4.1 Change of Address (COA) & Forwarding Timelines
Apply Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) 507 rules governing 12-month forwarding windows, return-to-sender transitions, and marketing mail disposal.
Key Blueprint Takeaways
- First-Class Mail is forwarded free for 12 months from the COA effective date.
- Months 13 through 18 are returned to sender with the new forwarding address attached for free.
- Marketing Mail is treated as waste unless endorsed with ancillary service instructions.
The National Change of Address (NCOA) system processes tens of millions of mover orders annually. Carriers must verify that mail directed to moved residents is properly intercepted at the casing station.
Under DMM 507.2, First-Class letters are forwarded seamlessly for a full year. Between months 13 and 18, mail returns to the sender to enable businesses to update customer mailing databases. After 18 months, forwarding ceases.
A customer submitted an official Change of Address (COA) order effective 8 months ago. When a First-Class Mail letter arrives for this individual at the old address, how should the carrier handle it under Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) forwarding standards?