Flat Rate Box Taping rules?

[NHsorter]

The other day when I dropped off a stout little Small Flat Rate Priority Box at my local PO, the guy at the counter said that "it might get returned like this". I said "Why? I thought that if it fits, it ships" to which he told me that you were not allowed to use tape. I quickly shot back and told him that I get them like this all the time with no problems and I was unaware of the tape rule. I also asked him if they prefer to have wrecked packages I could skip the tape next time. This guy is clearly just counting the days until his pension kicks in and his attitude has always sucked so I don't know if I should worry about his comments or not.

Does anyone know the official rules about clear packing tape over the outside of Priority Flat Rate Boxes? I tried searching the archives for an answer first, but holy cow is "flat rate" a common term on here. Thanks!!

[aloneibreak]

i tape the heck out of them with clear tape and have never had a problem

its the flat rate ENVELOPES they get upset at me over - they say the envelope adhesive is the means of closure - no tape

get a different counter employee and you'll get a different answer is usually the way the PO works

[pennyguy]

I found this info on the usps website
http://postcalc.usps.gov/PopUps/PMSmallFRBox.htm

[NHsorter]

Thanks for the link. By the wording I saw on that, it looks like the postal worker is just full of baloney. I have received numerous FRB's that were covered in clear tape. Never had a problem before. Thanks

[Rodebaugh]

No tape? HCBTT must have not got the memo......you should see his CTU......the man works in tape like Van Gough did in oils.

[ScottyTX]

I've had this happen to me in the past and got into it with the post master at my local PO. I went home and did quite a bit of researching on their website and printed out guidelines and such off of the website. They actually encourage you to tape your package securely. The only thing that says anything at all about closing the package is for the flat rate envelopes. It states that the adhesive strip is to be used as the "primary" means of encolsure for the envelope. It was pure stupidity on their part by the arguments my fine lady Post master was arguing. She said if I had to put tape on it, then it wasen't safe to ship!!! I then asked her why then do they require you to tape the Registered mail with brown threaded packing tape for security if we can't use tape. "oh that's only for registered flat rate boxes. Ohhh k then what about the other size Medium flat rate box that has no adhesive strips???? OH well on that one you can use tape...... She said it was too heavy for the box as well and that made it unsafe, ahhhh so why do ya'll allow 70 lb's per package...No answer and she accused me of attempting to abuse the postal service. She refused my packages and well ,I only cussed a few times since I had my daughter with me Ahhhh I just read the link pennyguy posted, Bam there you go that's more strait forward than what I was able to find a few years ago! I still get fired up over that one. I had everybody in the post office staring at me, not to mention I had just broke the glass on my coffee table by stacking the boxes on it out of stupidity, the post office was closing in 15 min, and I had to leave out for work for a week early the next morning being unable to ship them........

[natsb88]

Ask them to show you exactly where in the Domestic Mail Manual it says you can't tape flat rate boxes. They won't be able to find it, which means they can't enforce it. The only thing that mentions tape is in regards to Flat Rate Envelopes, which says the adhesive flap must be the "primary means of enclosure" (i.e. the flap needs to be in the correct position, not folded/creased/stretched or not making contact), but does not prohibit tape. Guess I'm lucky to have a good relationship with my local PO...there are only three clerks and I've been going there to ship stuff since I was about 12

[HoardCopperByTheTon]

No tape? HCBTT must have not got the memo......you should see his CTU......the man works in tape like Van Gough did in oils.

I didn't even know you got one of my CTU's. I gotta be careful where I send those things.

The no tape rule goes back to the days when there were no flat rate boxes and we used to ship a bag of wheat cents in 2 flat rate envelopes. They used to call me Mr. 320 back in those days. They used to discuss my packages at the regional meetings. Finally a memo was written that said folks couldn't tape the flat rate envelopes. "It was really a lot of work cutting down another flat rate envelope, cucooning it in tape and then slipping it in the untaped envelope. Before the rule change I did manage to ship an entire mint sewn bag of 1968-s cents to Indiana in one of those flat rate envelopes.. that was really pushing the envelope!

[mflugher]

Yah back in the 90s I used to sell lots of magic the gathering cards and sportscards over the internet, I regularly grabbed a flat rate envelope, cut the 4 corners diagonally and then folded it into a box which exactly fit one sealed box of trading cards (36 packs). used to then tape the corners shut and never got any guff about sending it for $2.95 flat rate I was amazed the postal clerk didn't laugh at me...

