A network distribution center (NDC) was a highly mechanized mail processing plant of the United States Postal Service that distributed standard mail and package services in piece and bulk form. The NDC network was dismantled in 2022-2023 by the USPS as part of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s Delivering for America network rationalization plan, which saw mail classes formerly handled by the NDC network merged into mailstreams in processing and distribution centers. Each former NDC, all of which were located in buildings owned by USPS, are implementing or in the process of creating individual plans for repurposing the buildings. Many are being restacked into RPDCs, which will form the backbone of the new USPS network, whereas others are being used to insource previously outsourced transportation functions such as surface transfer centers (STCs), or terminal handing services (THS), which handled airmail, in addition to continuing to support processing and distribution centers with the handing of priority and ground advantage parcels .
List of network distribution centers
The United States Postal Service has 20 NDCs:3
| Destination ZIP | NDC name | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 005, 066, 068-079, 085-119 | New Jersey NDC | Jersey City, NJ |
| 006-009[1], 313-317, 320-342, 344, 346-347, 349, 398 | Jacksonville NDC | Jacksonville, FL |
| 010-065, 067, 120-129 | Springfield NDC | Springfield, MA |
| 080-084, 169-199, 254 | Philadelphia NDC | Philadelphia, PA |
| 130-168, 260, 265, 439-449 | Pittsburgh NDC | Warrendale, PA |
| 200-212, 214-223, 226-228, 267-268 | Washington NDC | Capitol Heights, MD |
| 240-241, 243, 245, 270-278, 283-296, 299 | Greensboro NDC | Greensboro, NC |
| 246-253, 255-259, 261-264, 266, 400-406, 410-416, 427, 430-433, 437-438, 450-462, 469-474, 478-479 | Cincinnati NDC | Cincinnati, OH |
| 369-372, 375, 380-393, 396-397, 421-422, 700-701 703-708, 716-717, 719-729 | Memphis NDC | Memphis, TN |
| 420, 423-424, 475-477, 609, 613-620, 622-631, 633-634, 636-639 | St. Louis NDC | Hazelwood, MO |
| 434-436, 465-468, 480-497 | Detroit NDC | Allen Park, MI |
| 463-464, 530-532, 534-535, 537-539, 549, 600-608, 610-611 | Chicago NDC | Forest Park, IL |
| 498-499, 540-548, 550-551, 553-567, 576, 580-588 | Minneapolis–Saint Paul NDC | Eagan, MN |
| 500-516, 520-528, 570-575, 577, 612, 680-681, 683-689 | Des Moines NDC | Des Moines, IA |
| 590-599, 677, 690-693, 800-816, 820-831, 840-846, 850-853, 855-857, 859-860, 863, 865, 870-871, 873-879, 884, 898 | Denver NDC | Denver, CO |
| 635, 640-641, 644-658, 660-662, 664-676, 678 | Kansas City NDC | Kansas City, KS |
| 679, 710-714, 718, 730-731, 733-741, 743-770, 772-799, 880-883, 885 | Dallas NDC | Dallas, TX |
| 835, 838, 980-985, 988-999 | Seattle NDC | Federal Way, WA |
| 847, 864, 889-891, 893, 900-908, 910-928, 930-935 | Los Angeles NDC | Bell Gardens, CA |
| 894-895, 897, 936-969 | San Francisco NDC | Richmond, CA |
^ For mail originating in ZIP Code Areas 006-009 and addressed to addresses in those ZIP Code Areas, the sectional center facility in San Juan, Puerto Rico serves as the NDC.4
List of international service centers
The United States Postal Service also has 4 international service centers (ISC) for distributing international mail:5
| Origin ZIP | ISC name | Airport | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 005, 010-089, 100-212, 214-268, 270-297, 400-418, 420-427, 470-477 | ISC New York NY | John F. Kennedy International Airport | New York City, NY |
| 006-009, 298-342, 344, 346-347, 349-352, 354-399 | ISC Miami FL | Miami International Airport | Miami, FL |
| 090-098, 424, 430-469, 478-516, 520-528, 530-532, 534-535, 537-551, 553-567,570-577, 580-588, 600-620, 622-631, 633-641, 644-658, 660-662, 664-681, 683-693,700-701, 703-708, 710-714, 716-731, 733-741, 743-799, 885, 962-966 | ISC Chicago IL | O'Hare International Airport | Chicago, IL |
| 590-599, 800-816, 820-838, 840-847, 850-853, 855-857, 859-860, 863-865, 870-884, 889-891, 893-895, 897-898, 900-908, 910-928, 930-961, 967-969 970-986, 988-999 | ISC Los Angeles CA | Los Angeles International Airport | Bell Gardens, CA |
In addition to the four ISCs, the postal service has four International Exchange Offices (IEOs), which are authorized to accept and process limited inbound and outbound international mail volumes. IEOs handle less than 5% of international volume, and do not have the full capabilities and functions of ISCs. Currently, the postal service has four active IEOs: The New Jersey Network Distribution Center in Jersey City, NJ, the Honolulu Processing and Distribution Center in Honolulu, HI, the Pago Pago Main Post Office in Pago Pago, American Samoa, and the Barrigada Post Office in Barrigada, Guam.
See also
References
Quick Service Guide 800: Glossary of Postal Terms and Abbreviations in the DMM http://pe.usps.com/text/qsg300/q800.htm ↩
Hutkins, Steve (2023-02-16). "The Postal Service unwinds the NDC network and merges the mail streams". Save the Post Office. Retrieved 2024-07-11. https://www.savethepostoffice.com/postal-service-unwinds-ndc-network-merges-mail-streams/ ↩
"L601 Network Distribution Centers (NDCs)". USPS.com. Retrieved 2024-12-12. https://fast.usps.com/fast/fastApp/resources/labelListFileDetails.action?listCode=L601&effectiveDateStr=01/01/2025 ↩
"L601 Network Distribution Centers (NDCs)". USPS.com. Retrieved 2024-12-12. https://fast.usps.com/fast/fastApp/resources/labelListFileDetails.action?listCode=L601&effectiveDateStr=01/01/2025 ↩
"International Service Center (ISC) Zone Chart Technical Guide". USPS.com. Retrieved 2022-07-14. https://postalpro.usps.com/node/789 ↩