郵件處理規則

The regulations hereof are being established as mandated by Article 48 of the Postal Act (hereinafter called this Act).

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Chunghwa Post Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Chunghwa Post) shall not provide proof of the contents of any mail item with the exception of legal attest letters, for which an identical copy will be filed at the sender’s post office branch.

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1“Postcards” shall be produced with the kinds of paper and specifications publicly announced by Chunghwa Post.

2The paper used should be smooth, without any projection.

3A postcard can either have a horizontal or a vertical orientation.

4Apart from Chunghwa Post, anyone, when printing postcards, shall follow the three requirements mentioned above as well as use only certain kinds of paper and adhere to other specifications as mandated by Chunghwa Post. Postcards published by anyone other than Chunghwa Post may not bear such expressions as “Postal Administration” in any language or bear postage stamp imprints or similar patterns.

5When a postcard printed by someone other than Chunghwa Post does not meet the specifications or use the kind of paper mandated by Chunghwa Post, the letter postage rate shall apply.

1If the surface of a postcard is not smooth because of any glued attachment or projecting part, the postcard shall be enclosed in an envelope and posted as a letter.

2In the case of a piece of paper folded into something resembling a postcard, it shall be posted as a letter.

1Letter sheets are categorized into domestic letter sheets and aerograms according to their destinations. Aerograms are used for international airmail and letter sheets are used for domestic mail.

2Anyone with the approval of Chunghwa Post who, whether for private use or sale, prints aerograms and/or letter sheets in accordance with the requirements publicly announced by Chunghwa Post (regarding paper types, size, and specifications) should print their permit number and text at the appointed location.

1If a letter sheet contains any extra objects, the Chinese wording for letter sheet on the cover should be crossed off and it should be posted as a letter instead.

2If an aerogramme contains any extra objects and is therefore returned to the sender for collection of the difference in postage between an aerogramme and a letter, then the words for aerogramme on the cover, whether printed in Chinese or any other languages commonly used in international mail, should be crossed off and the item posted as an airmail letter instead. When it can not be returned to the sender, the words for aerogramme on the cover, whether printed in Chinese or any other languages commonly used in international mail, should be crossed off, and the item should be delivered by means of surface transportation.

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1Domestic periodicals, when meeting the following requirements, may be registered with Chunghwa Post and posted as newspapers or magazines after approval:

21. Periodicals that report or comment on politics, economics, science, culture or other issues that relate to the public welfare.

32. Official bulletins or government policy promotion materials published by the government or advocacy groups.

4The term “newspapers,” as mentioned in the preceding paragraph hereof, refers to periodicals issued daily or within every six days; magazines refer to periodicals that are issued at set intervals ranging from every seven days to every three months.

5If a periodical as mentioned in the first paragraph hereof is concluded by Chunghwa Post to be a commercial advertisement or promotion, or to be a company’s promotion for its own business operations or a specific person, then the said periodical may not be posted as a newspaper or magazine.

1Books mentioned in Subparagraph 5, Article 4 of the Act refer to bound printed matters other than newspapers, magazines and catalogues.

2The catalogue mentioned in Subparagraph 5, Article 4 of the Act refers to documents printed in words, photos or pictures with more than 50% of the contents dedicated to the price, function, specifications and user instructions of goods or services.

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1All materials that can be delivered, apart from contraband or mail items that do not meet the specifications publicly announced by Chunghwa Post, may be posted as parcels or packages.

2Printed matters may be posted as parcels or packages.

1Chunghwa Post is not liable for any claims regarding undeliverable parcels that perish while Chunghwa Post makes inquiries about what to do with them.

2An undeliverable parcel should be disposed of in accordance with the regulations regarding undelivered mail if the sender instructs to abandon.

1In the case that the contents of a parcel are found to be perishable while being handled by Chunghwa Post, Chunghwa Post may, for the benefit of the sender, sell the contents of the parcel at once without notifying the sender or going through any other procedures first. If the contents cannot be sold or are not saleable, Chunghwa Post may destroy the said parcel.

2Any parcel that is sold or destroyed by Chunghwa Post should be photographed and/or any other appropriate evidence should also be kept for future reference.

