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<DIV>I just did a Google search on Shipping Free Matter and found the below.
Given the below is current and up to date, I think its saying I can ship Free
Matter without needing a special cert and I should not have been questioned the
way I was. What do you folks think?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Link & text are below ...</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><A
style='href: "https://pe.usps.com/archive/html/dmmarchive20030810/E040.htm"'
href="https://pe.usps.com/archive/html/dmmarchive20030810/E040.htm"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">https://pe.usps.com/archive/html/dmmarchive20030810/E040.htm</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Domestic Mail Manual E040 Free Matter for the Blind and Other Physically
Handicapped Persons</DIV>
<DIV>ARCHIVED DMM</DIV>
<DIV>Contents Index</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>E000 Special Eligibility Standards</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>E040 Free Matter for the Blind and Other Physically Handicapped
Persons</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Summary</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>E040 describes the standards under which mail may be sent to or from blind
or physically handicapped persons free of postage.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1.0 Basic Information</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1.1General </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>[8-8-02] Subject to the standards below, matter may be entered free of
postage if mailed by or for the use of blind or other persons who cannot read
or</DIV>
<DIV>use conventionally printed materials due to a physical handicap. The
provisions of </DIV>
<DIV>E040 apply to domestic mail only.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1.2Mail Classification </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Matter mailed free under this standard is not considered part of any
particular class of mail and is not protected against postal inspection. This
matter</DIV>
<DIV>is treated as First-Class Mail for the exclusive purposes of determining
appropriate standards for processing and delivery and for handling if
undeliverable.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1.3Eligibility </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>[8-8-02] The following persons are considered to be blind or unable to read
or use conventionally printed material due to a physical handicap for
purposes</DIV>
<DIV>of this section:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>a. Certified participants in the Library of Congress National Library
Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS).</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>b. Blind persons whose visual acuity, as determined by competent authority,
is 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting lenses, or whose
widest</DIV>
<DIV>diameter of visual field subtends angular distance no greater than 20
degrees.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>c. Other physically handicapped persons certified by competent authority as
meeting one or more of the following conditions:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(1) Having a visual disability, with correction and regardless of optical
measurement, that prevents the reading of standard printed material.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(2) Being unable to read or unable to use standard printed material as a
result of physical limitations.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(3) Having a reading disability resulting from organic dysfunction and of
sufficient severity to prevent their reading printed material in a normal
manner.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(4) Meeting the requirements of eligibility resulting from a degenerative,
variable disease that renders them unable to read or use conventional
printed</DIV>
<DIV>material because of impaired eyesight or other physical factors. These
persons are eligible during the time in which they are certified by a
competent</DIV>
<DIV>authority as unable to read or use conventional materials.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>d. Eligible participants must be residents of the United States, including
the several states, territories, insular possessions, and the District of
Columbia,</DIV>
<DIV>or American citizens domiciled abroad.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1.4Certifying Authority </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>[8-8-02] For purposes of this standard:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>a. The postmaster may extend the free matter privilege to an individual
recipient based on personal knowledge of the individual’s eligibility.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>b. In cases of blindness, visual impairment, or physical limitations,
“competent authority” is defined to include doctors of medicine; doctors of
osteopathy;</DIV>
<DIV>ophthalmologists; optometrists; registered nurses; therapists; and
professional staff of hospitals, institutions, and public or private welfare
agencies</DIV>
<DIV>(e.g., social workers, caseworkers, counselors, rehabilitation teachers,
and superintendents). In the absence of any of these, certification may be
made</DIV>
<DIV>by professional librarians or by any person whose competence under specific
circumstances is acceptable to the Library of Congress (see 36 CFR
701.10(b)(2)(i)).</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>c. In the case of reading disability from organic dysfunction, “competent
authority” is defined as doctors of medicine and doctors of osteopathy.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1.5Qualifying Individuals </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>[8-8-02] The USPS may require individuals claiming entitlement to the free
matter privilege to furnish evidence of eligibility consistent with the
standards</DIV>
<DIV>in 1.3 and 1.4</DIV>
<DIV>, or verify by other means that the recipients are eligible to receive free
matter.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2.0 Matter Sent to Blind or Other physically Handicapped Persons</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2.1Acceptable Matter </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Subject to 2.2 , this matter may be mailed free:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>a. [8-8-02] Reading matter in braille or 14-point or larger sightsaving
type and musical scores.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>b. Sound reproductions.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>c. Paper, records, tapes, and other material for the production of reading
matter, musical scores, or sound reproductions.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>d. Reproducers or parts of them for sound reproductions.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>e. Braille writers, typewriters, educational or other materials or devices,
or parts thereof, used for writing by, or designed or adapted for use of,
a</DIV>
<DIV>blind person or a person who has a physical impairment as described in
</DIV>
<DIV>1.3 .</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2.2Conditions </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The matter listed in 2.1 must meet these conditions:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>a. The matter must be for the use of a blind or other physically
handicapped person.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>b. Either no charge, rental, subscription, or other fee is required for
this matter; or, if required, may not exceed the cost of the item.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>c. The matter may be opened and inspected by the USPS.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>d. [8-8-02] The matter contains no advertising. Advertising is defined
as:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(1) All material of which a valuable consideration is paid, accepted, or
promised, that calls attention to something to get people to buy it, sell
it,</DIV>
<DIV>seek it, or support it.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(2) Reading matter or other material of which an advertising rate is
charged.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(3) Articles, items, and notices in the form of reading matter inserted by
custom or understanding that textual matter is to be inserted for the
advertiser</DIV>
<DIV>or the advertiser’s products in which a display advertisement
appears.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(4) An organization’s advertisement of its own services or issues, or any
other business of the publisher, whether in display advertising or reading
matter.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2.3Letters From Sighted </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Letters prepared in any form by sighted individuals, to be sent to a blind
or other physically handicapped person, or empty shipping materials for
mailing</DIV>
<DIV>matter described in this section, may not be sent free and must bear the
full applicable postage.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>3.0 Matter Sent by Blind or Other physically Handicapped Persons</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>3.1Acceptable Letters </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>[8-8-02] Only letters in braille or in 14-point or larger sightsaving type
or in the form of sound recordings, and containing no advertising, may be
mailed</DIV>
<DIV>free, and only if unsealed and sent by a blind or other physically
handicapped person as described in </DIV>
<DIV>1.3 .</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>3.2Other Letters </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Letters that are handwritten, or printed or typed in a type size smaller
than 14 points, may not be sent free. These letters must bear the full
applicable</DIV>
<DIV>postage.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>4.0 Preparation</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>4.1Basic Standards </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>All matter mailed under this standard:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>a. Must be marked “Free Matter for the Blind or Handicapped” in the upper
right corner of the address side.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>b. Must meet the minimum and maximum dimensions in C010 and C700 ,
respectively.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>c. Is subject to the mailability standards in C020 and C030 .</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>4.2Special Services </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Insurance is the only special service that can be added to mail sent under
this standard. The fee for insurance must be paid by the sender.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>DMM Issue 58 (8-10-03)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>ARCHIVED DMM</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>ARCHIVED DMM</DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>