free matter for the blind or handicapped sECTION 135, dmm, CARRIES FORTH THE PROVISIONS OF uNITED sTATES cODE, tITLE 39, SECTIONS 3402, 3403, AND 3404, WHICH CONTROL THE MATERIALS THAT MAY BE MAILED FREE OF POSTAGE BY AND FOR USE OF BLIND AND OTHER HANDICAPPED PERSONS. eXCEPT FOR UNSEALED LETTERS, THE MATERIAL MUST BE for the use of THE BLIND OR OTHER PERSONS WHO CANNOT READ CONVENTIONALLY PRINTED MATERIAL BECAUSE OF A PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT, WHO ARE CERTIFIED BY COMPETENT AUTHORITY AS UNABLE TO READ NORMAL READING MATERIAL. eXAMPLES OF HANDICAPS BESIDES VISUAL IMPAIRMENT WHICH CAN PREVENT NORMAL READING: * dISABLING PARALYSIS * mUSCLE OR NERVE DETERIORATION AFFECTING COORDINATION AND CONTROL cERTIFICATION OF THE PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT MAY BE SUBMITTED TO THE POST OFFICE WHERE MAILING WILL BE MADE OR RECEIVED. unsealed letters MAY ONLY BE MAILED by ELIGIBLE BLIND OR HANDICAPPED PERSONS. * lETTERS MUST BE PREPARED IN 14-POINT TYPE, BRAILLE, OR IN THE FORM OF SOUND RECORDINGS * tHE ibm 10-PITCH orator ELEMENT IS ACCEPTABLE ONLY IF ALL UPPER CASE (14-POINT) CHARACTERS ARE USED. ITEMS THAT MAY not BE MAILED FREE: * lETTERS MAILED BY SIGHTED, NON-DISABLED INDIVIDUALS * lETTERS PREPARED BY HANDWRITING OR CONVENTIONAL TYPE-WRITING * cONVENTIONALLY PRINTED MUSICAL SCORES, BOOKS, MAGAZINES, AND OTHER READING MATERIAL * mATERIAL CONTAINING ADVERTISING * vOLUNTEER PRODUCED READING MATERIAL SENT TO COMMERCIAL FIRMS * sUPPLIES SENT FROM MANUFACTURERS TO BE USED IN ASSEMBLING BRAILLE BOOKS * lESSONS IN ANY FORM MAILED BETWEEN SIGHTED, NON-DISABLED TRANSCRIBERS OR GROUPS * cOMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE EQUIPMENT THAT HAS NOT BEEN MODIFIED FOR THE USE OF THE BLIND OR HANDICAPPED * aNY MATTER FOR WHICH THE CHARGE, RENTAL, SUBSCRIPTION OR FEE EXCEEDS THE COST THEREOF. special services a MAILER MAY insure A PARCEL, MAILABLE AS FREE MATTER FOR THE BLIND OR HANDICAPPED, BY ONLY PAYING THE REQUIRED INSURANCE FEE. aLL MATTER SENT certified, registered, OR special delivery REQUIRES PAYMENT OF POSTAGE PLUS THE FULL FEES CHARGED FOR THE SPECIAL SERVICES. forwarding FORWARDED UP TO ONE YEAR WITHOUT FURTHER CHARGE PROVIDED THE ADDRESSEE HAS FILED PROPER NOTIFICATION OF CHANGE OF ADDRESS. other items SPECIFIED MAY BE MAILED for the use of the blind or handicapped. tHIS PROVISION INCLUDES FREE MAILINGS TO agencies SERVING THESE INDIVIDUALS WHEN THE MATERIALS MAILED ARE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE USE OF QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS. tHE ITEMS MAILABLE FREE OF POSTAGE INCLUDE: * reading material SUCH AS BOOKS, MAGAZINES, AND MUSICAL SCORES. tHIS INCLUDES SECOND-CLASS PUBLICATIONS. * library related material SUCH AS CIRCULARS, NEWSLETTERS, CATALOGS AND BIBLIOGRAPHIES INTENDED FOR BLIND AND HANDICAPPED READERS. sURVEYS, ORDER FORMS AND FORM LETTERS MAY BE MAILED FREE OF POSTAGE, AND MAY ALSO BE COMPLETED BY THE BLIND OR HANDICAPPED PERSON AND RETURNED FREE OF POSTAGE PROVIDED THE CHOICES OR SELECTIONS ON THE FORMS HAVE BEEN INDICATED ONLY WITH A CHECK MARK OR SIMILAR NOTATION. * equipment OR PARTS THEREOF, IF IT IS EDUCATIONAL, USED FOR WRITING BY, OR SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED OR ADAPTED FOR USE OF A BLIND OR OTHER PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED PERSON. iNCLUDED ARE: sOUND PLAYBACK EQUIPMENT, BRAILLE WATCHES, WHITE CANES, TYPEWRITERS, ETC., ESPECIALLY DESIGNED OR MODIFIED FOR BLIND OR HANDICAPPED USERS. note: all reading material must be in the form of 14-point or larger sightsaving type, raised characters (braille), or sound recordings. tHIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED BY pHILIP n. mOOS. tHE INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED FROM THE hAMILTON, nEW jERSEY pOST oFFICE. HERE IS MORE INFORMATION ON FREE MATTER MAILINGS... U S P O Free Matter Regulations Section 135 of The United States Postal Service Domestic Mail Manual, Issue #36, September 16, 1990. Bold print is represented as all caps. Italics have been changed to plain text. All notes are as included. Indentation has been added. The Domestic Mail Manual ($19.00 per year, four issues), the International Mail Manual ($14.00 per year), and the Domestic mail manual on diskette (price unavailable) are available from The Superintendent of Documents, U S Government Printing Office, Washington DC 20402-9371. 135.1 General 135.2 Definitions 135.21 Blind Or Handicapped 135.22 Competent Authority 135.3 List Of Qualified Individuals 135.31 Postmaster's Record 135.33 Establishing Eligibility 135.34 Postmaster's Personal Knowledge 135.4 Matter For Blind Or Other Handicapped Persons 135.41 Acceptable Matter 135.42 Conditions 135.5 Matter Sent By Blind Or Other Handicapped Persons 135.51 Acceptable Matter 135.52 Conditions 135.6 Preparation 135.61 Markings 135.62 Special Services 135.621 Insurance 135.622 Other Special Services 135.63 Weight And Size Limits 135.64 Mailability 135.65 Packaging 135.7 Handling 135.8 International Mail SECTION 135: FREE MATTER FOR THE BLIND AND OTHER HANDICAPPED PERSONS 135.1 GENERAL. Matter mailed by or for the use of blind or other the recipient, and the matter being mailed comply with the applicable conditions of this section. 