Service standards in this part are contingent upon proper acceptance before the applicable day-zero Critical Entry Time (CET). Applying the service standards appearing in this part, effective service standards for combinations of 5-digit originating ZIP Codes and 5-digit destinating ZIP Codes can be found in a lookup table at www.usps.com.

(a) Service standards based on delivery legs within the contiguous 48 States. Except as specified in paragraph (b) of this section, service standards for domestic First-Class Mail, whose origin and destination are within the contiguous 48 states, are calculated as the sum of service expectation days between 5-digit ZIP Code pairs, accruing across three successive legs as follows:

(1) Leg 1. Unless an exception applies due to operational or business considerations, for this leg:

(i) One service expectation day is added to First-Class Mail (excluding eligible Presort First-Class Mail) originating in a 5-digit ZIP Code when a facility from which mail is dispatched for the originating 5-digit ZIP Code is over 50 miles in driving distance from the originating Regional Processing and Distribution Center or Campus (RPDC); and

(ii) Zero service expectation days are added for all other First-Class Mail, including Single-Piece First-Class Mail when no facility from which mail is dispatched for the originating 5-digit ZIP Code is over 50 miles in driving distance from the originating RPDC, and including eligible Presort First-Class Mail.

(2) Leg 2. (i) Two service expectation days are added to First-Class Mail if the combined drive time between the originating RPDC, the destinating RPDC, and the destinating Local Processing Center (LPC) is 7 hours or less;

(ii) Three service expectation days are added to First-Class Mail if the combined drive time between the originating RPDC, the destinating RPDC, and the destinating LPC is more than 7 hours and not more than 24 hours;

(iii) Four service expectation days are added to First-Class Mail pieces if the combined drive time between the originating RPDC, the destinating RPDC, and the destinating LPC is more than 24 hours and not more than 45 hours; and

(iv) Five service expectation days are added to all remaining First-Class Mail pieces, except that four days are added to any such First-Class Mail for which a day is added under Leg 1.

(3) Leg 3. No service expectation days are added in Leg 3.

(b) Exceptions to service standards based on delivery Legs within the contiguous 48 States. (1) A same-day service standard applies to USPS Connect® Local Mail pieces accepted at participating Destination Delivery Units, and a one-day service standard applies to all other pieces accepted as USPS Connect® Local Mail.

(2) A one-day service standard applies to eligible intra-LPC Presort First-Class Mail pieces accepted at the LPC.

(3) For First-Class Mail that is not USPS Connect® Local Mail, with respect to “turnaround” service for pieces originating and destinating within the same RPDC service area or within the same LPC service area for certain qualifying LPCs (designated by the Postal Service based on operational considerations such as an LPC's distance from its servicing RPDC and volume processed at the LPC):

(i) A two-day service standard applies to:

(A) Eligible Presort First-Class Mail that is not eligible for a one-day service standard under paragraph (b)(2) of this section and that originates and destinates in the same RPDC service area; and

(B) Single-Piece First-Class Mail originating in a 5-digit ZIP Code when no facility from which mail is dispatched for the originating 5-digit ZIP Code is over 50 miles in driving distance of the originating RPDC or qualifying LPC and destinates within the same RPDC's or qualifying LPC's service area.

(ii) A three-day service standard applies to Single-Piece First-Class Mail originating in a 5-digit ZIP Code when a facility from which mail is dispatched for the originating 5-digit ZIP Code is over 50 miles in driving distance of the originating RPDC or qualifying LPC and destinates within the same RPDC's or qualifying LPC's service area.

(c) Service standards for domestic first-class mail originating and/or destinating in locations ooutside of the contiguous 48 States. (1) A same-day service standard applies to USPS Connect® Local Mail pieces accepted at participating Destination Delivery Units.

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (c)(3) of this section, a one-day service standard applies to:

(i) Eligible intra-LPC Presort First-Class Mail pieces accepted at the LPC, whose origin and destination are outside the contiguous 48 states; and

(ii) All other pieces accepted as USPS Connect® Local Mail.

(3) A two-day service standard applies to:

(i) Eligible Presort First-Class Mail that originates in Puerto Rico and destinates in the U.S. Virgin Islands, or vice versa;

(ii) Eligible intra-LPC Presort First-Class Mail with an origin or destination that is in American Samoa or one of the following 3-digit ZIP Code areas in Alaska (or designated portions thereof): 995 (5-digit ZIP Codes 99540 through 99599), 996, 997, 998, and 999; and

(iii) Other intra-LPC First-Class Mail pieces whose origin and destination are outside the contiguous 48 states, including any other intra-LPC Presort pieces that are not eligible for a one-day service standard.

