
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 39USC3682]

 
                        TITLE 39--POSTAL SERVICE
 
                          PART IV--MAIL MATTER
 
             CHAPTER 36--POSTAL RATES, CLASSES, AND SERVICES
 
                          SUBCHAPTER V--GENERAL
 
Sec. 3682. Size and weight limits

    The Postal Service may establish size and weight limitations for 
mail matter in the same manner as prescribed for changes in mail 
classification under subchapter II of this chapter.

(Pub. L. 91-375, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 765; Pub. L. 96-70, title I, 
Sec. 1331(e)(4), Sept. 27, 1979, 93 Stat. 482; Pub. L. 97-242, 
Sec. 1(a), Aug. 24, 1982, 96 Stat. 300.)


                               Amendments

    1982--Pub. L. 97-242 struck out subsecs. (a) and (b) and designation 
``(c)'' before ``The Postal Service'' and in resulting undesignated 
paragraph substituted ``mail matter'' and ``mail classification'' for 
``letter mail'' and ``classification'', respectively. Former subsecs. 
(a) and (b) had provided that the maximum weight of mail other than 
letter mail was 40 pounds, that the maximum size was 78 inches in girth 
and length combined before July 1, 1971, and 84 inches in girth and 
length combined on and after July 1, 1971, and that the maximum size on 
mail, other than letter mail, was 100 inches in girth and length 
combined and the maximum weight was 70 pounds if the mail (1) was mailed 
at, or addressed for delivery at, other than first-class post offices or 
on rural or star routes, (2) contained baby fowl, live plants, trees, 
shrubs, or agricultural commodities but not the manufactured products of 
those commodities, (3) would have been entitled to be mailed under 
former section 4554 of this title, (4) was addressed to or mailed at any 
Armed Forces post office outside the 50 States, or (5) was addressed to 
or mailed in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the States of Alaska and 
Hawaii, or a possession of the United States including the Trust 
Territory of the Pacific Islands.
    1979--Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 96-70 struck out ``the Canal Zone 
and'' after ``United States including''.


                    Effective Date of 1982 Amendment

    Section 1(b) of Pub. L. 97-242 provided that: ``The size and weight 
limitations for other than letter mail established by subsections (a) 
and (b) of section 3682 of title 39, United States Code, as in effect on 
the day prior to the effective date of this section [Aug. 24, 1982], 
shall remain in effect until changed pursuant to section 3682 of such 
title, as amended, by subsection (a) of this section.''


                    Effective Date of 1979 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 96-70 effective Oct. 1, 1979, see section 3304 
of Pub. L. 96-70, set out as an Effective Date note under section 3601 
of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 3684 of this title.
