Dean asks

Hello Sandy, I am preparing to lay out an 11x17 (8.5x11 folded) newsletter for a Neighborhood Association. What are the Postal requirements regarding the placement of the recipient address on this type of mailing?

Hi Dean,

Thanks for the question. The definition of folded self-mailers is a single continuous sheet of paper folded to create a letter-size mailpiece. Your 11x17 newsletter folded down to 8.5x11 should be folded again in half to 5.5 x 8.5 or to a tri-fold (@3.66x8.5 folded size) to qualify as letter-size. If you mail it at 8.5x11, it would be categorized as a flat requiring more postage. There's usually no reason to incur that extra cost for a newsletter.

Here are the USPS addressing guidelines for letter-size with illustration:

Addressing Guidelines

The following guidelines for addressing a mailpiece are in USPS Pub. 28, Postal

 Addressing Standards: 

• Use simple sans serif type with uniform stroke thickness.
• Type or machine-print in dark ink on a light background with a uniform left margin.
• Left-justify every line in the address block.
• Use two-letter state abbreviations.
• Use one space between city and state, two spaces between state and ZIP+4 code.
• Use appropriate ZIP+4 code (if unknown, use 5-digit ZIP Code).
• A minimum of 8-point type, or if the mailpiece bears a POSTNET or Intelligent Mail barcode with a delivery point routing code, a minimum of 6-point type is acceptable if printed in all capital letters.

Dark shaded area indicates "free space" for nonaddress printing.

Light shaded area indicates preferred clear zone to enhance readability.

Additional advice:

It's best to fold the self-mailer mailpiece at the bottom (i.e., open fold parallel to and above the address).

To get "Automated" mail discounts, your mail must include a barcode on it when it is delivered to the post office. The "pre-barcoding" step saves an average of 5¢ per piece. A USPS certified postal program must create this barcode. pbmarketingservices.com is such a service plus can print the mailpieces for you, address them properly, and get the postal discounts.

To qualify for discounted postage, you MUST also wafer seal the piece closed. The newest guidelines propose two wafer seals either at the top (closed fold at the bottom) or on both open "leading edges" on the left and right sides. (pbmarketingservices.com would handle that for you too.)

Resources:

http://pe.usps.com/text/qsg300/Q602.htm

http://pe.usps.com/text/qsg300/Q201b.htm

Pub. 28, Postal Addressing Standards