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person or firm responsible for improperly depositing matter in mail receptacles is known and is within the delivery area of the post office, the local postmaster shall make demand for the total postage chargeable on all pieces. The postmaster shall also inform the person or firm that the practice is a violation of the law. See paragraph (a) of this section. An equivalent amount of postage due stamps affixed to a sheet of paper and properly canceled as a receipt for money collected shall be given the person or firm. If payment is in form of uncanceled stamps or meter stamps, they will be affixed to a sheet, canceled and returned as a receipt for payment. No other receipt will be issued.

(c) Report to other office. If the person or firm making improper use of private mail boxes is located at another post office, send a sample piece with a report of the facts to the postmaster at that location with request that he take the action in paragraph (b) of this section.

(d) Repeated violations. If a person or firm continues the improper practice after proper warning, the postmaster shall submit a sample piece and a report of the facts to the postal inspector in charge.

(5 U.S.C. 301, 39 U.S.C. 501) [32 F.R. 5686, Apr. 7, 1967]

Sec.

151.1

151.2

151.3

151.4

PART 151-SERVICE IN POST OFFICES

Establishment of post offices. Hours of business.

Post office boxes.

General delivery.

151.5 Unauthorized use of premises.

AUTHORITY: The provisions of this Part 151 issued under R.S. 161, as amended, 5 U.S.C. 301, 39 U.S.C. 309, 501, 701, 705, 707, 708, 2209, 6001, 6009.

SOURCE: The provisions of this Part 151 appear at 26 F.R. 11571, Dec. 6, 1961, unless otherwise noted. Redesignated at 31 F.R. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966.

§ 151.1 Establishment of post offices.

(a) Where established. Post offices, and branches and stations, are established and maintained at such places as may be deemed necessary for the convenience of the postal patrons.

Post offices.

(b) Requirements-(1) There is no fixed minimum population requirement for the establishment of an independent post office; however, this factor is given consideration in making a determination. Post offices are established when it is not possible to render adequate and satisfactory service through the post office, station or branch now serving the area, through a new station or branch or by an extension of city, rural or star route delivery. Post offices are not established solely for the purpose of providing community identity.

(2) Stations. Classified, contract and rural personnel and nonpersonnel stations are established where needed within the service limits of an independent post office. Units established within the corporate limits of the city, town or village where the main post office is located are designated as "stations."

(3) Branches. Classified, contract and rural personnel and nonpersonnel branches are established within the service limits of an independent post office. Units established outside of the corporate limits of the city, town or village where the main post office is located are designated as "branches." Classified and contract branches cannot be established at locations more than 20 miles outside the corporate limits of the city, town or village where the main post office is located and must serve a population of not less than 1,500 persons. The 20mile limitation and 1,500 population requirement does not apply to airports, military installations, rural personnel and/or nonpersonnel branches. Where the parent post office is located in an unincorporated city, town or community, then all postal units administratively attached to that post office shall be designated as branches.

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be made to the local postmaster who will submit the request with appropriate comments to the Regional Director.

[26 F.R. 11571, Dec. 6, 1961, as amended at 31 F.R. 8234, June 11, 1966. Redesignated at 31 F.R. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966] § 151.2 Hours of business.

(a) Business days. Post offices maintain window service for the delivery of mail and the sale of stamps every business day during the hours when the principal business houses of the community are open. Registry service and money order service are provided during the hours the postmaster determines are in accordance with the needs of the community. Post offices designated postal-savings depositories provide for the receipt and withdrawal of deposits every weekday during the hours prescribed for the transaction of moneyorder business.

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(b) Night service. Post offices are not ordinarily open for business at night. Lobbies of some post offices are open at night to permit the public to deposit mail and to obtain mail from lock boxes.

(c) Holiday service. Post offices are kept open on holidays for such time as may be necessary to meet the reasonable postal requirements of the public. Special-delivery mail is delivered on holidays, but delivery service is not given on letter carrier or rural routes. The following holidays are observed:

(1) New Year's Day, January 1. (2) Washington's Birthday, February 22.

(3) Memorial Day, May 30.
(4) Independence Day, July 4.

(5) Labor Day, first Monday in September.

(6) Veterans' Day, November 11. (7) Thanksgiving Day, fourth Thursday in November.

(8) Christmas, December 25.

(9) Other days set aside by the President as holidays.

§ 151.3 Post office boxes.

(a) Purpose of boxes. Post office boxes and drawers are for the convenience of the public in the delivery of mail. The service affords patrons privacy, and permits them to obtain mail at their convenience during the hours the lobby is kept open.

