Federal Register, Volume 76 Issue 33 (Thursday, February 17, 2011)

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 33 (Thursday, February 17, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 9231-9233]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-3446]

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POSTAL SERVICE

39 CFR Part 111

New Customs Declarations Label Requirements

AGENCY: Postal Service\TM\.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Postal Service is revising the Mailing Standards of the
United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg])
608.2.4 to require all mailpieces containing goods that enter the
Customs Territory of the United States (CTUS), from outside the CTUS,
to bear a customs declaration label. Additionally, the Postal Service
updates the standards for items weighing 16 ounces or more when sent
to, from, or between, and in some circumstances, within certain U.S.
territories, possessions, and Freely Associated States.

DATES: Effective Date: June 6, 2011.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rick Klutts at 813-877-0372.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Consistent with the Code of Federal
Regulations, Title 19, Part 145--U.S. Customs and Border Protection,
Department of Homeland Security, the Postal Service will require that
all mailpieces containing goods that enter the CTUS, from outside the
CTUS, to bear a customs declaration label. In addition, to ensure
compliance with safety and security requirements of the United States
Postal Inspection Service[supreg], we are updating our standards for
items weighing 16 ounces or more (regardless

[[Page 9232]]

of contents) when sent to, from, between, and, in some circumstances,
within American Samoa, Guam, Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia,
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Marshall Islands,
and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Definitions and Requirements for Items Sent to the CTUS

As defined in 19 CFR 101.1 and General Note 2 of the Harmonized
Tariff Schedule of the United States, the CTUS includes only the 50
states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
U.S. territories, possessions, and Freely Associated States under
DMM 608.2.4 are considered ``domestic'' insofar as United States mail
is sent to, from, or between these destinations; nonetheless, these
destinations are outside the CTUS. As such, and consistent with 19 CFR
145.11, a clear and complete customs declaration label that describes
the contents and value for the enclosed merchandise (that is, goods, or
contents other than documents) must be secured to the mailpiece for
each shipment when sent from a foreign post office. For the purpose of
these new standards, ``foreign post offices'' include those in the
following locations:
American Samoa
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Federated States of Micronesia
Guam
Palau
Republic of the Marshall Islands
U.S. Virgin Islands
These revisions ensure compliance with regulations of U.S. Customs
and Border Protection.

Updated Standards for Items Weighing 16 Ounces or More

Current DMM standards require a customs declaration label for
Priority Mail[supreg] items weighing 16 ounces or more when sent from
the United States to American Samoa, Guam, Palau, the Federated States
of Micronesia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and
the Marshall Islands, and when such items are sent to the United States
from those locations. We are updating these standards to encompass the
Package Services and Periodicals mail classes and to extend this
requirement when items are sent between, and in some circumstances,
within certain U.S. territories, possessions, and Freely Associated
States. This update also clarifies that the same customs declaration
requirements are applicable for mail sent to these destinations from
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
These revisions ensure compliance with safety and security
requirements of the Postal Inspection Service and other federal
agencies.
The Postal Service adopts the following changes to Mailing
Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual
(DMM), which is incorporated by reference in the Code of Federal
Regulations. See 39 CFR 111.1.

List of Subjects in 39 CFR Part 111

Administrative practice and procedure, Postal Service.

Accordingly, 39 CFR part 111 is amended as follows:

PART 111--[AMENDED]

0
1. The authority citation for 39 CFR part 111 continues to read as
follows:

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a); 13 U.S.C. 301-307; 18 U.S.C. 1692-
1737; 39 U.S.C. 101, 401, 403, 404, 414, 416, 3001-3011, 3201-3219,
3403-3406, 3621, 3622, 3626, 3632, 3633, and 5001.

0
2. Revise the following sections of Mailing Standards of the United
States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), as follows:
* * * * *

600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services

* * * * *

608 Postal Information and Resources

* * * * *

2.0 Domestic Mail

* * * * *

2.4 Customs Forms Required

[Revise the title and text of 2.4.1 as follows:]
2.4.1 Items Weighing 16 Ounces or More
Except for items sent via Express Mail, or Priority Mail combined
with Registered Mail service, any mailpiece (regardless of contents)
weighing 16 ounces or more must bear a properly completed PS Form 2976,
Customs Declaration CN 22, or, if the customer prefers, a PS Form 2976-
A, Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note--CP 72, when the item is:
a. Sent from the United States, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin
Islands to the ZIP Code destinations listed in the table below.
b. Sent from the ZIP Code destinations listed in the table below to
the United States, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
c. Sent between two different destinations listed in the
``Territory, Possession, or Freely Associated States'' column in the
table below.
d. Sent within American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia,
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or the Republic of
the Marshall Islands. This standard does not apply to items sent within
Guam or Palau.

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Two-letter state
ZIP code abbreviation City Territory, possession, or freely associated state
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96799............................... AS Pago Pago................... American Samoa.
96910............................... GU Hagatna..................... Guam.
96912............................... GU Dededo...................... Guam.
96913............................... GU Barrigada................... Guam.
96915............................... GU Santa Rita.................. Guam.
96916............................... GU Merizo...................... Guam.
96917............................... GU Inarajan.................... Guam.
96919............................... GU Agana Heights............... Guam.
96921............................... GU Barrigada................... Guam.
96923............................... GU Mangilao.................... Guam.
96928............................... GU Agat........................ Guam.
96929............................... GU Yigo........................ Guam.
96931............................... GU Tamuning.................... Guam.
96932............................... GU Hagatna..................... Guam.
96939............................... PW Palau....................... Palau.
96940...............................
96941............................... FM Pohnpei..................... Federated States of Micronesia.

[[Page 9233]]

96942............................... FM Chuuk....................... Federated States of Micronesia.
96943............................... FM Yap......................... Federated States of Micronesia.
96944............................... FM Kosrae...................... Federated States of Micronesia.
96950............................... MP Saipan...................... Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
96951............................... MP Rota........................ Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
96952............................... MP Tinian...................... Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
96960............................... MH Majuro...................... Republic of the Marshall Islands.
96970............................... MH Ebeye....................... Republic of the Marshall Islands.
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[Renumber current items 2.4.2 through 2.4.4 as 2.4.5 through 2.4.7 and
insert new 2.4.2 through 2.4.4 as follows:]
2.4.2 Items Containing Goods
Regardless of mail class or weight, items containing goods (i.e.,
contents other than documents; see IMM 123.63 for ``document''
eligibility) must bear a properly completed PS Form 2976, Customs
Declaration CN 22, or, if the customer prefers, a PS Form 2976-A,
Customs Declaration and Dispatch Note--CP 72, when the items are sent
to the United States or Puerto Rico from the ZIP Code destinations
listed in the table in 2.4.1, or from the U.S. Virgin Islands..
2.4.3 Improperly Prepared Items
Mailpieces deposited without a properly completed customs form
under 2.4.1 and 2.4.2 will be returned to the sender.
2.4.4 Overseas Military Mail
For determining customs declarations' required usage when mailing
to or from APO, FPO, or DPO addresses, see 703.2.3.6 through 703.2.3.8.
* * * * *
We will publish an appropriate amendment to 39 CFR part 111 to
reflect these changes.

Neva R. Watson,
Attorney, Legislative.
[FR Doc. 2011-3446 Filed 2-16-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7710-12-P