(4) A four-day service standard applies to First-Class Mail pieces if the same-day, one-day, or two-day service standards do not apply and:

(i) The origin is in the 006, 007, or 009 3-digit ZIP Code areas in Puerto Rico, and the destination is in the contiguous 48 states;

(ii) The origin is in Hawai'i, and the destination is in Guam, or vice versa;

(iii) The origin is in Hawai'i, and the destination is in American Samoa, or vice versa;

(iv) Both the origin and destination are within Alaska; or

(v) Such mail originates in a 5-digit ZIP Code where no facility from which mail is dispatched for that 5-digit ZIP Code is over 50 miles of driving distance from its originating RPDC, and the origin is in the contiguous 48 states and the destination is in the city of Anchorage, Alaska (5-digit ZIP Codes 99501 through 99539), the 968 3-digit ZIP Code area in Hawai'i, or the 006, 007, or 009 3-digit ZIP Code areas in Puerto Rico.

(5) A five-day service standard applies to all remaining domestic First-Class Mail pieces originating and/or destinating outside the contiguous 48 states.

(d) Service standards for International First-Class Mail. (1) The service standard for Outbound Single-Piece First-Class Mail International® pieces is equivalent to the service standard for domestic Single-Piece First-Class Mail pieces originating from the same 5-digit ZIP Code area and destined to the 5-digit ZIP Code area in which the designated International Service Center, or its functional equivalent, is located.

(2) The service standard for Inbound Letter Post pieces from the first USPS scan is equivalent to the service standard for domestic Single-Piece First-Class Mail pieces destined to the same 5-digit ZIP Code area and originating from the 5-digit ZIP Code area in which the applicable International Service Center, or its functional equivalent, is located.

(a) End-to-end. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, a 3- to 6-day service standard applies to end-to-end Periodicals pieces, with the standard generally equaling the sum of one day plus the applicable Single-Piece First-Class Mail (FCM) service standard (disregarding standards for USPS Connect® Local FCM and for intra-Local Processing Center “turnaround” service).

(2) For certain end-to-end Periodicals pieces originating and/or destinating outside the contiguous 48 states, a 10- to 27-day service standard applies, with the standard generally equaling the sum of 3 to 6 days plus the number of additional days (from 7 to 21) for which certain intermodal (e.g., highway, boat, air-taxi) transportation is utilized.

(b) Destination entry—(1) Destination Delivery Unit (DDU) Entered Mail. A 1-day (overnight) service standard applies to Periodicals pieces that qualify for a DDU rate.

(2) Destination Local Processing Center (DLPC) Entered Mail. (i) A 1-day (overnight) service standard applies to Periodicals pieces that qualify for a DLPC (or analogous legacy) rate, except for mail entered in Puerto Rico and destined to the U.S. Virgin Islands, mail destined to American Samoa, and mail destined to the following 3-digit ZIP Code areas in Alaska (or designated portions thereof): 995 (5-digit ZIP Codes 99540 through 99599), 996, 997, 998, and 999;

(ii) A 3-day service standard applies to Periodicals pieces that qualify for a DLPC (or analogous legacy) rate, if they are entered in Puerto Rico and destined to the U.S. Virgin Islands, or if they are destined to the following 3-digit ZIP Code areas in Alaska (or designated portions thereof): 995 (5-digit ZIP Codes 99540 through 99599), 996, 997, 998, and 999.

(iii) A 4-day service standard applies to Periodicals pieces that qualify for a DLPC (or analogous legacy) rate if they are destined to American Samoa.

(3) Destination Regional Processing and Distribution Center or Campus (DRPDC) Entered Mail. (i) A 2-day service standard applies to Periodicals pieces that qualify for a DRPDC (or analogous legacy) rate, are entered in the contiguous 48 states, and are destined within the contiguous 48 states; and

(ii) An 8- to 10-day service standard applies to Periodicals pieces that qualify for a DRPDC (or analogous legacy) rate, are entered in the contiguous 48 states, and are destined outside the contiguous 48 states, with the specific standard being based on the number of days required for transportation outside the contiguous 48 states.