135.2 DEFINITIONS 135.21 BLIND OR HANDICAPPED. For purposes of this section, blind or other handicapped persons are those who cannot read or use conventionally printed material because of a physical impairment and who are certified by a competent authority as unable to read normal reading material. 135.22 COMPETENT AUTHORITY. For purposes of this section, a competent authority includes any licensed medical doctor, opthamologist, optometrist, registered nurse, or professional staff member of a hospital or other institution or agency. 135.3 LIST OF QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS 135.31 POSTMASTER'S RECORD. To assist in determining eligibility to mail matter under the provisions of this section, postmasters must establish and maintain USPS 010.060 (see Privacy Act System of Records, Administrative Support Manual, Appendix) as a record of their postmaster also may require, and include as part of the record, a statement by a competent authority certifying that the individual is unable to read conventionally printed material. 135.32 CUSTOMER INFORMATION. Customers wishing to know whether they are recorded as a blind or other handicapped person (as defined in 135.21) may submit inquiries to the postmaster, giving their full name and address. 135.33 ESTABLISHING ELIGIBILITY. A customer who wishes to be added to the postmaster's record and establish eligibility for mailing privileges under this section must submit his name and address, and a written statement of certification by a competent authority. 135.34 POSTMASTER'S PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE. When the postmaster has personal knowledge that a particular customer has been certified as blind or handicapped (as defined in 135.21), the postmaster may include that individual in the list required by 135.31, and may extend to that individual mailing priviledges under this section. In such instances, no written statement of certification is required. .4 MATTER FOR BLIND OR OTHER HANDICAPPED PERSONS 135.41 ACCEPTABLE MATTER. The following matter may be mailed free of postage, subject to the conditions in 135.42: a. Reading matter and musical scores. b. Sound reproductions. c. paper, records, tapes, and other material for the production of reading matter, musical scores, or sound reproductions. d. reproducers or parts thereof, for sound reproductions. e. Braille writers, typewriters, educational or other materials or devices, or parts thereof, used for writing by, or specifically designed or adapted for use of, a blind person or a person having a physical impairment as described in 135.2. NOTE: Letters prepared in any form by sighted individuals, to be sent to a blind or other handicapped person, or empty shipping materials for use in mailing matter described in 135.41, cannot be sent free under 135.41 and must bear the full applicable postage. 135.42 CONDITIONS. The matter listed in 135.41 must comply with the following conditions: a. The matter must be for the use of a blind or other handicapped person, as described in 135.2; b. Either no charge, rental, subscription, or other fee is required for such matter or if required may not exceed the cost of the item; d. The matter contains no advertising. 135.5 MATTER SENT BY BLIND OR OTHER HANDICAPPED PERSONS 135.51 ACCEPTABLE MATTER. Only tghe following matter may be mailed free of postage, subject to the conditions in 135.52: a. Letters in raised characters or in sightsaving type (i.e., 14-point or larger), or b. Letters in the form of sound recordings. NOTE: Letters that are handwritten or that are printed or typed in a type size smaller than 14 point, cannot be sent free under 135.51 and must bear the full applicable postage. 135.52 CONDITIONS. The matter listed in 135.51 must comply with the following conditions: a. It must be unsealed, and b. It must be sent by a blind or other physically handicapped person, as defined in 135.2. 135.6 PREPARATION 135.61 MARKINGS. All matter mailed under the provisions of this Handicapped," in the upper right corner of the address side. 135.62 SPECIAL SERVICES 135.621 INSURANCE. All matter mailed under the provisions of this section may be insured (see 913) upon payment of the appropriate insurance fee. 135.622 OTHER SPECIAL SERVICES. No other special services are available for matter mailed free of postage under provisions of this section. If mailers desire such services, they must pay the applicable fees for the special services and the full postage applicable to the class of mail selected. 135.63 WEIGHT AND SIZE LIMITS. Matter mailed under the provisions of this section must meet the minimum size requirements in 127 and may not exceed the maximum dimensions shown in 751. 135.64 MAILABILITY. Matter mailed under the provisions of this section must comply with the prohibitions and conditions in 123 and 124. 135.7 HANDLING. Matter mailed free under the provisions of this section is not considered to be part of any particular class of mail and is not protected against postal inspection. For the exclusive purposes of determining appropriate standards and procedures for processing and delivery, and for handling if undeliverable, such matter will be treated as First-Class Mail. 135.8 INTERNATIONAL MAIL. The provisions of this section are applicable to domestic mail only. See International Mail Manual 250 for information concerning free matter for the blind in international mail. End Of File