CFR > Title 39 - Postal Service > CHAPTER I—UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE > SUBCHAPTER C—POST OFFICE SERVICES [DOMESTIC MAIL] (parts 111 to 122) > PART 121—SERVICE STANDARDS FOR MARKET-DOMINANT MAIL PRODUCTS > 121.2—Periodicals.

121.2—Periodicals.

(a) End-to-End. (1) For all SCF turnaround Periodicals properly accepted before the established and published day-zero Critical Entry Time at origin, where the origin P&DC/F and SCF are in the same building, the service standard is 1-day (overnight), except for mail between the territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and mail originating or destinating in the following 3-digit ZIP Code areas within the state of Alaska or designated portions thereof: 995 (5-digit ZIP Code areas 99540 through 99591), 996, 997, 998, and 999.
(2) The Periodicals service standard is the sum of the applicable (1-to-3-day) First-Class Mail service standard plus one day, for each 3-digit ZIP Code origin-destination pair for which Periodicals are accepted before the day zero Critical Entry Time at origin and merged with First-Class Mail pieces for surface transportation (as defined by the Periodicals Origin Split and First-Class Mail mixed Area Distribution Center/Automated Area Distribution Center (ADC/AADC) Domestic Mail Manual (incorporated by reference; see § 111.2) label list L201).
(3) The Periodicals service standard for mail between the territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands is 3 days.
(4) The Periodicals service standard for mail between the state of Hawaii and the territory of Guam is 4 days.
(5) The Periodicals service standard for intra-Alaska mail that is not overnight is 2 to 4 days for the following 3-digit ZIP Code areas or designated portions thereof: 995 (5-digit ZIP Code areas 99540 through 99591), 996, 997, 998, and 999.
(6) The Periodicals service standard for each remaining 3-digit ZIP Code origin-destination pair within the 48 contiguous states, for which Periodicals are accepted before the day zero Critical Entry Time at origin, is the sum of 4 or 5 days, plus the number of additional days (from 1 to 4) required for surface transportation between each 3-digit ZIP Code origin-destination pair.
(7) The Periodicals service standard for each remaining 3-digit ZIP Code origin-destination pair, for which Periodicals are accepted before the day zero Critical Entry Time at origin, is the sum of 4 or 5 days, plus the number of additional days (from 4 to 15) required for intermodal (highway, boat, air-taxi) transportation outside of the 48 contiguous states for each 3-digit ZIP Code origin-destination pair.
(b) Destination Entry. (1) Periodicals that qualify for a Destination Delivery Unit (DDU) or Destination Sectional Center Facility (DSCF) rate, and that are accepted before the day-zero Critical Entry Time at the proper DDU or DSCF, have a 1-day (overnight) service standard, except for mail dropped at the SCF in the territory of Puerto Rico and destined for the territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and intra SCF mail in the following 3-digit ZIP Code areas in the state of Alaska or designated portions thereof: 995 (5-digit ZIP Code areas 99540 through 99591), 996, 997, 998 and 999.
(2) Periodicals that qualify for a Destination Area Distribution Center (DADC) rate, and that are accepted before the day zero Critical Entry Time at the proper DADC, unless the ADC is located with the 48 contiguous states and the destination is not, and where the DADC and DSCF are not the same building, have a 2-day service standard, unless the destination is the Alaska 997 3-digit ZIP Code area. Mail that qualifies for a Destination Sectional Center Facility (DSCF) rate has a 2-day service standard, if it is accepted before the day-zero Critical Entry Time, and the mail is dropped at the SCF in the territory of Puerto Rico and is destined for the territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands; or if the mail is intra-SCF in the following 3-digit ZIP Code areas of the state of Alaska: 996, 998 and 999. Periodicals that qualify for a DADC rate, and that are accepted before the day zero Critical Entry Time at the Alaska 997 DADC have a 3-day service standard.
(3) Periodicals that qualify for a Destination Network Distribution Center containerized rate, that are accepted before the day-zero Critical Entry Time at the proper destination NDC in the contiguous 48 states, and that are addressed for delivery in the contiguous 48 states, have a service standard of 1 or 2 days, corresponding to the standard for mail qualifying for the destination ADC rate, based on whether the destination ADC and SCF are in the same building.
(4) Periodicals that qualify for a Destination Network Distribution Center containerized rate, that are accepted before the day-zero Critical Entry Time at the proper destination NDC in the 48 contiguous states, and that are addressed for delivery in the states of Alaska or Hawaii, or the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, have a service standard of 5 to 8 days, corresponding to the standard for mail qualifying for the destination ADC rate, which is based on the number of days required for transportation outside of the 48 contiguous states and whether the destination ADC and SCF are in the same building.
(5) Periodicals that qualify for a Destination Area Distribution Center (DADC) rate and that are accepted before the day zero Critical Entry Time at the proper DADC in the contiguous 48 states for delivery to addresses in the state of Alaska, or the territories of Guam or the U.S. Virgin Islands, have a service standard of 7 days.

