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addresses within the delivery area of that post
office. This includes APOs or FPOs within its
delivery limits. For various types of post offices,
the local zone applies to all mail that both
originates and reaches its destination within:
a. The 5-digit ZIP Code area(s) assigned to the
same post office.
b. Any of the 5-digit ZIP Codes that are part of
any unique 3-digit ZIP Code prefix(es) or
other separate 5-digit ZIP Code(s), as
applicable, assigned to the same post office.
Zone 1:
Includes all territory within the
quadrangle in conjunction with every
contiguous quadrangle, representing an area
with a mean radial distance of about 50 miles
from the center of a given unit of area. The zone
one rate applies to parcels mailed between two
post offices in the same 3-digit ZIP Code area of
dispatch.
Zone 2: Includes all units of area outside zone 1
lying in whole or in part within a radius of about
l50 miles from the center of a given unit of area.
Zone 3: Includes all units of area outside zone 2
lying in whole or in part within a radius of about
300 miles from the center of a given unit of area.
Zone 4: Includes all units of area outside zone 3
lying in whole or in part within a radius of about
600 miles from the center of a given unit of area.
Zone 5: Includes all units of area outside zone 4
lying in whole or in part within a radius of about
l,000 miles from the center of a given unit of
area.
Zone 6: Includes all units of area outside zone 5
lying in whole or in part within a radius of about
l,400 miles from the center of a given unit of
area.
Zone 7: Includes all units of area outside zone 6
lying in whole or in part within a radius of about
l,800 miles from the center of a given unit of
area.
Zone 8: Includes all units of area outside zone 7.
OFFICIAL ZONE CHARTS
An official zone chart prepared for each sectional
center facility is used to determine zones from all
postal units within the sectional center area. The chart
to be used by each MPO is identified by the inclusive
ZIP Codes assigned to postal units in the sectional
center.
MPOs use the official zone chart of their
serving postmasters. At overseas military post offices
postage is computed from the U.S. gateway (New
York, San Francisco, or Miami) to the destination of
the article mailed.
To determine the zone from the office of mailing to
the office of address, refer to the zone chart in use at
your post office. Figure 4-3 is the zone chart used at
military post offices with an FPO AP mailing address.
DETERMINING THE POSTAL ZONE
To find the zone number for any article, you should
do the following:
Identify the addressees ZIP Code (example:
44ll8).
Identify the ZIP Code prefix (the first three
numbers). Example: The prefix number of 44ll8
is 44l.
Find the prefix number in range on the zone
chart. Example: Using the chart in figure 4-3,
you will see that 44l falls in the range of ZIP
Code prefixes 388-499.
Find the zone number to the right of the ZIP
Code prefix. In this case the zone number for the
ZIP Code prefix 44l is 8.
NOTE: Local zones are not indicated on the USPS
official zone charts. You must determine the local
zone.
POSTAGE RATES
First-Class rates for articles weighing l3 ounces or
less are computed on the basis of the weight of the
individual piece. A certain amount is charged for the
first ounce and a reduced rate for each succeeding
ounce or a fraction thereof. A fraction of an ounce is
charged the same rate as a full ounce. Example: A
First-Class letter weighing 2 l/2 ounces would
currently cost:
First ounce: 33 cents
Second ounce: 55 (additional 22) cents
Third ounce: 77 (additional 22) cents
The letter in the example would cost 77 cents to
mail.
4-7
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