Postage Rates
USPS® Notice 123 – Effective since January 21, 2018
The Postal Service’s Notice 123 is a summary of all the postage rates you need to know. The real question is “but do I really need to know all the postage rates?”. This is our single page summary guide. It is not everything, but probably gets you 90% of what you will need of current First-Class rates without digging through needless detail.
Priority Mail Postage Rates
Priority Mail Express® Flat Rate Envelopes + Boxes
Pricing is typically around $25.00 ($24.70 to $25.40) and currently represents the fastest service that the USPS® offers; however, it’s still only guaranteed overnight for (to and from) urban areas, and the service takes 2 days for non-urban (rural) delivery.
Priority Mail® Flat Rate Envelopes + Boxes
Priority Mail flat-rate pricing is attractive because, regardless of weight, if you can seal it, you can ship it. Service shipping time frames = 1 to 4 days for confirmed and tracked delivery. Shipping materials available at the Post Office or you can order them online at the USPS® store. Here are the most popular flat-rate sizes and prices:
| Priority Mail® Flat Rate Type | Envelope/Box Size | Flat Rate Cost (as of 01/2018) |
|---|---|---|
| Flat Rate Envelope | 12 ½” x 9 ½” | $6.70 |
| Legal Flat Rate Envelope | 15″ x 9 ½” | $7.00 |
| Padded Flat Rate Envelope | 12 ½” x 9 ½” | $7.25 |
| Small Flat Rate Box | 8 5/8” x 5 3/8” x 1 5/8” | $7.20 |
| Medium Flat Rate Box (shape 1) | 11” x 8 ½” x 5 ½” | $13.65 |
| Medium Flat Rate Boxes (shape 2) | 13 5/8” x 11 7/8” x 3 3/8” | $13.65 |
| Large Flat Rate Box (shape 1) | 12” x 12” x 5 ½” | $18.90 |
| Large Flat Rate Boxes (shape 2) | 23 11/16” x 11 ¾” x 3” | $18.90 |
First Class Postage Rates
First-Class Single Piece (Retail) Stamped (or metered-at-the-window) Mail
(Over 13 oz, you will be pushed to use Priority Mail flat rate options)
| 1 oz | 2 oz | 3 oz | 4 oz | 5 oz | 6 oz | 7 oz | 8 oz | 9 oz | 10 oz | 11 oz | 12 oz | 13 oz | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letters (max 3.5 oz) | 50¢ | 71¢ | 92¢ | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Flats (Large Envelopes) | $1.00 | $1.21 | $1.42 | $1.63 | $1.84 | $2.05 | $2.26 | $2.47 | $2.68 | $2.89 | $3.10 | $3.31 | $3.52 |
| Packages (Parcels) | $3.50 | $3.50 | $3.50 | $3.50 | $3.75 | $3.75 | $3.75 | $3.75 | $4.10 | $4.45 | $4.80 | $5.15 | $5.50 |
First-Class Postcard: 35¢
EDDM® (Every Door Direct Mail®): 17.8¢
First-Class Pre-sorted Letters (Commercial Postage Rates)
These are First-Class Mail rates that you can expect to pay if you are mailing at least 500 letters under your own postal permit. Unless you have the software to attain automation rates, you’re probably looking at $.458 per letter mailed. Your local post office is not supposed to take more than 4 trays of mail under permit and will likely direct you to the regional Bulk Mail Entry Unit if it doesn’t have a BMEU window at its location.
FIRST CLASS LETTERS (AUTOMATION PRESORT & PRESORTED ONLY)
| Mailpiece Weight | 5-Digit Automation | AADC Automation | Mixed AADC Automation | Presorted Only (no automation) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 oz – 3.5 oz | 37.8¢ | 40.8¢ | 42.4¢ | 45.8¢ |
Bulk Mail and Non Profit Postage Rates
Marketing Mail (a.k.a. “Bulk Rate” or “Standard Mail”) Presorted Letters (Commercial Postage Rates)
These are Bulk Mail rates that you can expect to pay if you are mailing at least 200 letters under your own postal permit. Once big difference is that you get rewarded (or not) for the destination of your addresses (making preparation more of a hassle, too). If you want “everyone to get the letter” (saturation both presorted and automation barcode), here are your rates:
COMMERCIAL BULK MAIL AT SATURATION RATES
| Mailpiece Weight | Local Saturation (“SCF Discount”) | Out-of-the-Area Saturation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 oz – 4 oz | 15.8¢ | 18.6¢ |
COMMERCIAL BULK MAIL PRESORTED (WITH AUTOMATION BARCODE)
| Mailpiece Weight | Local Entry | 5-Digit Automation | AADC Automation | Mixed AADC Automation | Presorted Only (no automation) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 oz – 4 oz | Yes | 22.0¢ | 24.3¢ | – | 25.6¢ |
| 1 oz – 4 oz | No | 25.1¢ | 27.4¢ | 28.7¢ | 28.7¢ – 30¢ |
Unless you have the software to attain barcode (automation) rates, you’re probably looking at 25.6 cents per locally mailed presorted only letter or 28.7 to 30 cents per out-of-area mailed presorted only letter.
NON-PROFIT BULK MAIL AT SATURATION POSTAGE RATES
| Mailpiece Weight | Local Saturation (“SCF Discount”) | Out-of-the-Area Saturation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 oz – 4 oz | 8.3¢ | 11.1¢ |
NON-PROFIT BULK MAIL PRESORTED (WITH AUTOMATION BARCODE)
| Mailpiece Weight | Local Entry | 5-Digit Automation | AADC Automation | Mixed AADC Automation | Presorted Only (no automation) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 oz – 4 oz | Yes | 10.5¢ | 12.8¢ | – | 14.1¢ |
| 1 oz – 4 oz | NO | 13.6¢ | 15.9¢ | 17.2¢ | 17.2¢ – 18.5¢ |
Unless you have the software to attain barcode (automation) rates for non-profit rates, you’re probably looking at 14.1 cents per locally mailed presorted only letter or 17.2 to 18.5 cents per out-of-area mailed presorted only letter.
Both commercial and non-profit mailings, your local post office is generally not encouraged to take more than 4 trays of bulk-rate mail (if they accept bulk mail at all!) under permit and will likely direct you to the regional Bulk Mail Entry Unit if there is not a bulk mail “window” at its retail location.