3Chunghwa Post shall notify the sender to collect the proceeds, after various fees have been deducted, for the sale of the above-mentioned parcel.

“Electronic mail” refers to mail that is sent via the Internet to the electronic post office by a sender who has an electronic mail account with the post office that is subsequently printed out as hard copy by the post office and delivered to the addressee.

1At the time of mailing, all postage should be paid in full according to the mail item’s category; postage rates should be calculated in accordance with relevant rate charts. For bulk mailings, the sender may enjoy a discounted rate if all mail items have their zip codes written on the cover and have been presorted into different bundles based on their zip codes in accordance with regulations set out by Chunghwa Post.

2Where special handling as stipulated in Chapter Three hereof is required, additional special handling fees shall apply.

A stamp is valid as proof of postage for delivery only after the date of issue.

Postage stamps or other postage paid symbols shall be neatly affixed on the cover of a mail item without overlapping; any postage stamps or other postage paid symbols that are totally or partially covered shall become invalid.

Mail items with postage stamps or other postage paid symbols that have been cut, pasted together, scratched, pasted over, or that were used and washed shall not be delivered.

Postage paid symbols printed on postcards, aerogrammes or letter sheets, or special envelopes shall become invalid once they are cut out.

The term “airmail” refers to a mail item with postage paid based on the airmail rate and transported via airplane.

The term “prompt delivery mail” refers to a mail item that is delivered within a time limit with the payment of an extra charge.

When prompt delivery mail is delivered to a post office box or bag leased to the addressee, the date and time of delivery shall be the date and time it is dropped into the post office box or bag.

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An international unregistered mail which enjoys preferential handling by the postal services of the destination country and is given to a special courier to deliver as soon as possible and of which the online tracking information is provided, belongs to trackable mails..

“Express mail” refers to mail items sent between designated domestic areas or with the agreement of a foreign postal administration between the R.O.C. and designated post office branches in the said nation, or with the private sector companies providing EMS service in the country of destination so as to be delivered to the addressee as fast as possible and within an agreed-upon time limit..

1“Registered mail” refers to a mail that bears an expression that means “Registered Mail” on the cover which is submitted to a post office branch or a person appointed by Chunghwa Post for delivery, for which the sender receives number registration certificate and proof of mailing and pays the fee for a registered mail. Mails including parcels, express mails and collect-on-delivery mails also belong to registered mails.

2At the time of posting an item of registered mail, the sender may pay a fee (designated in rate charts) to receive an acknowledgement-of-receipt. This acknowledgement-of-receipt is filled out by the sender with the form supplied by the post office at the time of mailing and later returned to the sender after having been signed by the recipient.

3If the delivery post office confirms clearly in writing that it has delivered the item, then that shall be deemed as the equivalent of having been signed by the recipient.

1For an international registered letter-post item, the sender may request to restrict the delivery to the addressee in person.

2Apart from paying a restricted delivery fee, the cover of the mail should bear an expression, either in French or English (which are both commonly used for international mail), that means “to the addressee only” on the cover of the mail item.

1The term “value-declared mail refers to a registered mail sent within the nation of which the value has been declared with an extra value-declared fee having been paid by the sender.

2The term “insured mail,” refers to a registered mail that has been declared and insured with an extra insurance fee having been paid by the sender.

1The declared value of a value-declared mail or the insured amount of an insured mail may not exceed the actual value of the documents or materials contained in the item of mail.

2If the declared value or the insured amount as mentioned above exceeds the actual value of the documents or materials that are the contents of the mail, claims may not be initiated if there is any damage or loss of the mail.

The term “collect-on-delivery (COD)” refers to a service that allows the postal service to collect payment for merchandise from its recipient at the time of delivery for an extra COD fee. This service is only available for value-declared or insured mails sent by senders who pay the fee for the collection of cash on delivery in accordance with the specifications publicly announced by Chunghwa Post.

The term “business reply mail” refers to stamp-less envelopes, postcards and questionnaires sent out in direct mailings by the addressee, as well as reply cards or stickers printed in newspapers or magazines, for which a postage and handling fee is collected from the addressee based on the number of such items mailed.

