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cational Association) and such titles as M.D., D.D.S., Rev., and LL.D., when they are clearly for identification and not for advertising.

(ii) Where a name as part of the return address indicates or incidentally discloses the nature of a business or vocation, it may be printed if the name is a bona fide business name that is used in a corporate charter, copartnership agreement, or other articles of organization, or is the name under which business with the public is actually transacted.

(iii) The name of a branch or department of a business may be printed only when the other branches or departments are located at the same post office address, to insure return of undeliverable mail.

(2) Postal

instructions. Only the postal instructions in this section may be included as part of the printed return address. The "request to return" endorsement below shall appear above the name and address. All other postal endorsements shall appear below the line with the city, State, and ZIP code. A combination of endorsement may be used.

(i) Request to return. A request to return undelivered mail after a specified number of days (not less than 3 and not more than 30) may be printed. If a return request is included on envelopes for third-class mail the words "Return Postage Guaranteed" must also be used. Sample printing:

After 5 days, return to

(ii) Address correction. A request for address correction service may be printed on mail of any class. The new address of addressee or the reason why the piece is undeliverable will be furnished. See § 158.2(d) (3) of this chapter for the charge. Sample printing:

Address Correction Requested

(iii) Third-class mail. On single piece rate third-class mail which is sealed (see also § 134.8 of this chapter), the following imprint must appear:

THIRD CLASS

(iv) Return of undelivered third-class mail. A request may be made to return undelivered third-class mail. See § 158.2 (d) (1) of this chapter for the charge. Sample printing:

Return Postage Guaranteed

(v) Forwarding third-class mail. A request to forward third-class mail to a

new address may be made. If addressee refuses to pay forwarding postage, the mail will be returned, and both forwarding and return postage will be collected from the sender. See § 158.2(d) (2) of this chapter for charges. Sample printing:

Forwarding and Return Postage Guaranteed

(f) Prohibited printing. No matter may be printed other than that permitted by paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section. Advertising is prohibited, as are phone numbers and Esq. Names like druggist, attorney at law and C.P.A., are not classed as titles but represent business or professional names and may not be used.

(g) Rejection of envelopes. Specialrequest envelopes may be rejected because of defective manufacture, or mistakes in printing, denomination, quality, size, etc. If the mistake was made by the purchaser, the value of the postage only will be returned. If the mistake was made by the post office or its contractor, the entire invoiced value of the envelopes will be returned.

(39 U.S.C. 5106) [33 F.R. 15941, Oct. 30, 1968]

§ 141.4 Purchase of postage.

(a) Acceptable form of payment. Foreign or mutilated money is not acceptable. When the post office cannot make change, the exact amount of the purchase must be paid. Postal employees are not required to accept personal checks. To send money by mail use money order or certified check.

(b) Purchase receipts. If the purchaser wants a receipt for money paid for postage, prepare the receipt in advance and the postal employee will sign or stamp it when paid.

(c) Postage due. Postage due must be paid in cash. Postage-due stamps may not be used for paying postage. They may be purchased, for stamp collections only, through the Philatelic Sales Agency, Post Office Department, Washington, D.C., 20260.

[26 F.R. 11561, Dec. 6, 1961. Redesignated at 31 F.R. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966]

§ 141.5 Exchanges of stamps.

(a) Post Office mistakes. Mistakes in selling damaged or unserviceable stamps may be corrected by the post office by exchanging stamps at full value.

(b) Purchaser's mistakes. Mistakes made by purchaser in buying adhesive

stamps of the wrong denomination or stamped envelopes or postal cards of the wrong kind, size, or denomination may be corrected by exchanging stamps at full value.

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(c) Unserviceable and spoiled velopes or cards and unused precanceled stamps. Unserviceable and spoiled stamped envelopes or postal cards, if uncanceled, and unused precanceled stamps and postal cards, may be exchanged for other postage-stamped paper as follows:

(1) Stamped envelopes (mutilated no more than is necessary to remove contents), for postage value plus value of postage added as a result of rate increase or for additional service.

(2) Unmutilated aerogrammes (airletter sheets), for postage value less 1 cent for each aerogramme redeemed.

(3) Unmutilated single and double postal cards, for 85 percent of postage value plus full value of postage added as a result of rate increase or for additional service.

(i) Either half of a double postal card may be redeemed if the double card has been printed and cut for use as single cards.

(ii) Unused double postal cards printed for reply purposes should not be separated; however, if they have been separated in error, and the purchaser presents both halves, the cards may be redeemed.

(iii) Reply halves of double postal cards that have been returned to sender outside of the mails are not redeemable by the original purchaser even though the reply half received no postal service. (4) Sheet postal cards spoiled in the process of cutting to size, for 85 percent of postage value plus full value of postage added as a result of rate increase or for additional service, if all cut sections are submitted.

