office; at any city letter-carrier office or at any point within its delivery limits for delivery by carriers from that office; at any office from which a rural route starts for delivery on the same route; and on a rural route for delivery at the office from which the route starts or on any rural route starting from that office. (5) The Zone 1 rate in § 135.1 (a) and (b) applies to parcels mailed between two post offices in the same sectional center area. (6) Gold coin, gold bullion, and gold dust, between any two points in Alaska, or between any point in Alaska and any point in the other States or U.S. possessions are charged the rate in § 135.1 (a) e. The gold must be enclosed in sealed packages not exceeding 50 pounds in weight and sent by registered mail. [26 F.R. 11549, Dec. 6, 1961, as amended at 29 F.R. 8007, June 24, 1964; 32 F.R. 451, Jan. 17, 1967; 33 FR. 11359, Aug. 9, 1968; 33 F.R. 12282, Aug. 31, 1968; 34 F.R. 16542, Oct. 16, 1969. Redesignated at 31 F.R. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966] § 135.3 Weight and size limits. (a) Conditions for determining limits. (1) Between first class post offices: (i) Parcels mailed at a first-class post office in the 48 contiguous States of the United States addressed for delivery at the same office or to another first-class post office within the first or second parcel post zone. (See exception in §135.3(a) (2)).... NOTE: The size limit will be changed as follows: 1. Effective July 1, 1970.. 2. Effective July 1, 1971.. (ii) Parcels mailed at a first-class post office in the 48 contiguous States of the United States addressed for delivery at another first-class post office in the 48 contiguous States in the third through eighth parcel post zone. (See exceptions in $135.3(a)(2) of this chapter)... NOTE: The size and weight limits will be changed as follows: 1. Effective July 1, 1969.. 2. Effective July 1, 1970.. 3. Effective July 1, 1971... (2) All other parcels. Parcels mailed at or to: (i) Any post office of the second, third, or fourth class... (ii) Any rural or star route at any class of post office.. (iii) Any Army, Air Force or Fleet post office. (See Part 127 of this chapter for certain exceptions.). (iv) Any post office in Alaska or Hawaii.. (v) Any post office in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. (vi) Any post office in a territory or possession of the United States, including the Canal Zone and Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. (See Part 112 of this chapter.). (vii) Any post office when contents of parcel consists of baby poultry, nursery stock, agricultural commodities, books, Braille writers and other appliances for the blind, and other items listed in § 135.1(c) and § 135.1(d). (The term agricultural commodities includes any product grown or produced incident to an agricultural activity on a farm or in a garden, orchard, nursery, or forest, but does not include articles manufactured or processed from these commodities.).. NOTE: The corresponding Postal Manual section is 135.31. (b) How to compute the size of a parcel: (1) Measure the longest side to get the length. (2) Measure distance around the parcel at its thickest part to get the girth. (3) Add the length and the girth. Two or more packages may be mailed as a single parcel if they are about the same size or shape or if they are parts of one article. They must be securely wrapped or fastened together and must not, together, exceed the weight or size limit. MEASURE GIRTH 16 ounces or more but not exceeding Pounds 40 70 132 F.R. 12794, Sept. 7, 1967, as amended at 33 F.R. 11598, Aug. 15, 1968] (a) Required-(1) Return address. The return address of the sender must be shown on all fourth-class mail. See § 135.2(a) (5) concerning packages mailed at the library rate. (2) Special markings. See §§ 121.6, 135.1 (b) (1) (i), 135.2(a) (4) and (5), and 138.3 of this chapter for special markings required. (3) Customs declarations. See §§ 125.7 (d) and 127.2 of this chapter concerning need for customs declaration forms for packages addressed to the Canal Zone and to certain military post offices overseas. (b) Permissible. (1) The following written additions may be placed on the wrapper, on a tag or label attached to the outside of the parcel (see § 123.2(b) of this chapter for space requirements), or inside the parcel, either attached to an article or loose: (i) Marks, numbers, name, or letters descriptive of contents. (ii) Please Do Not Open Until Christmas, Merry Christmas, Mom & Dad, Happy Birthday, Mother, With Best Wishes, John Doe, and similar inscriptions. (iii) Instructions and directions for the use of an article in the package. EXAMPLE: Directions for use of prescription medicine. (iv) Manuscript dedication or inscription not in the nature of personal correspondence. (v) Marks to call attention to any word or passage in text. (vi) Corrections of typographical errors in: (a) Circulars or printed matter. Handwritten or typewritten changes or additions in the body of a circular are limited to corrections of actual typographical errors. (b) Proof sheets. Corrections in proof sheets include corrections of typographical and other errors, alterations of text, insertion of new text, marginal instructions to the printer, and rewrites of part if necessary for correction. Corrections should be on margins or attached to the manuscript. Do not enclose manuscript of another article. (vii) Handstamped imprints, except when the added matter is in itself personal or converts the original matter to a personal communication. (viii) Any printed matter mailable as third class. (2) An invoice whether or not also serving as a bill relating solely to the matter with which it is enclosed, may be enclosed or placed in an envelope (marked Invoice Enclosed) attached to the outside, showing any or all of the following: (i) Names and addresses of sender and addressee. (ii) Names and quantities of articles enclosed. (iii) Description of articles enclosed, including price, tax, style, stock number, size, and quality; and if defective, nature of defect. (iv) Order or file number, date of order, date and manner of shipment, shipping weight, and postage paid. (v) Initials or name of packer or checker. [27 F.R. 11766, Nov. 29, 1962, as amended at 29 F.R. 8008, June 24, 1964; 33 F.R. 12283, Aug. 31, 1968; 33 F.R. 18156, Dec. 6, 1968. Redesignated at 31 F.R. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966] § 135.6 Enclosures. (a) Catalogs. Catalogs mailed at the rates in § 135.1(b) (1) and (2)(i) may have any or all of the following enclosures, provided the loose enclosures form only an incidental portion of contents: (1) Order forms, reply envelopes, and circulars. (2) One each of a printed blotter, illustrated display sheet, poster, dealer's card, or similar printed advertising matter. (3) An invoice. (See 135.5(b) (2).) (b) Special fourth-class and library rate (1) Books. The following may be enclosed with books: (1) Incidental announcements of books, appearing in book pages or as loose enclosures. This includes an addressed envelope or post card, a single order form, and a printed circular, each of which must relate exclusively to books. (ii) An invoice (see § 135.5(b) (2) of this chapter). (2) Sound recordings. The following may be enclosed with sound recordings mailed at the rates in § 135.1(c): of (i) Incidental announcements sound recordings appearing on title labels, on protective sleeves, on the carton or wrapper, or in form of loose enclosures. (ii) An invoice. (See § 135.5 (b) (2).) (3) All other items listed in § 135.2(a) (4) and (5). Enclosures are not permitted except as provided in § 135.5(b) (2). [29 F.R. 8008, June 24, 1964, as amended at 30 F.R. 7396, June 4, 1965. Redesignated at 31 F.R. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966] § 135.7 Sealing. Fourth-class mail must be wrapped or packaged so that it can be easily examined. Mailing of sealed parcels at the fourth-class rate of postage is deemed to be the consent of the sender to postal inspection of the contents. Patrons who desire to assure that their parcels will not be opened for postal inspection, should, in addition to paying the first-class rate of postage, plainly mark their parcels "First Class" or with similar endorsements. [26 F.R. 11552, Dec. 6, 1961. Redesignated at 31 F.R. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966] (a) Fourth-class articles may be mailed at a post office, branch, or station, or handed to a rural or star route carrier. They may not be mailed at railway post office cars. (b) Parcels exceeding the limits of size and weight for articles mailed at first-class post offices that originate in and are prepared in cities or towns served by first-class post offices may not be diverted to other post offices or to a rural or star route carrier for mailing. [26 F.R. 11552, Dec. 6, 1961. Redesignated at 31 F.R. 15350, Dec. 8, 1966] EXCEPTION: Parcels weighing less than 10 pounds, measuring over 84 inches but not exceeding 100 inches in length and girth combined, are chargeable with a minimum rate equal to that for a 10-pound parcel for the zone to which addressed. (a) Description. Airmail is mail carried by air and by the fastest connecting surface carriers, and given the most expeditious handling in dispatch and delivery. Airmail is not given special delivery to the addressee unless a special delivery fee is paid in addition to the airmail postage. (b) Articles acceptable. Any matter acceptable in the domestic surface mail may be sent by airmail, except: (1) Anything susceptible to damage, or which may be rendered harmful by changes in temperature or atmospheric pressures and not protected against the effects of such changes. (2) Permanent magnetic materials with unconfined fields. (3) Matter specifically excluded by appropriate Federal agencies from air shipment. (c) Application of rates. (1) Postage is charged on airmail (except postal and post cards) according to weight at the rates in § 136.1 regardless of the class of mail. (2) Air post cards must conform to the size and conditions prescribed for post cards. (See § 131.2(b) (2) of this chapter.) (3) Each portion of a double air post card must be prepaid at the air card rate when originally mailed, except when the reply portion is prepared as a business reply air card. See § 131.2(c) for information regarding business reply mail. (4) Air parcel post articles addressed to military post offices overseas (Army, Air Force, and Fleet post offices, and Naval vessels) require postage at the airmail zone rate applicable between the mailing post office and the post office shown in the address. (5) Eighth zone airmail rates: (i) The eighth zone airmail rates apply to articles mailed between: (a) The United States, and- (2) The Canal Zone, and (3) The islands of the Trust Territory of the Pacific; (b) The possessions of the United States, and (1) The Canal Zone, and (2) The islands of the Trust Territory of the Pacific; and (c) The Commonwealth Rico, and of Puerto (1) The possessions of the United States, (2) The Canal Zone, and (3) The islands of the Trust Territory of the Pacific. (ii) The airmail rates according to zone apply to articles mailed between: (a) The United States, and |