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What is Publications Mail service?
To qualify as Publications Mail™, ALL of the following requirements must be met. Your publication needs to:
- Be in the format of a newspaper, magazine (including magalogues) or newsletter.
- Consist of a single publication or a bundle of publications destined to a single address.
- Be addressed to a subscriber, non-subscriber or news dealer.
- Get published with a regular frequency and at least twice a year.
- Contain news and information intended for public dissemination. It must not contain confidential or proprietary information.
- Contain a maximum of 70% advertising content in more than half of the issues we deliver in a 12-month period.
- Be deposited in Canada and addressed to Canadian addresses.
Learn more about what’s acceptable as a Publications Mail host
Certain types of publications do NOT qualify as Publications Mail. For example:
- Handbooks and manuals, including their amendments.
- Street, telephone or other directories (with some exceptions)
- Catalogues.
- Annual reports.
Read the detailed listing of items that are unacceptable as a Publications Mail Host.
What's included
Redirection—an easy way to stay connected
If we cannot deliver your publication as originally addressed because of a move, we will redirect your publication to the new address for free—provided your reader has a Change of Address Notification in effect.
What's extra
Undeliverable Publications Mail (uPM)—invest in future savings
For a fee, we'll notify you when your Publications Mail items are undeliverable. You can then remove invalid mailing addresses from your file. This lets you save on future mailings by improving the accuracy of your customer lists.
You have 2 options to receive uPM address information:
- Register to receive a weekly electronic report via email by calling 1-800-267-7651.
The uPM processing fee applies to each undeliverable publication. This option provides you with the quickest access to information and allows you to easily reconcile charges on your statements.
- Receive the entire publication back with a packing slip confirming that it is undeliverable. No registration is required; we automatically send it to the Canadian return address printed on your publication.
In addition to the uPM processing fee, you will also be charged for the postage of the publication.
Learn more about the uPM processing fee and return postage.
Specifications
Size and weight requirements for your publication depend on which mail preparation and presortation option you choose:
| Individually Addressed Copies (including all enclosures and wrapping) |
Length | Width | Thickness | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Machineable Category | |||||
| Short and Long (S/L) | min. | (5.6 in) |
90 mm |
0.18 mm |
3 g |
| max. | 245 mm (9.6 in) |
(6.1 in) |
5 mm (0.2 in) |
50 g (1.75 oz) |
|
| Oversize (O/S) | min. | 140 mm (5.6 in) |
90 mm (3.6 in) |
0.5 mm (0.02 in) |
10 g (0.4 oz) |
| max. | 380 mm (14.9 in) |
270 mm (10.6 in) |
20 mm (0.8 in) |
500 g (17.64 oz) |
|
| Non-machineable Category (Letter Carrier Presort (LCP) and NDG Presort) | |||||
| Short and Long (S/L) | min. | 100 mm (3.9 in) |
70 mm (2.8 in) |
0.18 mm (0.007 in) |
- |
| max. | 245 mm (9.6 in) |
156 mm (6.1 in) |
5 mm (0.2 in) |
100 g (3.5 oz) |
|
| Oversize (O/S) | min. | 100 mm (3.9 in) |
70 mm (2.8 in) |
0.18 mm (0.007 in) |
- |
| max. | 600 mm (23.6 in) |
600 mm (23.6 in) |
200 mm (7.9 in) |
1.36 kg (3 lb.) |
|
| Bundles of Unaddressed Copies (including all enclosures and wrapping) |
Length | Width | Thickness | Weight | |
| min. | 140 mm (5.6 in) |
90 mm (3.6 in) |
0.36 mm (0.014 in) |
– | |
| max. | 600 mm (23.6 in) |
600 mm (23.6 in) |
600 mm (23.6 in) |
22.7 kg (50 lb.) |
|
| Samples and Promotional/Novelty item | Length | Width | Thickness | Weight | |
| min. | – | – | – | – | |
| max. | 270 mm (10.6 in) |
270 mm (10.6 in) |
20 mm (0.8 in) |
250 g (8.8 oz) |
|
NOTE:
- A Short and Long (S/L) item becomes Oversize (O/S) when it exceeds any one of the maximum dimensions including length, width, thickness or weight.
