USPS Revises Move Update Penalty Date
December 1, 2006 • by Bryan Yurcan

The US Posatal Service's long-awaited Move Update requirements offically took effect last week; however, mailers will have about six months to become compliant with the new requirements before facing any fines.

The new requirements, which became effective November 23, require businesses to update their bulk-mailing lists every 95 days. This applies for both First-Class and Standard Mail.

The Postal Service revised the Move Update standards, which provide ways for mailers to reduce the number of mailpieces that require forwarding, return, or are undeliverable-as-addressed by the periodic matching of a mailer's address records with customer-filed change-of-address orders.

The advisory clarifies that there will be a transition period for Standard Mail until May 2009, and penalties will not be assessed during this period. However, as Jerry Cerasale, DMA's senior VP, Government Affairs pointed out, "It is important that mailers not wait until that time to work on getting into compliance, as the penalty for noncompliance starting next May is very steep.