(a) End-to-end. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, a 4- to 7-day service standard applies to end-to-end USPS Marketing Mail pieces, with the standard generally equaling the sum of 2 days plus the applicable Single-Piece First-Class Mail (FCM) service standard (disregarding standards for USPS Connect® Local FCM and for intra-Local Processing Center (LPC) “turnaround” service).

(2) For certain end-to-end USPS Marketing Mail pieces originating and/or destinating outside the contiguous 48 states, an 11- to 28-day service standard applies, with the standard generally equaling the sum of 4 to 7 days plus the number of additional days (from 7 to 21) for which certain intermodal (e.g., highway, boat, air-taxi) transportation is utilized.

(b) Destination entry. (1) USPS Marketing Mail pieces that qualify for a Destination Delivery Unit (DDU) rate have a 2-day service standard.

(2) USPS Marketing Mail pieces that qualify for a Destination Local Processing Center (DLPC) (or analogous legacy) rate have a 3-day service standard when accepted on Sunday through Thursday and a 4-day service standard when accepted on Friday or Saturday, except for mail dropped at the LPC in the territory of Puerto Rico and destined to the territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands, or mail destined to American Samoa.

(3) USPS Marketing Mail pieces that qualify for a DLPC (or analogous legacy) rate and that are entered in the territory of Puerto Rico and destined to the territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands, or that are destined to American Samoa, have a 4-day service standard when accepted on Sunday through Thursday and a 5-day service standard when accepted on Friday or Saturday.

(4) USPS Marketing Mail pieces that qualify for a Destination Regional Processing and Distribution Center or Campus (DRPDC) (or analogous legacy) rate have a 5-day service standard, if both the origin and the destination are in the contiguous 48 states.

(5) USPS Marketing Mail pieces that qualify for a DRPDC (or analogous legacy) rate, and that are entered in the contiguous 48 states for delivery to addresses in the states of Alaska or Hawaii or the territories of Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, have a service standard of 12-14 days, depending on the 3-digit origin-destination ZIP Code pair. For each such pair, the applicable day within the range is based on the number of days required for transportation outside the contiguous 48 states.

(a) End-to-end. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, a 4- to 7-day service standard applies to end-to-end Package Services pieces, with the standard generally equaling the sum of 2 days plus the applicable Single-Piece First-Class Mail (FCM) service standard (disregarding standards for USPS Connect® Local FCM and for intra-Local Processing Center “turnaround” service) after adding 5-9 hours to the applicable driving time bands of Leg 2 for FCM, as applied to specific 5-digit origin-destination pairs in the table cited in section 121.0.

(2) For certain end-to-end Package Services pieces originating and/or destinating outside the contiguous 48 states, an 11- to 29-day service standard applies, with the standard generally equaling the sum of 4 to 7 days plus the number of additional days (from 7 to 22) for which certain intermodal (e.g., highway, boat, air-taxi) transportation is utilized.

(b) Destination entry. (1) Package Services mail that qualifies for a Destination Delivery Unit (DDU) rate has a 1-day (overnight) service standard.

(2) Package Services mail that qualifies for a Destination Local Processing Center (DLPC) (or analogous legacy) rate has a 2-day service standard, except for mail that is destined to either American Samoa or the U.S. Virgin Islands.

(3) Package Services mail that qualifies for a DLPC rate, and that is destined to either American Samoa or the U.S. Virgin Islands, has a 3-day service standard.

(4) Package Services mail that qualifies for a Destination Regional Processing and Distribution Center or Campus (DRPDC) (or analogous legacy) rate, and that originates and destinates in the contiguous 48 states, has a 3-day service standard.

(5) Package Services mail that qualifies for a DRPDC (or analogous legacy) rate, and that is entered in the contiguous 48 states for delivery to addresses in the states of Alaska or Hawaii, or the territories of Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, has a service standard of either 11 or 12 days, depending on the 3-digit ZIP Code origin-destination pair. For each such pair, the applicable day within the range is based on the number of days required for transportation outside the contiguous 48 states.

The following tables reflect the service standard day ranges resulting from the application of the business rules applicable to the market-dominant mail products referenced in §§ 121.0 through 121.4 (for purposes of part 121, references to the contiguous states or the contiguous 48 states also include the District of Columbia):

Table 1. End-to-end service standard day ranges for mail originating and destinating within the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia.

Table 2. End-to-end service standard day ranges for mail originating and/or destinating in non-contiguous states and territories.

Table 3. Destination-entry service standard day ranges for mail to the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia.

Table 4. Destination entry service standard day ranges for mail to non-contiguous states and territories.