§ 135.4 Payment of postage.

Mailers of fourth-class articles may use any method of paying postage. § 135.5 Enclosures and additions.

(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 §§ 121.4, 135.1(b) (1) (i), 135.2(a) (5), and 138.3 of this chapter for special markings required.

(3) Customs declarations. See §§ 124.8 (d) and 126.2 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) 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 and 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 parts 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.

§ 135.6 Enclosures with items mailed at catalog, special fourth-class, and library rate.

(a) Catalogs and similar printed advertising matter in bound form. The following may be enclosed loose or attached in items mailed at the postage rates shown in § 135.1(b) (1) and (3).

(1) Order forms, reply envelopes and cards, circulars, and miscellaneous types of printed advertising sheets.

(2) An invoice as provided for by § 135.5(b) (2).

Samples of merchandise may be attached to the bound pages and to the loose enclosures.

(b) Special fourth-class and library rate (1) Books. The following items only are permissible enclosures with books mailed at the postage rates shown in § 135.1 (c) and (d):

(i) An invoice. (See § 135.5 (b) (2).) (ii) Either one envelope or one addressed post card. (If also serving as an order form, the envelope or card may be in addition to the order form listed in subdivision (iii) of this subparagraph.)

(iii) One order form. (If also serving as an envelope or post card, the order form may be in addition to the envelope or card listed in subdivision (ii) of this subparagraph.)

(iv) Announcements of books, appearing in book pages or as loose enclosures. These announcements of books must be incidental, and must be exclusively devoted to books. They may not contain extraneous advertising of book related materials or services, except that announcements may fully describe the conditions and methods of ordering books, such as through membership in book clubs, and may contain ordering instructions for use with the single order form permitted in subdivision (iii) of this subparagraph.

(2) Sound recordings. The following items only are permissible enclosures with sound recordings mailed at the postage rates shown in § 135.1 (c) and (d): (i) An invoice. (See § 135.5 (b) (2) .) (ii) Either one envelope or one addressed post card. (If also serving as an order form, the envelope or card may be in addition to the order form listed in subdivision (iii) of this subparagraph.)

(iii) One order form. (If also serving as an envelope or post card, the order form may be in addition to the envelope or card listed in subdivision (ii) of this subparagraph.)

(iv) Guides or scripts prepared solely for use with such recordings.

(v) Announcements of sound recordings appearing on title labels, on protective sleeves, on the carton or wrapper, or on loose enclosures. These announcements of sound recordings must be incidental, and must be exclusively devoted to sound recordings. They may not contain extraneous advertising of soundrecording related materials or services, except that announcements may fully describe the conditions and methods of ordering sound recordings, such as through membership in sound recording clubs, and may contain ordering instructions for use with the single order form permitted in subdivision (iii) of this subparagraph.

(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 unconfirmed 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).)

(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) The eighth zone airmail rates apply to articles mailed between:

(i) The United States and

(a) Its possessions,

(b) The Canal Zone, and

(c) The islands of the Trust Territory of the Pacific; and

(ii) The possesisons of the United States and

(a) The Canal Zone, and

(b) The islands of the Trust Territory of the Pacific; and

(iii) The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and

(a) The possessions of the United States,

(b) The Canal Zone, and

(c) The islands of the Trust Territory of the Pacific.

(6) The airmail rates according to zone apply to articles mailed between: (i) The United States and

(a) The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and

(b) The Virgin Islands, and

(ii) Between the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. § 136.3 Weight and size limits.

(a) Weight. Airmail may weigh up to 70 pounds. See part 126 for the exception to this limit for articles addressed to certain APO's and FPO's.

(b) Size. Airmail is limited to 100 inches in combined length and girth. See part 126 for the exception to this limit for articles addressed to certain APO's and FPO's, and § 135.3(b) for instructions on how to measure parcels. § 136.4 Payment of postage.

Postage on airmail may be paid by adhesive postage stamps, stamped cards or envelopes, meter stamps, or permit imprints.

§ 136.5 Additions and enclosures.

There are no special restrictions with respect to written additions and enclosures in airmail.

§ 136.6 Marking, sealing, and depositing.

(a) Place the word "Airmail" prominently on the address side of flat mail preferably below the stamps and above the address, and on the top, bottom, and sides of parcels. Adhesive Label 19, available without charge at the local post office, may be used. The return address of the sender must be shown on the address side of each air parcel mailed at zone rates of postage.

(b) Airmail may be sealed or left unsealed without affecting the air rate.

(c) Deposit airmail weighing 9 ounces or less at the post office or in a special airmail letter box or drop, if available, to insure fastest dispatch, or in any collection box. Airmail weighing over 9 ounces must be deposited at the post office, branch, or station, or handed to a rural or star route carrier.

(d) Use envelopes printed with special airmail design for airmail only. [35 F.R. 19440, Dec. 23, 1970, as amended at 37 F.R. 17829, Sept. 1, 1972]

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§ 137.1 Members of Congress.

(a) Collection of postage. Postage on mail sent under the franking privilege by the Vice President, Members and Members-elect of Congress, the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico, the Secretary of the Senate, Sergeant at Arms of the Senate, Clerk, Sergeant at Arms, and Legislative Counsel of the House of Representatives is paid annually by a lump sum to the Postal Service.

(b) Description. Official mail of Members of Congress is sent without prepayment of postage bearing written signature or a printed fascimile signature instead of a postage stamp. Mail accepted under frank, and the officials authorized to use franked mail, are shown in paragraph (c) of this section. (c) Authorized users.