Code of Federal Regulations

[72 FR 72228, Dec. 19, 2007, as amended at 75 FR 9344, Mar. 2, 2010]

Code of Federal Regulations

Effective Date Note: At 76 FR 37659, June 28, 2011, § 121.2 was amended by revising paragraph (c), effective Jan. 22, 2012. For the convenience of the user, the revised text is set forth as follows: § 121.2 Periodicals. (c) Combined Periodicals/Standard Mail mailing. The Postal Service handles combined mailings of Periodicals flats and Standard Mail flats as Standard Mail. Periodicals flats included within mailings of combined Standard Mail flats and Periodicals flats are subject to the service standards applicable to Standard Mail in § 121.3 . Pt. 121, App. A Appendix A to Part 121 —Tables Depicting Service Standard Day Ranges The following tables reflect the service standard day ranges resulting from the application of the business rules applicable to the market-dominant mail products referenced in §§ 121.1 through 121.4:
Code of Federal Regulations 32
Table 1. End-to-end service standard day ranges for mail originating and destinating within the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia. Contiguous United States
Mail class End-to-endrange (days)
First-Class Mail 1-3
Periodicals 1-9
Standard Mail 3-10
Package Services 2-8
Table 2. End-to-end service standard day ranges for mail originating and/or destinating within the states of Alaska and Hawaii, and the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Alaska, Hawaii & Guam, Puerto Rico & USVI
Mail class End-to-End Intra state / territory Alaska Hawaii & Guam Puerto Rico & USVI To / From 48 contiguous states Alaska Hawaii & Guam Puerto Rico & USVI To / from states of Alaska and Hawaii, and the Territories of Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands Alaska Hawaii & Guam Puerto Rico & USVI
First-Class Mail 1-3 1-3 1-2 3-4 3-5 3-4 4-5 4-5 4-5
Periodicals 1-4 1-4 1-3 9-15 9-16 8-12 17-20 17-20 17-20
Standard Mail 3-5* 3-5 3-4 10-16 10-18 9-13 19-21 18-22 18-22
Package Services 2-4 2-4 2-3 8-14 8-15 7-12 16-20 16-20 16-18
Excluding bypass mail.
Table 3. Destination entry service standard day ranges for mail to the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia. Table 3—Destination Entry Service Standard Day Ranges for Mail to the 48 Contiguous States and the District of Columbia
Mail class Destination entry (at appropriate facility)
DDU(days) SCF(days) ADC(days) NDC(days)
CONTIGUOUS UNITED STATES
Periodicals 1 1 1-2 1-2
Standard Mail 2 3 5
Package Services 1 2 3
Table 4. Destination entry service standard day ranges for mail to the states of Alaska and Hawaii, and the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Table 4—Destination Entry Service Standard Day Ranges for Mail to the States of Alaska and Hawaii, and the Territories of Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
Mail class Destination entry (at appropriate facility) DDU(days) SCF (days) Alaska Hawaii & Guam Puerto Rico & USVI ADC (days) Alaska Hawaii & Guam Puerto Rico & USVI NDC (days) Alaska Hawaii & Guam Puerto Rico & USVI
ALASKA, HAWAII & GUAM, PUERTO RICO & USVI
Periodicals 1 1-2 1 1-2 1-3 (AK)7 (JNU) 7 (KTN) 1 (HI)7 (GU) 1-2 1-2 6-7 5-6
Standard Mail 2 3 3 3-4 10 10 9
Package Services 1 2 2 2-3 8 8 7
Code of Federal Regulations 33
AK = Alaska 3-digit ZIP Codes 995-997; JNU = Juneau AK 3-digit ZIP Code 998; KTN = Ketchikan AK 3-digit ZIP Code 999; HI = Hawaii 3-digit ZIP Codes 967 and 968; GU = Guam 3-digit ZIP Code 969.
[72 FR 72228, Dec. 19, 2007, as amended at 75 FR 9344, Mar. 2, 2010]