39 CFR § 501.1 - Definitions.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t39/s501.1"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "39 CFR § 501.1 - Definitions."
title_number: 39
title_name: "Postal Service"
section_number: "501.1"
section_name: "Definitions."
chapter_name: "UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE"
subchapter_number: "G"
subchapter_name: "POSTAGE PROGRAMS"
part_number: "501"
part_name: "AUTHORIZATION TO MANUFACTURE AND DISTRIBUTE POSTAGE EVIDENCING SYSTEMS"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "5 U.S.C. 552(a); 39 U.S.C. 101, 401, 403, 404, 410, 2601, 2605; Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended (Pub. L. 95-452, as amended); 5 U.S.C. App. 3."
regulatory_source: "71 FR 65733, Nov. 9, 2006, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "501"
---


# 501.1 Definitions.

(a) *Postage Evidencing Systems* regulated by part 501 produce evidence of prepayment of postage by any method other than postage stamps and permit imprints. A Postage Evidencing System is a device or system of components that a customer uses to generate and print evidence that postage required for mailing has been paid. Postage Evidencing Systems print indicia, such as information-based indicia or intelligent mail indicia to indicate postage payment. They include but are not limited to postage meters and PC Postage systems.

(b) A *postage meter* is a USPS-approved Postage Evidencing System that uses a postage security device (PSD) to account for postage purchased and generates evidence of such purchased postage in the form of an indicium, where the PSD is co-located with the printing of the indicium. The term *meter* as used in this part refers to a postage meter.

(c) *PC Postage products* are USPS-approved Postage Evidencing Systems that use a computer, tablet, or similar device as a user interface. PC Postage products may use the internet to download postage to the computer, tablet or similar device. PC Postage products use a mechanism to account for postage that is remote from the printing of the indicium.

(d) A *provider* is a person or entity authorized under this section to manufacture and/or distribute Postage Evidencing Systems to customers.

(e) A *manufacturer* of postage meters produces postage meters.

(f) A *distributor* of postage meters may be a manufacturer who leases postage meters directly to end-user customers or may be an independent entity who leases postage meters to end-user customers on behalf of the manufacturer.

(g) A *customer* is a person or entity authorized by the Postal Service to use a Postage Evidencing System as an end user in accordance with *Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service,* Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), including 604 Postage Payment Methods and Refunds, 4.0 Postage Meters and PC Postage Products (Postage Evidencing Systems).

(h) *Postal Requirements* include the Code of Federal Regulations, title 39 part 501, the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM), the International Mail Manual (IMM), and the Intelligent Mail Indicia Performance Criteria (IMIPC).

[71 FR 65733, Nov. 9, 2006, as amended at 80 FR 42392, July 17, 2015; 85 FR 21775, Apr. 20, 2020]