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39 USC § 3627 - Adjusting free rates

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t39/s3627"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "39 USC § 3627 - Adjusting free rates"
title_number: 39
title_name: "POSTAL SERVICE"
section_number: "3627"
section_name: "Adjusting free rates"
chapter_number: 36
chapter_name: "POSTAL RATES, CLASSES, AND SERVICES"
subchapter_number: "I"
subchapter_name: "PROVISIONS RELATING TO MARKET-DOMINANT PRODUCTS"
part_number: "IV"
part_name: "MAIL MATTER"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-03-26"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 91–375, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 763; Pub. L. 95–593, § 11(b), Nov. 4, 1978, 92 Stat. 2538; Pub. L. 99–410, title II, § 201(b)(3), Aug. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 928; Pub. L. 103–31, § 8(h)(3), May 20, 1993, 107 Stat. 86; Pub. L. 103–123, title VII, § 704(a)(3)(B)(i), Oct. 28, 1993, 107 Stat. 1269; Pub. L. 109–435, title X, § 1010(g)(5), Dec. 20, 2006, 120 Stat. 3263.)"
---

# 1 Adjusting free rates

So in original. Probably should be followed by “of this title,”.

section 2401(c) of this title[^1]

If Congress fails to appropriate an amount authorized under  for any class of mail sent free of postage under section 3217 or 3403–3406  the rate for that class may be adjusted in accordance with the provisions of this subchapter so that the increased revenues received from the users of such class will equal the amount for that class that the Congress was to appropriate.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 91–375, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 763; Pub. L. 95–593, § 11(b), Nov. 4, 1978, 92 Stat. 2538; Pub. L. 99–410, title II, § 201(b)(3), Aug. 28, 1986, 100 Stat. 928; Pub. L. 103–31, § 8(h)(3), May 20, 1993, 107 Stat. 86; Pub. L. 103–123, title VII, § 704(a)(3)(B)(i), Oct. 28, 1993, 107 Stat. 1269; Pub. L. 109–435, title X, § 1010(g)(5), Dec. 20, 2006, 120 Stat. 3263.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2006— inserted section catchline and struck out former catchline which read the same.

1993— substituted “free rates” for “free and reduced rates” in section catchline and “sent free of postage under section 3217 or 3403–3406” for “sent at a free or reduced rate under section 3217, 3403–3406, 3626, or 3629 of this title,” in text.

substituted “3626, or 3629 of this title” for “or 3626 of this title,”.

1986— substituted “3406” for “3405” and struck out “under the Federal Voting Assistance Act of 1955, or under the Overseas Citizens Voting Rights Act of 1975” after “3626 of this title,”.

1978— inserted provisions relating to applicability of Overseas Citizens Voting Rights Act of 1975.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1993 Amendments

Amendment by  applicable with respect to rates for mail sent after , see , set out as a note under .

Amendment by  effective (1) with respect to a State that, on , has a provision in the constitution of the State that would preclude compliance with section 20501 et seq. of Title 52, Voting and Elections, unless the State maintained separate Federal and State official lists of eligible voters, on the later of , or the date that is 120 days after the date by which, under the constitution of the State as in effect on , it would be legally possible to adopt and place into effect any amendments to the constitution of the State that are necessary to permit compliance with section 20501 et seq. of Title 52 without requiring a special election, and (2) with respect to a State not described above, on , see , set out as an Effective Date note under .

### Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

Amendment by  applicable with respect to elections taking place after , see , set out as an Effective Date note under , Voting and Elections.