POM Issue 9, July 2002
Updated With Revisions Through July 7, 2016
289
6 Delivery Services
61 Conditions of Delivery
611 Delivery, Refusal, and Return
611.1
Conditions
The following conditions govern delivery, refusal, and return:
a. Delivery to Addressee. The addressee may control delivery of his o
r
her mail. In the absence of a contrary order, the mail is delivered as
addressed. Mail addressed to several persons may be delivered
t
o
any one of
t
hem.
b. Mail Refused When Offered for
Delivery.
The addressee may refuse
to
accept a piece of mail at the time it is offered for delivery. The
addressee should endorse the piece
“
R
e
f
us
ed
.”
c. Mail Refused After
Delivery.
After delivery, an addressee may mark a
piece of mail “Refused” and return it within a reasonable time if the mail
or any attachment is not opened, except for mail listed in 611.1
c
(
1
)
a
n
d
611.1
c
(
2
).
Mail that may not be refused and returned unopened under
this provision may be returned to the sender only if enclosed in a
n
e
w
envelope or wrapper with a correct address and new postage. The
following may not be returned postage free:
(1)
Pieces sent as Registered Mail‘, Insured Mail, Certified
Mail‘
,
COD, Return Receipt for Merchandise Mail, or other signature
mail may not be refused and returned postage free after delivery.
(2)
Mail sent to an addressee in response to the addressee’s sales
promotion, solicitation, announcement, or other advertisement,
and that is not refused when offered to the addressee, may no
t
be refused and returned postage free after delivery.
d. Mail Withheld From Delivery. An addressee may request his or her
postmaster, in writing, to withhold from delivery for a period
n
o
t
exceeding 2 years any foreign letter or printed matter bearing a
specified name or address appearing on the outside. Such mail is
marked “Refused” by the Post Office™ and treated as undeliverable.
e. Mail of Unknown Addressee. When a person claiming to be
th
e
addressee of certain mail is unknown to the delivery employee, the mail
may be withheld, pending identification of the
c
laiman
t
.
f. Refused Mail as
Undeliverable.
Matter refused by the addressee under
611.1b and 611.1c is treated as undeliverable
(see
681.5).
POM Issue 9, July 2002
Updated With Revisions Through July 7, 2016
290
611.2 Postal Operations Manual
g. Remailing of Matter Returned to Sender. The mailer must not remail
undelivered or refused mail returned to him or her
unless
it is enclosed in a
new envelope or wrapper with a correct address and new
po
s
t
age.
Returned shortpaid mail does not have to be placed in a new envelope.
The necessary
additional postage may be affixed to the original mail piece.
h. Mail Bearing Exceptional Address Format. Mail with an exceptional
form of address is always delivered as addressed and may not be
forwarded. Only if the address is incorrect or incomplete, or if the mail
cannot be delivered for another reason, is it treated as undeliverable
(see
68). First-Class Mail
®
that is undeliverable as addressed is
returned to the sender.
611.2 Delivery to Persons With Similar Names
Unless persons with similar names adopt some means to distinguish their
mail, a postmaster must use judgment in making delivery.
611.3 Mail Delivered to Wrong Person
A person receiving mail not intended for him or her must promptly return it
to
the Post Office, endorsed “Opened by Mistake” with his or her signature
if
the letter is opened; otherwise, it should be endorsed “Not for..., Not at
th
is
address,” or words to the same
effe
ct.
611.4 Checks Issued by Federal Government
611.41 Recipient
Federal
government checks are delivered to the addressees, to persons who
customarily receive their mail, or to other persons authorized in writing
to
receive their mail. Delivery must not be made to an attorney, claim agent, o
r
broker even though the addressee requests such delivery unless the check is
addressed in care of the attorney, claim agent, or
brok
er
.
611.42 Delivery Alert
If convenient, the addressee can be alerted by ringing the bell or knocking on
the door. The carrier is not required to await a response.
611.43 Immediate Return of Check
Delivery is withheld and the check returned to the sender immediately if it is
known that the addressee:
a.
Is deceased or both parties of a jointly addressed check are deceased.
b. Has moved without filing a change of address, even though the new
address may be kno
w
n.
c.
Has enlisted in the military service.
d. Is under gu
ar
dian
sh
ip.
611.44 Treasury Checks Without Delivery Dates
Treasury checks enclosed in envelopes that do not show a date of delivery
are delivered on the first scheduled delivery after
re
ce
ipt.
POM Issue 9, July 2002
Updated With Revisions Through July 7, 2016
291
Delivery Services
611.45
612.11
Treasury Checks With Delivery Dates
Treasury checks enclosed in envelopes that show a date of delivery are
delivered on that date or the first scheduled delivery after that date. In
emergency or other infrequent situations, customers receiving delivery
service may request redelivery of their mail at the office of delivery
if
withdrawal of the mail does not interfere with carriers’ delivery schedules o
r
the efficiency of other postal o
p
er
ation
s.
611.5
Checks Issued by State and Local Governments
State and local government checks are handled in accordance
wit
h
instructions printed on the envelopes. Certain checks have instructions
n
o
t
to transfer or forward. If undeliverable as addressed, such checks must be
returned to the sender immediat
ely.
611.6
Mail Marked “In Care Of” Another
Mail marked “In Care
Of”
another is delivered to the first of the two
p
e
rso
ns
named who may call for it, or to the address of the person in whose care it is
directed in the absence of instructions from the addressee.
611.7
Restricted Delivery
Registered Mail, Certified Mail, numbered Insured Mail, and COD Mail that
the sender has restricted delivery to the addressee only may not be delivered
to any other person, except under DMM
®
S916.
611.8
Mail Marked “Personal”
Mail bearing the word “Personal” is delivered in the same way as other mail
for the addressee.
611.9
Holding Mail at Addressee’s Request
611.91
Ordinary Mail
Ordinary mail, except First-Class Mail bearing return address of sender
specifying a holding period, is held at the office of address at the request o
f
the addressee for up to 30 days. Under unusual conditions, mail may be held
longer if the postmaster considers it practical and customers arrange
fo
r
periodic pickup of the accumulated mail. Customers may authorize
t
h
e
holding of their mail by signing PS Form 8076, Authorization to Hold Mail.
611.92
Express Mail
®
Express Mail shipments are held at the office of address at the
a
ddr
es
s
ee
’
s
written request for a specified day or days, for example, Saturdays, Sundays,
or holidays
(see
DMM F030.4.4).