1“Legal attest letter” refers to a letter written out in a format determined by Chunghwa Post with an identical copy left with the post office as proof, which is registered and for which an extra legal attest letter fee is paid by the sender at the time of mailing.

2The copy filed at the post office should be kept for three years from the date of mailing and then destroyed.

Mail items shall be posted by bringing them to post office branches, authorized agents of Chunghwa Post or mail receptacles in accordance with regulations.

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1The following documents or materials are forbidden in the mail:

21.Items that, due to their nature or the manner in which they are packed, may be harmful to postal employees or may soil or damage items of mail or postal equipment.

32.Metal fasteners used to seal items of mail with sharp edges that could cause difficulties in the processing of mail.

43.Flammable, explosive or other dangerous materials. Exceptions are perishable biological substances with special packaging sent between government-registered organizations with special transportation permission issued by competent authorities.

54.Live animals — apart from bees, silkworms, leeches, parasites or beneficial insects sent between government-registered organizations or parcels sent to Japan containing harmless earthworms without soil.

65.Radioactive materials.

76.Opium, morphine and other narcotics. Exceptions include insured or value-declared mails sent by those that hold special transportation permission from competent authorities or those who provide statements in writing from judicial organs or judicial police institutions proving that these articles are being sent between such domestic bodies to be used as evidence in judicial proceedings; as well as packages that are sent abroad in the form of insured mails to be used in medicine or scientific research for which the approval of the country of destination has been obtained.

1Documents or materials listed in the preceding article hereof found in the course of handling and transporting mail shall be disposed of as follows:

21.Materials as described in subparagraphs 1 and 2 found in the post office of origin shall be returned to the sender. In the case that they are found during transmission, the said materials shall be repackaged and returned to the sender or forwarded to the addressee. The repackaging fee incurred shall be paid by the sender or the addressee.

32.Materials as described in subparagraph 4 shall be returned to the sender. If they have been sent from abroad, they shall be returned to the post office of origin.

43.Documents or materials as described in subparagraphs 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11 shall be delivered to the competent authorities.

54.Documents or materials as described in subparagraph 8 shall be delivered to competent authorities or returned to the sender.

Should the post office conclude that a mail contains any document or material prohibited to be mailed or other people’s mail, the post office may ask the sender or the recipient to open the mail for inspection. If the request is refused, the post office may refuse to deliver the mail. During inspection, post office staff may not read more contents exceeding the necessary scope for the inspection of the letter.

1In the event that a mail contains any document or material prohibited to be mailed, or is not posted in accordance with regulations, the sender shall bear the responsibility.If the mail consequently causes damage to Chunghwa Post or other mails, Chunghwa Post may file a claim against the sender.

2Although the mail item has been accepted for delivery by the post office, the sender is still liable.

With regard to banknotes, coins, gold or silver bullion, gold or sliver utensils, precious stones and jewelry, only those permitted by law can be mailed.

1Mail items shall be transmitted by surface transport or air transport depending on the postage paid.

2After an airmail item is posted for delivery, should it fail to be transmitted by air due to reasons that are not Chunghwa Post’s fault, Chunghwa Post may send the mail item via another fast method and the airmail postage paid shall not be refunded.

There are two kinds of mail delivery zones: (1) zones where delivery is made to the address, and (2) zones where delivery may be made somewhere else.

1When the delivery address of any value-declared parcel, insured mail, COD mail or printed paper falls in a delivery-to-address zone, the post office shall deliver mail to the delivery address. However, if a mail item’s declared-value, insured amount or COD amount reaches a limit publicly announced by Chunghwa Post, or a total of over five kilograms of printed matters is addressed to a single addressee within a single day, Chunghwa Post may notify the addressee for a pick up.

2The mail items mentioned above will only be submitted to the addressee after all payment due is paid, such as COD payment, customs duties, etc.

Mail items that are going to be transported by a ship anchoring in the harbor or by its crew shall be handed over directly to the ship. When this cannot be done, Chunghwa Post may hand over the mail items to the organization or the company that owns the ship.

