Title 39 — Postal ServiceRelease 119-73not60

§404a Specific Limitations

Title 39 › Part I— GENERAL › Chapter 4— GENERAL AUTHORITY › § 404a

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Stops the Postal Service from making rules or acting in a way that blocks or controls competition unless it can prove those rules do not give it or any group it funds an unfair advantage. It also cannot force people to give up intellectual property or use a person's private business information to make a postal product without that person's consent, unless the same information can be gotten from an independent source. The Postal Regulatory Commission must make rules to carry out these limits. Anyone, including a Commission officer who speaks for the public, may file a complaint under section 3662 if they think the Postal Service broke these rules.

Full Legal Text

Title 39, §404a

Postal Service — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Except as specifically authorized by law, the Postal Service may not—

(1)establish any rule or regulation (including any standard) the effect of which is to preclude competition or establish the terms of competition unless the Postal Service demonstrates that the regulation does not create an unfair competitive advantage for itself or any entity funded (in whole or in part) by the Postal Service;

(2)compel the disclosure, transfer, or licensing of intellectual property to any third party (such as patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and proprietary information); or

(3)obtain information from a person that provides (or seeks to provide) any product, and then offer any postal service that uses or is based in whole or in part on such information, without the consent of the person providing that information, unless substantially the same information is obtained (or obtainable) from an independent source or is otherwise obtained (or obtainable).

(b)The Postal Regulatory Commission shall prescribe regulations to carry out this section.

(c)Any party (including an officer of the Commission representing the interests of the general public) who believes that the Postal Service has violated this section may bring a complaint in accordance with section 3662.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

39 U.S.C. § 404a

Title 39 — Postal Service

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60