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Ask ABC: What is U.S. Postal Service verification? What are the benefits of having ABC verify circulation files for postal verification? What are the benefits of qualifying for a second-class mailing permit?

U.S. Postal Service Verification

A Postal Service Verification is the process of verifying a publication’s circulation file in accordance with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) qualification standards in order to qualify for a second-class mailing permit.

Benefits

The two main benefits of having circulation files verified by ABC are convenience and the verification expertise of ABC. Rather than having two separate auditors, ABC members save time by using the same auditor to verify their circulation records in accordance with ABC standards, while simultaneously applying a secondary set of criteria to meet postal requirements.

ABC auditors work closely with the USPS to gain a solid understanding of the postal standards. ABC’s knowledge provides assurance to members that the verification of circulation files will satisfy postal requirements.

General Overview of U.S. Postal Service Verification

1. The auditor starts with gross circulation records for a specific issue.
2. The file is analyzed using a series of postal rules through which gross circulation is filtered. For example, a subscriber who pays less than 30 percent of the basic price will not qualify as paid under postal rules. All copies paid below 30 percent of basic are not considered subscriber copies when determining eligibility for periodicals mailing privileges.
3. Once all postal rules are applied and qualifying paid requestor circulation is isolated, the auditor documents the circulation filtered out of the gross and calculates the net qualifying paid requestor circulation.
4. The auditor then confirms that the net qualifying paid requestor circulation equals at least 50 percent of the gross circulation file.
5. A second class mailing permit requires that 50 percent of the circulation file be made up of paid or requestor copies. As long as the issue analyzed meets these final criteria and after all non-qualifying circulation is filtered out, the publication qualifies for a second class mailing permit.

Second-Class Mailing Permits

In 1996, the USPS restructured second-class mail to “Periodicals” class. Generally, the mailing requirements remain the same with the exception of more stringent qualifying requirements for the automation rates. If the publication doesn’t meet these qualifications they must then use the more expensive nonautomation rates.

For more information on ABC postal verification please contact ABC’s publisher relations department.

Related Links:
U.S. Postal Service Verification

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