Mail items that are going to be transported by either a domestic or a foreign warship anchoring in the harbor shall be delivered to an address designated by the ship’s captain. For mail items that are going to be transported by a foreign warship and a delivery address is not designated, Chunghwa Post may deliver to its embassy or to an address designated by the embassy.

1When a mail item is addressed to or addressed care of an institution, school, company, store, organization, office, etc. (hereinafter called institution or organization) or its person-in-charge, its employees or residents, then delivery shall be made to the address of the institution or organization.

2When a branch office of an institution shares premises with its headquarters, mail items addressed to the branch office may be delivered to its headquarters.

3When a mail item is addressed to an institution, the mail item may be delivered to the mail distribution desk or mailing center of the institution.In the event that the mail distribution desk or mailing center refuses to accept an item of registered mail, Chunghwa Post may notify the addressee to pick it up at the post office.

1Registered mails should be delivered to the addressee, the addressee’s agent, or a member of the addressee’s family that lives at the same address, or the mail distribution desk, doorman, or mailing center of the delivery address.

2Registered mails may also be delivered through the smart devices exclusive for the sending and reception of documents or materials by the general public (hereinafter referred to as the “iBoxes”) that are set by Chunghwa Post on streets, in residences, in shopping malls, at factories, at government agencies, at schools, at the offices of public or private organizations, and at other sites which can be accessed by the public.

1A registered mail which meets any of the following conditions is not allowed to be delivered through an iBox:

21.The mail item is too big to be put in the iBox.

32.The outer packaging of the mailed item is damaged.

43.The occurrence of natural disasters or other force majeure causing damage or malfunction of the iBox, which prevents it from performing its functions.

54.The amount of a value-declared mail, an insured mail or COD collected exceeds the amount publicly announced by Chunghwa Post.

65.All the boxes of the iBox at the destination of delivery are occupied, and they are still occupied when the mailed item is delivered for the second time.

76.The mailed item is sent with an acknowledgement-of-receipt.

87.The mailed item contains any document or material that cannot be reproduced, copied or replicated.

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1For addresses in any of the following areas, Chunghwa Post may choose not to make deliveries to the delivery addresses after a public announcement:

21.Deep in the mountains.

32.Lone islands.

43.Down narrow, winding trails over two kilometers in length that are not on regular delivery routes.

54.Residences or communities located in remote areas that on average receive less than 40 items of mail a month.

65.Other areas difficult to make deliveries to as a result of inconvenient transportation as determined by Chunghwa Post.

7When there are concerns about domestic animals at a delivery address attacking mail carriers, and the customers at the delivery address have been informed but no improvements have been made to ameliorate the situation, Chunghwa Post may choose not to make deliveries to that delivery address and issue a public announcement to that effect.

8Chunghwa Post shall determine how and where to deliver mail addressed to any of the aforementioned areas and make a public announcement to that effect.

1Any registered mail that could not reach the addressee after attempted deliveries to the delivery address and any registered mail where the addressee has been notified to make a pick up in accordance with regulations shall be conveyed to a designated post office branch for claiming. The above-mentioned mail items, if not claimed, shall be returned to the senders after a period of 15 days starting from the day after posting for claim.

2Mail items as described in paragraph 2 of Article 24 of this Act shall be handled in accordance with the preceding paragraph hereof.

3At the time of collecting a non-registered mail item, the claimant shall present the notice for claims at the designated post office branch. Chunghwa Post may ask to see ID when necessary.

1Chunghwa Post may notify the recipient to pick up parcels in the case of any of the following:

21.When the wrapping of the parcel is damaged and it is necessary to open it for inspection with the recipient present.

32.When the declared-value, insured amount or COD payment of the parcel reaches a certain amount.

43.When the recipient is required for customs clearance, or the customs duty is over the limit set by Chunghwa Post.

54.When there are other fees due.

65.When the parcel is over three kilograms and the delivery address is not accessible by vehicles.

1When Chunghwa Post entrusts others to transport mails, they must meet the following qualifications:

21. Land transport: The commissioned party must be in automobile freight industry, automobile route freight industry, automobile container freight transport industry, highway automobile passenger transport industry or railway freight transport.

