USPS Ditches Parcel Mail Options—But Only Sort Of?
Published Date: 3/19/2026
Proposed Rule
Summary
Starting July 12, 2026, the Postal Service will stop offering Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail Open and Distribute for parcels as a regular service. This change mainly affects businesses and mailers who send parcels this way, but don’t worry—these parcel services will still be available through special agreements. If you use these services, keep an eye out for new options and get ready to adjust your mailing plans!
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Parcels Removed From Published Service
Starting July 12, 2026, the Postal Service will stop offering Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail Open and Distribute for parcels as a regular published service. This change mainly affects businesses and mailers who send parcels using those published services and means you may need to change how you send parcel mailings after that date.
Parcels Available Only Via NSAs
After July 12, 2026, parcel mailings using Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail Open and Distribute will be made available to mailers only through a negotiated service agreement (NSA). If you want to continue sending parcels under these service names, you must use an NSA arrangement.
Letters/Flats Expedited Service Kept
The Postal Service will continue to offer Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail Open and Distribute as options to expedite letter-size or flat-size pieces to destination postal facilities. If you send letters or flats, you can still use these services for expedited delivery to destination facilities.
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this federal register document means for your household, plus every other regulation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Key Dates
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-19720, National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Procedures
The United States Postal Service is updating its rules for how it checks the environmental impact of its actions, making the process simpler and clearer. This affects USPS employees and anyone interested in how the Postal Service protects the environment. The new rules start on September 25, 2026, and the USPS wants your feedback by October 26, 2026—no extra costs involved, just smarter steps!
2026-18371, Labels 888, 889, 891, and 892, Discontinued
The Postal Service is proposing to amend Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) to discontinue the use of Label 888 and Label 889 respectively. Revisions to the DMM concern only Labels 888 and 889.
2026-17884, Free Matter for the Blind and Other Physically Handicapped Persons
The Postal Service is revising Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) to clarify the applicability of the Hazmat Handling Fee, and to require a parcel barcode, on parcels mailed as Free Matter for the Blind and Other Physically Handicapped Persons (Free Matter).
2026-17986, Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is responding to public comments regarding the creation of a new General Privacy Act System of Records (SOR) USPS 820.225, Federal Ballot Mail. The new SOR coincides with the Postal Service's publication of the Final Rule amending the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), regarding the transmission of mail-in or absentee ballots for federal elections. The Postal Service created the SOR to maintain a list of individuals, each individual's address, the unique Intelligent Mail barcodes printed on each individual's outbound and return ballot envelope for a federal election, and the state or political subdivision thereof that issued such ballot for inclusion on a state's Mail-in and Absentee Participation List, as required by the new DMM section. There will be no changes to the new system of records in light of public comments received.
2026-17640, Change in Rates of General Applicability for Competitive Products
This notice sets forth time-limited changes in rates of general applicability for competitive products.
2026-16016, New Mailing Standards for Live Animals
The Postal Service proposes revising Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail (Pub 52), for various package requirements for live animals. This proposal will improve package integrity and container identification for all live animal shipments during processing and handling by prohibiting the reuse of fiberboard containers and requiring individual addressing and sequential numbering for multiple container shipments when bound together in a single shipment. Also, this proposal requires mailers to write the recipient's name and address directly on the packaging of Adult Bird shipments in the event the shipping label becomes detached from the packaging.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2026-05403, Airworthiness Directives; General Electric Company Engines
The FAA wants to fix a fuel leak problem in certain General Electric GEnx engines by making airlines replace faulty fuel tube hoses with safe ones. This affects many GE engine models and aims to keep flights safe and smooth. Comments on this plan are open until May 4, 2026, and airlines should prepare for the cost and work to swap out these parts soon.
Next: 2026-05453, Colorado Underground Injection Control Program; Class VI Primacy
Colorado wants to take charge of its own Class VI injection wells, which are used to safely store carbon underground and help fight climate change. If approved, Colorado’s Energy and Carbon Management Commission will handle permits and rules instead of the EPA, except on Indian lands. People can share their thoughts by May 4, 2026, and this change helps Colorado manage its environment better without extra costs.