(a) Postage Evidencing Systems regulated by part 501 produce evidence of prepayment of postage by any method other than postage stamps and permit imprints. A Postage Evidencing System is a device or system of components that a customer uses to generate and print evidence that postage required for mailing has been paid. Postage Evidencing Systems print indicia, such as information-based indicia or intelligent mail indicia to indicate postage payment. They include but are not limited to postage meters and PC Postage systems.

(b) A postage meter is a USPS-approved Postage Evidencing System that uses a postage security device (PSD) to account for postage purchased and generates evidence of such purchased postage in the form of an indicium, where the PSD is co-located with the printing of the indicium. The term meter as used in this part refers to a postage meter.

(c) PC Postage products are USPS-approved Postage Evidencing Systems that use a computer, tablet, or similar device as a user interface. PC Postage products may use the internet to download postage to the computer, tablet or similar device. PC Postage products use a mechanism to account for postage that is remote from the printing of the indicium.

(d) A provider is a person or entity authorized under this section to manufacture and/or distribute Postage Evidencing Systems to customers.

(e) A manufacturer of postage meters produces postage meters.

(f) A distributor of postage meters may be a manufacturer who leases postage meters directly to end-user customers or may be an independent entity who leases postage meters to end-user customers on behalf of the manufacturer.

(g) A customer is a person or entity authorized by the Postal Service to use a Postage Evidencing System as an end user in accordance with Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), including 604 Postage Payment Methods and Refunds, 4.0 Postage Meters and PC Postage Products (Postage Evidencing Systems).

(h) Postal Requirements include the Code of Federal Regulations, title 39 part 501, the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), the International Mail Manual (IMM), and the Intelligent Mail Indicia Performance Criteria (IMIPC).

[71 FR 65733, Nov. 9, 2006, as amended at 80 FR 42392, July 17, 2015; 85 FR 21775, Apr. 20, 2020]