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Hi everyone

Today I received a response from Betty White with the message: "Postage Due $0.13 for Non-Standard Surcharge" stamped on the envelope. What does this mean? After a bit of research I found the answer.

The United States Poastal Service has just begun to enforce some new rules regarding so-called "Non-Standard Envelopes". If an envelope weighs a total of one ounce or less, meaning only one $0.39 stamp is required, they are subject to the following rules. If an envelope weighs more than one ounce, it is exempt from the "Non-Standard" fee. If an envelope is dubbed "Non-Standard" a fee of $0.13 cents is enforced.

The following classify a "Non-Standard" envelope:

-It is a square letter.
-It contains very rigid items such as wood or metal.
-It has clasps, string, buttons, or similar closure devices.
-It has an address parallel to the shorter dimension of the letter.
-It contains items such as pens that cause the surface to be uneven.
-The length divided by height is less than 1.3 or more than 2.5.

These items are dubbed "nonmachinable" meaning they cannot pass through a machine to process the postage.

I presume the rule which will affect most people is the "no clasps" rule...

Joel

lutherjw wrote:Hi everyone

Today I received a response from Betty White with the message: "Postage Due $0.13 for Non-Standard Surcharge" stamped on the envelope. What does this mean? After a bit of research I found the answer.

The United States Poastal Service has just begun to enforce some new rules regarding so-called "Non-Standard Envelopes". If an envelope weighs a total of one ounce or less, meaning only one $0.39 stamp is required, they are subject to the following rules. If an envelope weighs more than one ounce, it is exempt from the "Non-Standard" fee. If an envelope is dubbed "Non-Standard" a fee of $0.13 cents is enforced.

The following classify a "Non-Standard" envelope:

-It is a square letter.
-It contains very rigid items such as wood or metal.
-It has clasps, string, buttons, or similar closure devices.
-It has an address parallel to the shorter dimension of the letter.
-It contains items such as pens that cause the surface to be uneven.
-The length divided by height is less than 1.3 or more than 2.5.

These items are dubbed "nonmachinable" meaning they cannot pass through a machine to process the postage.

I presume the rule which will affect most people is the "no clasps" rule...

Joel

The other interesting thing I've run into is a thickness test. The have a sign with a small slot and if your letter can pass through cleanly, it's ok. If it get's stuck, the $0.13 rule also applies.

Well, the thing that I do with my TTM autograph requests is that I take all envelopes once a week (usually on a Saturday morning since I work Monday-Friday) & I pay for the postage right there. This why, you don't have to worry about your envelope coming back with the non-surcharge thing.