- Machineable Publications Mail must be rectangular in shape.
- For Bundles of Unaddressed Copies; length + girth must not exceed 2.0 m.
* For convenience, the most current domestic mail item sizing template (part no. CPO 8129 – 2005-01- 21) should be used to measure the maximum thickness, width and length of a Sample or Promotional/Novelty Item. The item should pass freely through the 20 mm slot in either direction.
Your minimum Order
The minimum Order depends on the type of mail preparation and presortation option you choose:
- Machineable and Letter Carrier Presort (LCP) Orders require a minimum of 1,000 pieces to Canadian addresses.
If you want to send fewer pieces, you can pay the minimum base price to bring your total order up to the minimum number of pieces required. This option is referred to as phantom pricing.
For example, if you only have 800 pieces to send, pay the applicable postage for the 800 pieces and pay the minimum base price for 200 to bring your Order to the minimum requirement of 1000 pieces.
- National Distribution Guide (NDG) presort mailings may require a minimum of 50 pieces.
Read more about minimum Orders and phantom pricing.
Rates & prices
The price of your Publications Mail items will depend on:
- Size and weight
- Mail preparation and presortation options. You save on postage when you prepare and/or sort your publication so that we can process it more efficiently.
View Publications Mail pricing.
Other cost considerations
Save time and money when you create your Order (Statement of Mailing) online with Electronic Shipping Tools. Please note:
- We charge a processing fee for Orders (Statements of Mailing) prepared manually.
- You will pay National Distribution Guide (NDG) prices if your Machineable or Letter Carrier Presort (LCP) Orders (Statements of Mailing) are prepared manually.
- Surcharges and price adjustments may apply if there are irregularities with your mailing.
What you can enclose with Publications Mail service
Grow advertising revenue by offering your advertisers the option of including their samples, promotional items and other standalone printed materials with your publication.
You can insert additional advertising content into your publication. Or, you can include other advertising pieces in the same envelope or wrapper with your publication. These advertising pieces are known as outserts.
Learn more about enclosures with your host publication and how much they cost.
Let us help promote your magazine
To show our support, we provide Canadian publishers with the opportunity to advertise their magazine subscriptions to the millions of Canadians who visit our website. We call this our Subscription Driver Program and it’s FREE for Publications Mail customers.
The program currently promotes over 600 titles, sorted by category. To be featured, you’ll need to provide a cover image, a short description of your publication and a link through which consumers can complete the subscription request. Representatives from our Commercial Service Network can provide you with more details on the creative/technical requirements.
Contact us at 1-800-260-7678 to join this program, or update an existing listing.
See the Subscription Driver Program in action.
When will your mail get there
Delivery standards are estimates of how long it will take for your mail to be delivered. Delivery standards are not guaranteed but are generally:
| Local | 3 business days |
| Within a Province | 4–5 business days |
| National | 4–13 business days |
Notes about delivery standards
How to pay for your mailing
Contact us at 1-866-757-5480 to sign an agreement to use Publications Mail service. We will set you up with an account and payment terms.
You will have to identify proof of payment on your publication. Read about the required identifying information.
Find out more about payment terms.
Where to drop off your mail
Deposit your mailing at one of more than 3,000 approved locations. You can find a complete listing in our free online Electronic Shipping Tools. When you use our Electronic Shipping Tools to create your order, select the most convenient location to drop off your mail.
You may also refer to this summary of major drop-off locations for Letter Carrier Presort (LCP) Publications Mail.
Support
Need help? Contact us and we'll gladly answer your questions. Or call us at 1-866-757-5480.
Need a hand?
Whether you need help with a specific task (from design to mail preparation) or the whole process, use our Partner Directory to connect with Mail Service Professionals in the Direct Mail industry. They can provide all the advice and expertise you need to set your campaign in motion.
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