[slickeast]

I had the local PO try to refuse a small flat rate that was taped. I printed out the info that is in the link above. They read it, asked if they could keep it. Never had any problems after that.

[68Camaro]

I had the local PO try to refuse a small flat rate that was taped. I printed out the info that is in the link above. They read it, asked if they could keep it. Never had any problems after that.

As I noted in the "how to ship pennies" thread, my postmaster (not a clerk) warned me that I might be charged full rate on boxes rec'd that were fully taped. He said that violated the rules, and while I think that is an interpretation of a not very clear instruction, he and others are interpreting it that way. He says it is fine to tape the edges and seams, and on medium/large boxes to strap around the middle in each direction, but 100% coverage constitutes a box modification which invalidates the flat rate price. Regardless of truth, that's what I have to work with here locally.

[Primus123]

I work for the PO and there is absolutely no rule against using tape for flat rate boxes!!!
I tape mine all the time!

[newton7]

Never has a problem with mine in TX on the ship side but I have had some break on the recieving side that I wish had been taped better. I guess it all depends on whom you get at the window. They now encourage me to drop them off on the loading dock at the rear of the building so they have to handle them less when they are prepaid.

That was the best thing to happen to me. No waiting in line with boxes that weigh a lot. Just go around back and drop off where all the other businesses drop their outgoing mail.

Keep Stacking!

[SoFa]

I was wondering about the envelopes. Is the weight limit the same as for the small flat rate boxes? It seems like you could fit two boxes in an envelope.

And the taping rules are the same as boxes:
"When sealing a Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope, the container flaps must be able to close within the normal folds. Tape may be applied to the flaps and seams to reinforce the container; provided the design of the container is not enlarged by opening the sides and the container is not reconstructed in any way. "

[NHsorter]

Wow, thanks guys! Great responses here.

[ed_vantage17]

Gotta add my story. Took a CTU to my local post office. The clerk gave me the same lines others here have gotten. She also said I could only use one piece of tape. I said, no problem. It comes in 60 foot rolls and I can wrap the whole box without cutting it into several pieces. Finally she got her supervisor and after about 10 minutes he came out and congratulated me on such a thorough taping job considering the weight (69 lbs, 8 oz) while she scowled in the background. Now she greets me with, "Oh. You got another one, huh?"

[twentybux]

Yeah, at the first of the year my local post office became tape nazis. This went for a month or so. I received a receive a shipment from Ray with about enough tape to gag a goat. Thanks to Ray I went to my friendly, neighborhood postal employee and said, "Yo, what gives? If they can do this out West why can't we? Are we going to let THEM show us up? We are from the Show-Me State!" The employee told me, "Bring it on! Tape that bad boy up like there's no tomorrow!" I replied, "Darn tootin!" Okay...maybe not those exact words...but pretty close. Turns out that some darn piece of paper began floating around stating that you "shouldn't" tape up small flat rates due to it having its own sealant. Once I talked to the USPS clerk, she stated that the postmaster around my parts conversed with some of his colleagues and figured it was just more bullcrap from Washington so we in the Midwest went back to our old ways.

[frugi]

A post office worker once told me I used too much tape.....I told him "Go [fluff] yourself, I will go to a different post office."
I checked up on it. The rule is: if the box will NOT close without having to tape it, you cannot ship it. As long as the box closes completely without the use of tape, it is fine, you can use all the tape you want. If any PO worker wants to start a fight, I would say bring it on, bring out your supervisor, you POS! (sometimes they are just like the police, they feel so important, in a place of superiority sitting behing the desk." It's no wonder you can't bring firearms into the PO!

[Rosco]

A post office worker once told me I used too much tape.....I told him "Go f--k yourself, I will go to a different post office."
I checked up on it. The rule is: if the box will NOT close without having to tape it, you cannot ship it. As long as the box closes completely without the use of tape, it is fine, you can use all the tape you want. If any PO worker wants to start a fight, I would say bring it on, bring out your supervisor, you POS! (sometimes they are just like the police, they feel so important, in a place of superiority sitting behing the desk." It's no wonder you can't bring firearms into the PO!

Peace Brother I shared with Our PO mgr I would use the other guys for all Pkgs She said we like your business come on back.

The Pkg from UPS is not a ball, usually still looks Square even when the wgt is 68#