# 2026-12190: Priority Mail Express Open and Distribute Service Ending

2026-12190, Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail Open and Distribute Parcel Mailings Discontinued, is a Federal Register rule from Postal Service published 2026-06-17, effective 2027-01-17; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-06-24).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12190
- As of: 2026-06-24
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-12190
- Title: Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail Open and Distribute Parcel Mailings Discontinued
- Type: Rule
- Agencies: Postal Service
- Citation: 91 FR 36539
- Published: 2026-06-17
- Effective: 2027-01-17
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-06-24

## In one line

Priority Mail Express Open and Distribute Service Ending

## Summary

Starting January 17, 2027, the Postal Service will stop accepting parcels sent with Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail Open and Distribute as regular services. This change mainly affects businesses and mailers who send parcels, but they can still use these services for letters and flats or through special agreements. The switch aims to simplify parcel mailing options without raising prices.

## Abstract

The Postal Service is amending Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]) in various sections to discontinue the mailing of parcels with Priority Mail Express[supreg] and Priority Mail[supreg] Open and Distribute service.

## Effects PRIA read

- Parcels No Longer Accepted Under These Services: cost, medium. Starting January 17, 2027, the Postal Service will stop accepting parcels sent with Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail Open and Distribute as published services. This change mainly affects businesses and mailers who send parcels and removes the ability to use those published services for parce…
- Services Retained for Letters and Flats: benefit, low. Even after January 17, 2027, Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail Open and Distribute will continue to be available to expedite letter-size and flat-size pieces. Mailers can still use these services for letters and flats and for eligibility for destination entry prices for those shapes.
- Parcel Option Available Via Negotiated Agreements: benefit, low. As an alternative, Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail Open and Distribute will be made available for parcel mailers through negotiated service agreements (NSAs). Mailers who need parcel handling under these services must use an NSA rather than the published service after January 17, 2027.
- Effective Date Set and Delayed: benefit, low. The Postal Service revised the rule to be effective January 17, 2027 instead of the originally proposed July 12, 2026. That is the date when parcels will no longer be accepted under the published Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail Open and Distribute services.
- Postal Service Says Prices Will Not Rise: benefit, medium. The Postal Service states the switch to discontinue parcel handling under these published services aims to simplify parcel mailing options without raising prices. The rule text explicitly says the switch aims to simplify options 'without raising prices.'

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- [2026-18371](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-18371): Labels 888, 889, 891, and 892, Discontinued, 2026-09-09
- [2026-17986](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-17986): Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records, 2026-09-01
- [2026-17884](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-17884): Free Matter for the Blind and Other Physically Handicapped Persons, 2026-09-01
- [2026-17640](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-17640): Change in Rates of General Applicability for Competitive Products, 2026-08-28
- [2026-16016](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-16016): New Mailing Standards for Live Animals, 2026-08-06

## Sources
- [2026-12190 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/17/2026-12190/priority-mail-express-and-priority-mail-open-and-distribute-parcel-mailings-discontinued)
- [2026-12190 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-06-17/pdf/2026-12190.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-12189, Reducing Bureaucracy and Burden for Human Services and Emergency Response Progr…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12189)
- [Next: 2026-12203, Safety Zone; Ohio River Mile Marker 0-0.5, Allegheny River Mile Marker 0-0.5, M…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12203)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12190 (as of 2026-06-24).