32. Air transport: The commissioned party must be an air freight forwarder or in air transport industry.

43. Sea transport: The commissioned party must be an ocean freight forwarder or in shipping industry or a shipping agency.

5When Chunghwa Post entrusts others to collect or deliver mails, they must meet the following qualifications:

61. When the person entrusted is a natural person, he or she has to be an adult, healthy and with a junior high school degree.

72. When the person entrusted is a postal agency, the agency’s manager shall meet the qualifications set forth in the preceding subparagraph hereof, and the postal agency should be located in an institution, school, company, store or other location that the public can go in and out of freely.

In the event that the address of an addressee or the addressee’s agent has changed, mail items shall be delivered to the new address. Where the new address is in the same delivery zone, it is called redelivered; where the new address is outside the original delivery zone and hence the mail has to be forwarded to another post office branch for delivery, it is called redirected.

1“Postage due mail” refers to a mail item for which postage was not paid or was insufficient.

2Unless otherwise stipulated, the postage due and accrued postage due charge shall be collected from the addressee.

1Postage due mail shall not be delivered before the postage due and the accrued postage due charge is fully paid. In the event that the mail item is returned to the post office of origination because the addressee refuses to pay the postage due and the accrued postage due charge or because it is undeliverable, the postage due and accrued postage due charge shall be collected from the sender; should the sender refuse to pay, the mail item shall be disposed of in accordance with regulations governing undelivered mail.

2When a domestic postage due letter or postcard is returned to the post office branch of origination and the sender has paid the postage due and accrued postage due charges, the sender may apply for redelivery of the letter or postcard.

1“Undeliverable mail” refers to a mail item that cannot be delivered to or is refused by the addressee.

2Domestic undeliverable mail shall be returned to the sender; if the cover of the mail item does not bear the name and address of the sender, it shall be returned to the post office branch of origination unless the sender has specified on the cover that return service is not requested.

3Undeliverable domestic non-registered newspapers or magazines shall be returned to the origination post office and a notice shall be sent to the sender for payment of accrued charges and pick up at the designated post office branch within 15 days starting the day after the notice has been sent. Mails unclaimed after this period shall be disposed of in accordance with regulations regarding undelivered mails.

4All undeliverable international mails, with or without the name and address of the sender on the cover, shall be returned to the country of origin. However, any postcard that doesn’t bear the name and address of the sender and any non-registered printed paper that does not specify a request for return service in a language used in the country of destination shall not be returned to the country of origin and shall be treated as undelivered mail.

5Undeliverable domestic and international parcels should be handled in accordance with the instructions, if any, given by the senders on the parcels’ mailing forms.

1The following mail items that have been delivered may not be handed over to the post office for return:

21.Letter-post items which appear to have been opened.

32.Value-declared or insured mails.

43.Parcels.

1Any undeliverable mail or any mail for which delivery is prohibited by law that cannot be returned to the sender shall be posted for claim for one month. Any mail that is not claimed after one month shall be treated as undelivered mail.

2If the sender has instructed to abandon or has specified no return service in case of non-delivery, the mail shall be treated as undelivered mail.

1Undelivered items of mail shall be opened for inspection and disposed of by a post office branch designated by Chunghwa Post. When the address of the sender can be obtained, the mail shall be put into a special envelope and returned to the sender; when it cannot be returned to the sender, it shall be disposed of according to the following guidelines:

21.In the event that the documents or materials inside are of no value or not saleable, the mail item shall be destroyed one month after it has been posted for claim, starting from the mailing date. If the contents of an item of mail are perishable, the post office may destroy them at any time it chooses.

32.In the event that the documents or materials inside are of value or saleable, and the mail item has been held by the post office for three years starting from the date of mailing and it has not been claimed, it shall be sold. In case the contents are perishable, they may be sold first and the proceeds shall be withheld for three years starting from the date of mailing.

4With regard to any mail that is returned to the sender as mentioned in the preceding paragraph hereof, if it bears insufficient postage or requires an extra fee in accordance with regulations, the amount due shall be collected when the mail is returned to the sender.

1For registered mails, the inquiries can be made within six months from the day after the date of mailing; However, for EMS, inquiries can be made within four months from the day after the date of mailing.