(5) Stamps affixed to commercial envelopes and post cards, for 90 percent of postage value. Envelopes and post cards must be in a substantially whole condition and in lots of at least 50 of the same denomination and value.

(6) Unused precanceled stamps in full coils or in full sheets redeemed from precanceled permit holders for 90 percent of postage value.

Stamped envelopes or aerogrammes (air-letter sheets) with a printed return address and postal cards with any printed matter of the purchaser, may be exchanged only by the pur

chaser. If there is no purchaser's printing, they may be exchanged by any responsible person. When redemption cannot be made at time of presentation, the postmaster will furnish a receipt on Form 3210 for uncanceled unserviceable or spoiled envelopes or postal cards or for unused precanceled stamps left in his custody.

(d) Nonexchangeable. The following are nonexchangeable:

(1) Adhesive stamps, unless mistakes were made in purchasing or stamps were defective or stamps were affixed to commercial envelopes and post cards.

(2) Stamps cut from postal cards, stamped envelopes, or aerogrammes (air-letter sheets).

(3) Parts and pieces of postal cards.

(4) Postal cards, stamped envelopes and air-letter sheets received for reply purposes.

(5) Mutilated and defaced stamps. [33 F.R. 6933, May 8, 1968]

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All postage stamps issued by the United States since 1860 are good for postage from any points in the United States or from any other place where the United States domestic mail service operates except from the Panama Canal Zone where special Canal Zone stamps are used. The following are not good for postage:

(a) Mutilated or defaced stamps.

(b) Stamps cut from stamped envelops, letter sheets, aerograms, or postal cards.

(c) Stamps covered or coated in such manner that the canceling or defacing marks cannot be imprinted directly or the stamps.

(d) Nonpostage stamps (migratorybird hunting stamps, U.S. saving and thrift stamps, etc.).

(e) Postage due, special delivery, special handling, and certified mail stamps.

(f) United Nations stamps, except on mail deposited at United Nations, N.Y. (g) Stamps of other countries. [33 F.R. 6933, May 8, 1968]

§ 141.7 Unlawful transactions.

(a) Unlawful transactions include use of stamps, by postal employees entrusted with the sale or custody of postage stamps, in payment of debts or purchase of salable articles, and sale of stamps, except for cash or for more or less than face value.

(b) Counterfeit stamps are confiscated and forwarded to the inspector-incharge of the division in which the post office is located. A receipt identifying the stamps will be given to persons from whom counterfeits are confiscated.

(c) Postmasters shall not give opinions to the public concerning the reproduction of foreign or domestic postage stamps. Persons who request information on this matter shall be directed to address their inquiries to the Office of the Director, U.S. Secret Service, Treasury Department, Washington, D.C., 20220.

[26 F.R. 11562, Dec. 6, 1961, as amended at 31 F.R. 5964, Apr. 19, 1966. Redesignated at 31 F.R. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966]

§ 141.8 Adhesive attachments and printed markings.

(a) Imitations of postage stamps. Matter bearing imitations of postage stamps, in adhesive or printed form, or private seals or stickers which are like a postage stamp in form and design, shall not be accepted for mailing.

(b) Imitations of official markings and designs. Matter bearing decorative markings and designs, in adhesive or printed form, which imitate the markings and designs used to identify official postal services shall not be accepted for mailing. The following illustrations are examples of prohibited imitations:

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(b) Place of mailing. Matter bearing precanceled stamps may be mailed only at the post office which sold the stamps.

(c) Sale limited. Precanceled stamps will be sold only to precancel permitholders except as provided in paragraph (f) of this section.

(d) Prohibited. Precanceled postage stamps may not be used on matter mailed in boxes, cases, bags, or other containers designed to be reused for mailing purposes.

If precanceled

(e) Overprinting. postage on a single piece is over 16 cents, the precanceled stamps must be overprinted or handstamped in black ink with the mailer's initials and the numerical abbreviations of the month and year for use; for example, A. B. Co. Precanceled stamps overprinted in this way are acceptable on mail during the month shown, and through the 10th of the following month.

cancellation lines to fully deface the stamp. There is illustrated below the authorized design of a mailer's precancel

postmark.

(f) Philatelic sales.-(1) Nonpermit holders. Not more than 10 stamps of each of the precanceled denominations which are available at a post office may be purchased in person or by mail by nonpermit holders for collection purposes. Each mail order must be accompanied with a stamped, self-addressed envelope for use in returning the stamps to the purchaser. Precanceled stamps are available only at post offices which prepare or obtain them for sale to permit holders.

(2) Permit holders. Precancel permit holders may buy the quantity of precanceled stamps for philatelic purposes provided for by subparagraph (i) of this paragraph. Other precanceled stamps may be purchased only for the purpose of paying postage. Unused precanceled stamps may not be sold for philatelic purposes by permit holders.

