USPS Clarifies Policy on Bills of Lading
In a recent Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) Advisory, the United States Postal Service (USPS) announced it has agreed to sign (upon request) Bills of Lading for drop-shipped mail. Based on its Sarbanes-Oxley requirements, the USPS was originally concerned that signing the bills of lading might imply acceptance of the content of the mail in the shipment, and be mistakenly used as a replacement for the USPS Form 8125. (The 8125 form is the official USPS clearance document, which is completed at the point of postal entry, and indicates that the mail has been verified and paid for.) Representatives from the mailing and logistics industry met with the USPS to discuss the situation and to explain the industry use of the bills of lading as proof of delivery only, not as a replacement for the 8125.