(b) How to rent a box-(1) Applications. The patron must submit Form 1093, "Application for Post Office Box," to the postmaster at the post office where the box is located. This form may be obtained from local postmaster. The application will be approved or denied by the postmaster. Furnishing false information on the application is sufficient reason for denial. When the application is approved, a box will be assigned.

(2) Known applicant. A box will be assigned immediately to a known qualified applicant upon submission of an application and payment of rent.

(3) Unknown applicant. Applications from unknown applicants must be treated as follows:

(i) The applicant must present his driver's license, military identification card, or other identification document.

(ii) Postmasters will verify that the applicant resides or conducts business at the addresses shown, and that the applicant is served by the telephone number shown.

(c) Rental rates-(1) Main post offices-(i) Office groups. The following nine groups are for use in determining the correct rate category for call and lock boxes at main post offices.

Group A. Post offices offering city delivery service and with the position of the postmaster ranked in salary levels 16, 17, 18, or 19.

Group B. Post offices offering city delivery service and with the position of the postmaster ranked in salary levels 14 or 15.

Group C. Post offices offering city delivery service and with the position of the postmaster ranked in salary levels 12 or 13. service and with the position of the postmaster ranked in salary levels 10 or 11. Group D. Post offices offering city delivery Group E. Post offices offering city delivery service and with the position of the postmaster ranked in salary levels 7, 8, or 9.

Group F. Post offices not offering city delivery service and with the position of the postmaster ranked in salary levels 8, 9, or above.

Group G. Post offices not offering city delivery service and with the position of the postmaster ranked in salary level 7.

Group H. Post offices not offering city delivery service and with the position of the postmaster ranked in salary levels 5 or 6. Group 1. All fourth-class post offices.

(ii) Schedule. The quarterly box rent schedule for main post offices is as follows:

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(a)

(2) Rates at stations, branches, annexes, and airport mail facilities—(1) Stations, branches, annexes, and airport mail facilities of first-class offices. With the exception of rural stations and branches or stations and branches primarily servicing academic institutions (see subdivision (iii) of this subparagraph) box rent rates at stations, branches, annexes and airport mail facilities affiliated with first-class post offices, regardless of gross annual postal receipts, shall be based on the following:

(1) At classified stations, branches, and airport mail facilities, with or without city carrier service and with the position of the superintendent ranked in salary levels 9 or above, the rates are those prescribed in the box rent schedule for the first group below that of the main office.

(2) At classified stations, branches, and airport mail facilities, with or without city carrier service and with the position of the superintendent ranked in salary levels 8 or below, the rates are those prescribed in the box rent schedule for the second group below that of the main office.

(3) At designated classified stations and branches located very near the main office and at annexes, the rates shall be

the same as those charged at the main office.

(4) All contract stations will charge those rates prescribed in the box rent schedule for the second group below that of the main office.

(b) All personnel rural stations and branches shall charge the fees prescribed in the box rent schedule for group I post offices.

(c) At nonpersonnel rural stations and branches, the box rent fee is 60 cents per fiscal year. If rented after the beginning of the fiscal year, the rate is 5 cents for each month, or portion of a month, remaining in the fiscal year.

(d) Stations and branches with box equipment owned or supplied by an academic institution shall establish box rental charges in accordance with subdivision (iii) of this subparagraph. Stations and branches primarily serving academic institutions with lockbox equipment not owned or supplied by an academic institution shall charge regular applicable box rental rates.

(ii) Stations and branches of secondand third-class offices. (a) With the exception of rural stations and branches or certain stations and branches primarily servicing academic institutions, stations and branches of second- and third-class post offices will charge the

same rental fees as those charged at the main office.

(b) Rural stations and branches will charge the fees prescribed in subdivision (i) (b) and (c) of this subparagraph.

(c) Stations and branches with box equipment owned or supplied by an academic institution will establish box rental charges in accordance with subdivision (iii) of this subparagraph. Stations and branches primarily servicing academic institutions with lockbox equipment not owned or supplied by the academic institution will charge regular applicable box rental rates.

(iii) Stations and branches servicing academic institutions. The following applies only to stations and branches primarily servicing academic institutions when the box equipment is owned or supplied by the academic institution:

(a) When box equipment is separated from designated post office quarters and the mail is placed in the boxes by personnel employed by the school, box rental fees, if any, are subject to the control of the academic institution, and the revenues therefrom, if any, are not considered postal funds.

(b) When box equipment is not separated from designated post office quarters or the mail is not placed in the boxes by personnel employed by the academic institution, call and lockbox charges are based on the following schedule and all revenues therefrom are considered as postal funds. Fees may be paid on an annual basis or on either a semester or quarterly basis to coincide with the system used by the school. Box rental fees applicable during the summer session of schools operating on a semester basis will be one-half the regular semester rates.