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(g) Precanceling for collectors. Postmasters will not comply with requests for imprints of a precanceling device on postage stamps or blank sheets of paper. [26 F.R. 11562, Dec. 6, 1961, as amended at 27 F.R. 4365, May 8, 1962; 32 F.R. 11328, Aug. 4, 1967. Redesignated at 31 F.R. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966]

§ 142.3 Mailer's precancel postmark.

(b) Issuance of permit. The postmaster will approve or disapprove the application. If it is approved, he will issue a "Precancel Permit" on Form 3620 to the applicant. If the permit covers the use of a mailer's precancel postmark, the permit will include a statement to that effect.

Mailers may use a precancel postmark on stamped envelopes mailed at the firstclass rate of postage. The precanceling imprint must include the name of the post office and State, the permit number preceded by the words "Mailer's Postmark," the date of mailing, and sufficient

(c) Revocation. (1) Permits may be revoked if used in operating any schemes or enterprise of an unlawful character, or for the purpose of purchasing or acquiring stamps for other than mailing purposes, or for any noncompliance with the instructions on the "Permit," Form 3620.

(2) The permit holder will be notified by letter by the postmaster at the post office that issued the permit that it is to be canceled, with the reasons for cancellation. The permit holder will be allowed 10 days within which to file a written statement showing why the permit should not be revoked. When no answer is filed, the postmaster will cancel the permit. If an answer is filed it should be forwarded with a statement of the facts to the Director, Classification and Special Services Division, Bureau of Operations, who will determine whether the permit shall be continued in effect. Notice

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143.7 143.8

Meter Record Book.

Manufacture and distribution of postage meters.

AUTHORITY: The provisions of this Part 143 issued under R.S. 161, as amended; 5 U.S.C. 301, 39 U.S.C. 501, 4051-4053.

§ 143.1 Postage meters.

(a) Use of meter stamps. Postage may be paid by printing meter stamps with a postage meter on any class of mail. Metered mail is entitled to all the privileges and subject to all the conditions applying to the various classes of mail.

(b) Benefits. Postage meters facilitate the purchase, control, and affixing of postage. Metered mail does not require facing, canceling, and postmarking in the post office, and can therefore be dispatched more quickly.

(c) Description of meters. Postage meters are made to print single, several, or all denominations of postage. They contain in one sealed unit the printing die or dies and two recording counters. One adds and keeps a total of all postage printed by the meter. The other subtracts and shows the balance of postage remaining in the meter, after the use of which it will lock. From time to time the meter may be taken to the post office to have the counter set for such additional postage as may be desired to have added to the balance of postage remaining. Payment must be made for each additional setting.

(d) Meter manufacturers. Postage meters may be leased from authorized manufacturers who are held responsible by the Post Office Department for the con

trol, operation, maintenance, and replacement, when necessary, of meters manufactured by them. The following manufacturers are presently authorized to lease meters to mailers:

(1) National Cash Register Co., Dayton, OH 45409.

(2) Pitney-Bowes, Inc., Pacific and Walnut Streets, Stamford, CT 06904.

(3) Postalia Corp., 32-31 57th Street, Woodside, Flushing, NY 11377.

(4) The Singer Co., Friden Division, 2350 Washington Avenue, San Leandro, CA 94577 (for the following-named meters):

Commercial Controls Corp.
Friden, Inc.

International Postal Supply Co.

The Singer Co., Friden Division.

(e) Control. After a meter has been delivered to a licensee, he must keep it in his custody until turned over to the authorized manufacturer or to the post office. Tampering with or misuse of a meter is punishable by law.

(39 U.S.C. 4025) [26 F.R. 11563, Dec. 6, 1961, as amended at 34 F.R. 9751, June 24, 1969. Redesignated at 31 F.R. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966]

§ 143.2 Meter license.

(a) Application. A patron may obtain a "License to Use a Postage Meter" by submitting "Application for a Postage Meter License, Form 3601-A” (or a form supplied by the manufacturer) to the post office where his metered mail will be deposited. No fee is charged. The application must specify the make and model of the meter. On approval, the postmaster will issue a license.

(1)

(b) Responsibilities of licensee. After a meter has been delivered to a licensee, he must keep it in his custody until turned over to the authorized manufacturer or to the post office. Tampering with or misuse of a meter is punishable by law.

(2) The meters in the custody of the licensee and his records relating to meter transactions must be available for examination and audit by authorized audit and inspection personnel of the Post Office Department.

(c) Revocation. (1) The license may be revoked if used in operating any scheme or enterprise of an unlawful character, for nonuse during any consecutive 12 months, or for any failure to comply with the regulations governing the use of postage meters.

(2) The meter license holder will be

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