Requesting City Permit Usage in Atlantis

Learn the types of mailing permits available to the City of Pittsburgh and the requirements for submitting a permit usage request in Atlantis.

May 20, 2026 By City of Pittsburgh mailroom

This guide explains the different types of city mailing permits available and outlines the requirements for submitting a permit usage request. Understanding these requirements ensures your mailing projects are processed efficiently and remain compliant with city mailing and funding protocols.

This workflow applies to City of Pittsburgh department personnel responsible for preparing mailing projects, conducting outreach, or sending resident questionnaires. Review these requirements during the planning phase of your project, before engaging vendors or sending mail.

Available Mailing Permits

There are three types of mailing permits available to the City of Pittsburgh. Choose the permit that aligns with your project's goals:

Permit Type	Also Known As	When to Use	How it Works
Permit 10	Priority Mailing Permit	Standard and priority city mailings	The primary permit for standard mailings. Estimated project costs are pulled directly against this permit.
BRM Permit	Business Reply Mail	Questionnaires, documents, and forms requiring a response	The city prepays the return postage, allowing residents to mail information back at no cost to them.
City Marketing Permit	Every Door Direct Mailing (EDDM)	Marketing and broad outreach campaigns	Allows departments to conduct mass mailings by targeting specific zip codes rather than individual addresses.

Approval Requirements

Before requesting to use a city permit, you must ensure the proposed mailing project meets all permit requirements. The following information is strictly required before an approval can be processed:

Total quantity of documents: Provide the exact number of documents or mailing pieces being sent.
Proposed vendor information: Identify the specific vendor responsible for handling and mailing the documentation.
Estimated cost: Provide the estimated total amount of funds that will be pulled against the permit (typically Permit 10) for the mailing project.
Grant funding status: Indicate whether grant funding is being used for the project.

If grant funding is being used, you must transfer the funds to the city's general mail account before any documents are mailed.

FAQ

Q: Can we use grant funding to pay for mailing projects?

A: Yes. However, if grant funding is involved, you must transfer those funds to the city's general mail account before dispatching any mail.

Q: How do residents pay for postage when returning forms?

A: If you use the BRM (Business Reply Mail) Permit, the city prepays the return postage. Residents do not need to pay to mail the requested documents back.

Glossary

Term	Definition
BRM	Business Reply Mail; a service where the sender prepays return postage for the recipient.
EDDM	Every Door Direct Mailing; a mass mailing method used to target entire zip codes or neighborhoods.
Permit 10	The standard City of Pittsburgh mailing permit used to process priority and standard mailings.