The USPS has rules that require certain size booklets and folded self-mailers to have tabs or affixtures to seal the mail piece. Any piece that is considered a letter size piece that has any folds will need tabs or be required to mail as non machineable. These tabs or closures help ensure that the mail piece does not open in the USPS automated machinery and can run smoothely. Affixing tabs increases the mailing cost and can effect the recipients’ experience.

There are some ways to avoid adding tabs but it depends on the mail piece design and where it is going as removing tabs or changing the piece design can also increase postage costs significantly. If the mail piece is a letter size and has folds then it will need tabs. Removing them will result in the piece being labeled as non machinable with a significant postage surcharge. The way to avoid using tabs is to make the piece a flat. Flats do not require tabs, but the postage may increase significantly depending on the sort. Typically we only recommend doing this if the distrubtion of addresses is very saturated.

To make the piece a flat there are a couple options. The first is to incease the length of the smallest side to larger than 6.125" inches. The second option is the rotate the address block so that it is on top half of the mail piece parrallel to the shorter side when the fold on the longer side is in your right hand.

This is a bit confusing so if this is something you are looking into please contact us to go over the options, design, and if this would make sense for your mailing list.