• USPS service updates

Update to Folded Self-Mailers

Postal regulations will be changing effective January 5, 2013 for self-mailers. These changes will affect size, paper weight, folding and tabbing. Noncompliance will result in additional postage charges.

Folded Self-Mailer:  A folded self-mailer is formed of panels created when a single or multiple unbound sheets of paper are folded together and sealed to form a letter-size mailpiece.  These pieces do not require an envelope to be sent, and the changes to regulation do not affect booklets or any other pieces that have a binding (i.e. staples in the fold).

Notable changes:

Quarter-folded self-mailers will now need to use paper with at least a 70# book weight, or 28# bond.

No tabbing is allowed on the bottom of a self-mailer.

A final fold on the top of a mailer will no longer be allowed.  This means that for tri-folded mailers, the mailing address must be on the middle panel, and the final fold of the piece will create the non-addressed side of the mailer.

The mail address must now be on the middle panel of a tri-folded self-mailer.

Please contact us by phone at 384-3802, or by e-mail to central-mail@uiowa.edu with any questions you may have on a self-mailing piece.

And for additional information on these changes please visit the USPS Support Page which includes a PDF summary of the changes.