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post office, the rental rates that were in effect at the discontinued post office at the beginning of the fiscal year will continue in effect during the remainder of the fiscal year at the newly established unit.

(4) Fees applicable under special circumstances. When boxes of the size desired by a patron are not available arrangements may be made to use bags or other containers instead of lockboxes. The fee for this service will be equivalent to the rental that would be collected for the size box necessary to accommodate the patron's average daily mail volume. If the average daily mail volume exceeds the capacity of the largest box in the installation, the rental fee for the largest box will be collected.

(d) Payment of box rent. Box rent must be paid in advance. Form 1538, Box Rent Receipt, is given for each payment. A box, except those at nonpersonnel rural stations (see subparagraph (5) of this paragraph), may be rented for the following periods: quarterly; for the balance of the current quarter; for any number of quarters within the fiscal year; annually (July 1-June 30); or for the remaining portion of the fiscal year.

The rent may be paid at the option of the boxholder, as follows:

(1) Quarterly. Quarters begin July 1, October 1, January 1, and April 1. Rent may be paid any time on or before June 30, September 30, December 31, and March 31 respectively, for any number of quarters in the fiscal year beginning July 1 and ending June 30.

(2) For balance of current quarter. (i) First month of quarter: Entire quarterly rate.

(ii) Second month of quarter: Twothirds of quarterly rate. To determine the amount to be paid, multiply quarterly rate by two, and divide by three. Drop fractions of a cent.

(iii) Third month of quarter: If rented before twenty-first day, one-third quarterly rate. On or after the twentyfirst day, no rent will be charged for the remaining days in the quarter, but full payment must be made for the following quarter.

(3) Annually. Rent may be paid annually any time on or before June 30. The fiscal year for box rents begins July 1 and ends June 30.

(4) For balance of fiscal year. After June 30 box rents may be paid for the remaining portion of the fiscal year. Rent must be paid for the fractional quarter, if any, computed in accordance with subparagraph (2) of this paragraph, and for the remaining full quarters.

(5) At nonpersonnel rural stations and branches. Boxes at nonpersonnel rural stations and branches may be rented only on a fiscal year basis, or for the remaining portion of the fiscal year (see subparagraph (3) of this paragraph). For each payment collected, the rural carrier will issue Form 1096, Cash Receipt, pending issuance of Form 1538.

(e) Refund of box rent. When a box is surrendered, no portion of the rent will be refunded to a patron who has paid on a single quarterly basis. A patron renting a box for more than one quarter who surrenders the box before the end of the full period for which rent has been paid may apply for a refund of that portion of the box rent that is applicable to all remaining full quarters within the fiscal year. No refund will be made for the remaining portion of the quarter in which the box is surrendered. Application for refund should be made on Form 3533. See $147.2 of this chapter.

(f) Use of box-(1) Individuals. An individual renting a box may have placed in it:

(1) Mail addressed to himself.

(ii) Mail directed to a temporary visitor.

(iii) Mail addressed to his care or to the number of his box by persons who wish him to take care of it for them not more than 30 days.

(iv) Mail addressed to members of his family.

(v) Mail addressed to his servants or other employees who live in his house.

(vi) Mail addressed to a relative or other person who lives permanently in his house as do the other members of his family. Boarders or roomers are not considered members of the family.

(2) Firms or corporations. A firm renting a box may have placed in it: (i) Mail addressed to its name. (ii) Mail addressed to any of its officials and office employees.

(iii) Mail addressed to any member of a firm, or members of his family, by the consent of all members of the firm

(3) Students and teachers. Mail addressed to students and teachers at an educational institution may be deposited in the box rented by the school, if consistent with the rules of the school.

(4) Public institutions. Mail addressed to inmates of a public institution may be deposited in the box rented by it, if consistent with its rules.

(5) Associations. An association or society may rent a box, but it may not be used for individual members, other than officers addressed by their official titles.

(6) Hotel or boarding house. Mail addressed to guests or transient boarders at a hotel or boarding house will be placed in the box assigned to it or its proprietor.

(7) Mail addressed to box number. Mail addressed only to a box number may be delivered to the box holder as long as no improper or unlawful business is conducted in this manner.

(g) Keys (1) Regular. A patron renting a key-type lockbox must be supplied with one or two keys, according to his needs. Renters of lockboxes are not permitted to obtain or use any keys except those issued through the post office.

(2) Additional. Keys in excess of two may be obtained from the post office on completion of Form 1094, Application for Additional Keys to Post Office Box,

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