2After these time periods, the post office may refuse to answer any inquiry and is not liable for any claim.

Chunghwa Post’s liability ends when a mail item is delivered to the delivery address or is picked up by the addressee in accordance with relevant postal laws, regulations and Chunghwa Post’s regulations governing its business operations.

A claim may not be initiated if the addressee has not stated that there is any damage when picking up a mail item with a notice or a receipt of any kind.

1After an inquiry is made, if a mail is found to be lost, pilfered, damaged, delivered with delay or not delivered in accordance with the handling regulations publicly announced by Chunghwa Post and by law compensation should be made, the post office shall make the indemnity payment according to its receipt for a posted mail or the information on its envelope as soon as possible, which shall be no later than three months from the day after the date of inquiry.

2For international mail, in the event that a conclusion cannot be reached three months after the inquiry is made, the sender may make a claim for compensation provided that the sender surrenders a written statement indicating that the compensation shall be returned if it is later determined that there were no grounds for compensation.

1The amounts of compensation for entirely lost or pilfered registered mails other than parcels, express mails, value-declared mails and insured mails are as follows:

21.The amount of compensation per domestic registered letter-post item shall be NT$575;

32.For international registered letter-post items, it shall be the equivalent of 30 SDRs (Special Drawing Rights);

43.For international registered M bags, this compensation shall be the equivalent of 150 SDRs.

5In the event that a value-declared mail or insured mail is totally or partially lost, pilfered or damaged and compensation should be made, the amount of compensation shall be the total or part of the declared value or insured amount.

6Delays of prompt delivery mails and express mails which are attributable to the faults of Chunghwa Post will be compensated as follows:

71.All the fees charged for prompt delivery mails and domestic express mails will be compensated;

82.50% of all the fees charged for EMS mails will be compensated.

1The amount of compensation for a domestic parcel or a domestic express mail which is lost, pilfered or damaged shall be determined as follows:

21. A single piece of which the postage is calculated based on weight:

3(1)Those that weigh five kilograms or less shall be compensated at no more than NT$575.

4(2)Those that weigh over five kilograms and under ten kilograms shall be compensated at no more than NT$865.

5(3)Those that weigh over ten kilograms shall be compensated at no more than NT$1,155.

62. A single piece of which the postage is calculated based on its external dimensions:

7(1)Those whose combined length, width and depth do not exceed 60 centimeters shall be compensated at no more than NT$575.

8(2)Those whose combined length, width and depth are over 60 centimeters and under 90 centimeters shall be compensated at no more than NT$865.

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When international registered letter-post items, parcels and insured mail are lost, pilfered or damaged as a result of force majeure and therefore the sender is not qualified for compensation, the sender may apply for a refund of postage and the various fees paid, with the exception of the insurance fee.

1In the case that a parcel, express mail, value-declared mail or insured mail is totally lost, stolen or damaged and compensation should be granted, at the time that compensation is made, the postage paid should be refunded as well. However, the insurance fee and value-declared fee should not be refunded.

2In the event that a COD mail item is totally lost, stolen or damaged and should be compensated, the COD charge should be refunded as well.

Except in the cases that a mail is delivered with delay or not delivered in accordance with the handling regulations publicly announced by Chunghwa Post, Chunghwa Post shall automatically acquire rights to the mail item from the person (sender, addressee or other) who received the indemnity at the time that an indemnity is paid. These rights are limited to the mail items or portions of mail items for which Chunghwa Post has paid indemnity.

If a mail item is lost, pilfered, damaged, delivered with delay or not delivered in accordance with the handling regulations publicly announced by Chunghwa Post, Chunghwa Post should make compensation in accordance with the Act and these regulations. However, other losses or damages caused by the above-mentioned reasons should not be remedied or compensated.

1The ordinary postage mentioned in Paragraph 1, Article 14 of the Act refers to the regular rates for postcards, letter sheets and letters, excluding special handling fees and other types of postage.

2All the fees and charges as mentioned in the Act shall be publicly announced by Chunghwa Post.

1The regulations herein shall become effective on January 1, 2003.

2The amendment will become effective on the date of its announcement.