Title 39Postal ServiceRelease 119-73

§3621 Applicability; definitions

Title 39 › Part PART IV— - MAIL MATTER › Chapter CHAPTER 36— - POSTAL RATES, CLASSES, AND SERVICES › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - PROVISIONS RELATING TO MARKET-DOMINANT PRODUCTS › § 3621

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Covers ten kinds of mail: first-class letters and sealed parcels, first-class cards, magazines and newspapers (periodicals), standard mail, single-piece parcel post, media mail, bound printed matter, library mail, special services, and single-piece international mail. Each of these names uses the definitions given in the mail classification schedule.

Full Legal Text

Title 39, §3621

Postal Service — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)This subchapter shall apply with respect to—
(1)first-class mail letters and sealed parcels;
(2)first-class mail cards;
(3)periodicals;
(4)standard mail;
(5)single-piece parcel post;
(6)media mail;
(7)bound printed matter;
(8)library mail;
(9)special services; and
(10)single-piece international mail,
(b)Mail matter referred to in subsection (a) shall, for purposes of this subchapter, be considered to have the meaning given to such mail matter under the mail classification schedule.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 3621, Pub. L. 91–375, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 760, authorized the Governors to fix rates and classes, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 109–435, title II, § 201(a), Dec. 20, 2006, 120 Stat. 3200.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Ratemaking Limitations Pub. L. 103–123, title VII, § 704(b)(2), Oct. 28, 1993, 107 Stat. 1270, provided that: “(A) In general.—Except as provided in subparagraph (B), rates of postage may not be established, under subchapter II [now I] of chapter 36 of title 39, United States Code, in a manner designed to allow the United States Postal Service to receive through revenues any portion of the additional revenues (referred to in section 2401(d) of such title, as amended by paragraph (1)(E)) for which amounts are authorized to be appropriated under such section 2401(d). “(B) Exception.—If Congress fails to appropriate an amount authorized under section 2401(d) of title 39, United States Code (as amended by paragraph (1)(E)), rates for the various classes of mail may be adjusted in accordance with the provisions of subchapter II [now I] of chapter 36 of such title (excluding section 3627 thereof) such that the resulting increase in revenues will equal the amount that Congress so failed to appropriate.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

39 U.S.C. § 3621

Title 39Postal Service

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73