarded beyond the 1 year period if the new address is known to the forwarding employee without reference to the change of address records.

(c) Forms 3575 will be retained for administrative purposes for 2 years.

(d) Change from general delivery at city delivery office:

(1) To permanent local address. Record of change of address orders without time limit will be kept 6 months.

(2) To other than permanent local address. Record of change of address orders without time limit will be kept 30 days. [36 FR. 7051, April 14, 1971]

§ 158.3 Postage for forwarding.

(a) Change in local address. If a change is made to an address served by the same post office, all first-, second-, and fourth-class mail and third-class mail of obvious value will be delivered as directed. Additional postage will not be required.

(b) Change to another post office. Mail forwarded to another post office is subject to additional postage as follows, to be computed the same as if the piece were originally mailed at the office from which it is forwarded:

(1) First-Class Mail weighing not more than 12 ounces, including postal and post cards, is forwarded without charge when postage has been fully prepaid by the sender. No additional charge is made for forwarding first-class mail weighing not more than 12 ounces that is not fully prepaid, but any amount shortpaid at the time of original mailing will be collected on delivery.

are

(2) Second-Class Publications subject to additional postage for forwarding at the second-class transient rate computed on each individually addressed copy or package of unaddressed copies.

(3) Controlled Circulation Publications are subject to additional postage for forwarding at the single-piece thirdor fourth-class rate according to weight.

(4) Third-Class Mail is subject to collection of additional postage for forwarding at the applicable rate of postage.

(5) Fourth-Class Mail is subject to the collection of additional postage for forwarding at the applicable rate of postage.

(6) Airmail articles weighing 9 ounces or less are forwarded without additional charge. These articles are sent by air when air service to the new address is available. Priority mail (heavy pieces) which includes all airmail weighing over 9 ounces, with postage prepaid thereon at the rates provided by § 136.1(b) of this chapter is forwarded by air and additional postage at the applicable rate in § 136.1 (b) of this chapter between the forwarding and the delivery office will be collected on delivery.

(7) Registered, Certified, Insured, COD, and Special Handling Mail is forwarded without the payment of additional fees, but the ordinary forwarding postage charges, if any, must be paid. Such mail will not be forwarded to a foreign country. See § 166.4(f) of this chapter for forwarding special delivery mail. [35 F.R. 19462, Dec. 23, 1970, as amended at 37 F.R. 17830, Sept. 1, 1972]

§ 158.4 Address changes of persons in U.S. service.

All first-, second-, and fourth-class mail and third-class mail of obvious value addressed to persons in the U.S. service (civil and military) serving at any place where the U.S. mail service operates, whose change of address is caused by official orders, will be forwarded until it reaches the addressee. No additional postage will be charged. Second-, obvious value third-, and fourth-class mail and air parcel post so forwarded are endorsed by the forwarding office "Change of Address Due to Official Orders". This provision for free forwarding from one post office to another applies to mail for the members of the household whose change of address is caused by official orders to persons in the U.S. service. (See § 122.8 (a) (3) and (b) (3) of this chapter concerning dependents residing with military personnel.) EXCEPTION: Second-class mail will not be forwarded between the U.S. and overseas APO addresses by military authorities. Copies of publications addressed to an APO for military personnel transferred to overseas assignments will be endorsed by military personnel Forwarding Prohibited Addressee Assigned Overseas and returned to the post office for disposition. Copies of publications addressed to military personnel at their APO addresses who have been transferred to the U.S. will be endorsed by military personnel Forwarding Prohibited, Addressee Returned to the U.S. and returned to the military post office for disposition. Second-class mail having FPO addresses may be forwarded to or from the U.S. and overseas for a period not to exceed 60 days when requested by individual addressees. Additional treatment of second-class mail shall be as outlined in § 159.2(b) of this chapter.

[35 F.R. 19462, Dec. 23, 1970, as amended at 36 FR 20872, Oct. 30, 1971; 39 FR 20970, June 17, 1974]