Publication Mail

What are classified as magazines, newsletters or catalogues?

Magazines and newsletters are publications with fixed titles that are published regularly, i.e. at least twice a year. Catalogues are publications that market products and services directly to prospective buyers and are published at least twice a year. 

Note: Sales flyers or circulars do not meet the definition of a catalogue under Publication Mail, even if published regularly. Publication Mail cannot be used for delivering surveys, handbooks, manuals, directories or annual reports.

The applicable mail piece rate for Publication Mail is based on the size, weight, overall addressing quality and total volume submitted in an individual lodgement. The maximum thickness of a Publication Mail mail piece is 20mm. A Bulk Mail Sample mail piece can accommodate samples or free gifts up to a combined maximum thickness of 32mm at an additional cost.

Note: Dimensions and weight restrictions include the envelope/packaging.

Daytime rates apply to mail lodged after 8am and before 5pm Monday to Friday (excluding weekends and public holidays). Evening rates apply to mail lodged by prior arrangement after 5pm weekdays and at any stage on weekends or public holidays.

For more information on pricing, please refer to the Bulk Mail Rate Card for 1 July 2024(PDF – 63KB).

Additional information about Publication Mail

• Sending mail by Publication Mail
• Bulk Mail Samples
• How to prepare your mail for lodgement
• Envelope layout standards
• Compliance requirements
• Lodging your mail

Sending mail by Publication Mail

To send your letters or documents by Publication Mail, the following criteria apply within a single lodgement:

Please check the Envelope Layout Standards. page for any temporary service delays or suspensions. 

• All mail items must have an approved PermitPost impression and NZ Post delivery and return address.
• All mail items must be the same size, shape and within the same weight range.
• All items must comply with current Postal Users' Guide and Envelope Layout Standards.

Note: The minimum volume threshold and minimum dimensions must be met for each mailing customer. Mail from groups of customers may not be consolidated to achieve Publication Mail pricing.

Bulk Mail samples

Publication Mail is designed to accommodate samples in addition to the publication.

The maximum thickness of the publication is 20mm, however a sample can also be included (at an additional charge) which combined with the publication may take the total thickness up to 32mm under certain conditions.

These conditions are:

• If the combined thickness is greater than 20mm the sample must sit outside the publication, but inside the packaging (i.e. flow wrap).
• If the combined thickness is less than 20mm the lodgement does not require a Bulk Mail Sample product code and the fee does not apply.
• The sample must be secured so that it does not separate from the publication. It is the responsibility of the responsibility of the mailer to ensure the sample is securely packaged so that it cannot be damaged or become separated in the normal process of handling and delivering this mail item.
• Samples must be consistent across the lodgement, i.e. each item must contain the same sample.
• There are a number of items that NZ Post is unable to handle or deliver. These are specified in the dangerous goods or prohibited items section of the Postal Users’ Guide.

If you are in doubt about whether a proposed mailing with a sample is acceptable, please contact your Account Manager [email protected] for confirmation.

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Zonal Pricing

Zonal Pricing is a pricing structure that charges different prices for mail deliveries to different areas. Every New Zealand postcode containing delivery points has been allocated to one of four “Zones”: Zone A, Zone B, Zone C and Zone D. Each of these zones has a different price.

In addition to Zonal Pricing, a separate pricing tier applies to any items with invalid or missing postcodes. All incorrect postcodes by Address Type (Urban, Rural, PO Box, Private Bag, etc.) or incorrect postcode mapping to City (and/or) Suburb including invalid or missing postcodes are priced as Invalid Postcode (IPC). More information on Zonal Pricing terms and conditions is available under the Publication Mail section of the Postal Users’ Guide.

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Address Accuracy Percentage (AAP)

AAP is the mechanism for pricing based on the overall address quality of the bulk mail lodgement. The AAP will be calculated on addresses in the Lodgement Data File with Valid Postcodes only, to determine the applicable Pricing Tier (addresses with Invalid Postcodes will be priced separately).

Learn more about AAP.

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How to prepare your mail for lodgement

Statement of Posting

A Statement of Posting (AR019N) form must accompany all manual lodgements where Lodgement Manager has not been used, or the lodgement will be held by NZ Post until the form is received. Contact our Customer Care Centre to have us send you a form or, preferably, they can help you access Bulk Mail rates by setting you up on Lodgement Manager (our lodgement software solution). For help when completing the form, download our Statement of Posting guide (PDF - 106KB).

A Statement of Posting (AR019N) form must accompany all lodgements or the lodgement will be held by NZ Post until the form is received. Contact our Customer Care Centre to have us send you a form. For help when completing the form, download our Statement of Posting guide (PDF - 106KB).

When completing your Statement of Posting you’ll need to tell us your product code. Refer to the Bulk Mail Rate Card for 1 July 2024 (PDF - 63KB) for the right code. NZ Post may correct any incorrectly completed Statement of Posting or lodgement slip, such as where the wrong Publication Mail code has been provided.

Manual Handling Fee

Lodgements received that cannot be machine processed and have not been pre-approved for the MHFEE process may be approved, but uprated to the Non-Preapproved MHFEE rate, or rejected by NZ Post at our sole discretion. 

The MHFEE is a per unit fee charged in addition to the base postage charge for the specific Bulk Mail product, size and sample fee (if applicable). E.g. PP1A1ZA + PPSAMFEE + MHFEE. Find out more

Electronic Lodgement Information

Lodgement Data File (LDF) is required for all Bulk Mail lodgements (all bulk mail products/services). 

For Lodgements submitted through Lodgement Manager, a Statement of Posting is the output from creating a new Mail Order in Lodgement Manager.

In the process of creating the mail order you select product characteristics including: Product, Size, AAP and then upload the Lodgement Data File, from which the Zonal breakdown is derived. Once the mail order has been submitted in Lodgement Manager, no subsequent changes will be permitted, and the Statement of Posting is to be printed and attached to the physical mail for lodgement.  A Statement of Posting form must accompany your physical mail lodgement or your lodgement will not be accepted.

NZ Post will calculate the total cost of your lodgement from the LDF and the Publication Mail code applied to each item across the AAP pricing tiers, including records with Invalid Postcodes (IPC).

More information on Statement of Posting is available under the Publication Mail section of the Postal Users’ Guide.

Bulk Mail labels, letter trays and containers

Place your items address side up and in letter trays so that the PermitPost impression is on the top right-hand corner of the mail piece, lying flat in the tray facing upwards. Letter trays are available on application at your nearest NZ Post Mail Service Centre.

A container service is available for customers with lodgements over 40 trays. All trays must be clearly and correctly labelled with the appropriate NZ Post label and must not weigh more than 12kg each.

For significant volumes of oversize items, mail can be lodged directly into roll cages or ULDs (Unit Loading Devices). If mail is lodged directly into roll cages or ULDs, it should be bundled to a maximum thickness of 150mm and a maximum weight of 12kg per bundle. The address on each item must be clearly visible and all facing the same way. Bundles must be tight with items banded across length and width.

Mailhouse lodgement

All trays, roll cages and ULDs must have an NZ Post tray label attached. To find out more about these labels, refer to the Bulk Mail Envelope Layout Standards.

Business customer lodgement

For mail that is not lodged via mailhouses, simplified labelling requirements apply. Download customer labels for sorting (PDF - 93KB). Please print and complete these labels and attach these to the front of your mail tray.

Envelope layout standards

The Bulk Mail Envelope Layout Standards (PDF - 4.5MB) contain important details about Bulk Mail machinability and processing. Please familiarise yourself with these requirements.

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Compliance requirements

To be eligible for Publication Mail and Bulk Mail Sample product usage, lodgements must meet the specified requirements in the Publication Mail Product Specification section of the Postal Users’ Guide.

Non-compliance with the Publication Mail Product Specifications, Envelope Layout Standards or the Address and Layout Guide may result in the entire lodgement being uprated to a Standard rate product or No/ less than 80% Address Accuracy Percentage (AAP) price points, or the lodgement being returned at your cost. Note that delivery targets may be impacted by non-compliance with the Publication Mail Product Specifications, Envelope Layout Standards or the Address and Layout Guide.

To ensure non-compliance is kept at a minimum we encourage you to contact [email protected] for any mail pieces that you have questions on or for approval.

For more information please refer to the Bulk Mail Rate Card for 1 July 2024 (PDF – 63KB).

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Lodging your mail

Lodge your items at any of the following:

• NZ Post Mail Service Centres
• Auckland - Auckland Mail Centre, 122 Kerwyn Avenue, East Tamaki, Auckland 2013
• Manawatu - Manawatu CourierPost Centre, 9 Matthews Avenue Takaro, Palmerston North 4410
• Wellington - CourierPost Wellington Operations Centre, 36-54 Kaiwharawhara Road, Wellington 6035
• Christchurch - Christchurch Mail Centre, 145 Orchard Road, Harewood, Christchurch 8051

• NZ Post Business Mail Centres
• Selected NZ Post stores (where it is feasible to do so).

If you have an NZ Post Account and want to have your items picked up, talk to us today.