What are the minimum and maximum sizes for an EDDM mailer?

EDDM pieces must meet USPS flat requirements: minimum 6.125 inches x 11.5 inches (the most common EDDM size is exactly at the minimum — a 6.5x9 postcard does NOT qualify as EDDM because it is too small). Maximum dimensions are 12 inches x 15 inches. Thickness must be between 0.009 and 0.75 inches. Weight must be 3.3 oz or less. Pieces outside these parameters are rejected at postal acceptance.

Does an EDDM mailer need an address?

EDDM mailers do not carry individual recipient addresses. The address panel reads 'Postal Customer' in place of the recipient's name and address. The USPS carrier delivers one piece to each active delivery address on the selected routes. The mailer must still include a valid return address and an EDDM indicia in the correct position — 'EDDM Retail' indicia for EDDM Retail mailings, or a full permit imprint for EDDM BMEU.

What indicia does an EDDM piece use?

For EDDM Retail (dropped at the post office by the mailer), use the 'EDDM Retail' indicia — the specific USPS-approved mark that can be printed directly on the piece. It goes in the upper right area of the address side. No meter postage or stamps — only the EDDM Retail indicia. For EDDM BMEU (processed through a Business Mail Entry Unit by a permit holder), a standard permit imprint with 'ECRWSS' (Every Carrier Route Walk Sequenced) coding is used.

What paper weight is required for EDDM?

EDDM pieces must meet USPS flat rigidity requirements — the piece must be stiff enough to survive automated sorting equipment without bending or folding. In practice, this means a minimum of 80 lb. cover stock for postcards. The standard EDDM postcard at Cornerstone uses 100 lb. gloss cover — significantly above the minimum, which helps pieces pass USPS acceptance inspection reliably. Pieces on lighter stock (80 lb. text or similar) frequently fail the informal rigidity test applied by postal acceptance staff.

By Sean Griffin · Owner, Cornerstone Services · New Paltz, NY · Since 1998

EDDM Design Requirements: Every Spec You Need Before Going to Print

EDDM campaigns fail at the post office for one of three reasons: wrong size, wrong indicia, or wrong paper weight. All three are preventable. All three are caught after the pieces are printed — when reprinting is the only option.

As the holder of the USPS Mailpiece Design Professional (MDP) certification and the owner of Cornerstone Services in New Paltz, I verify EDDM compliance on every job before it goes to press. Here are the exact specs you need before your piece is designed.

Size Requirements: The Most Common Failure Point

EDDM pieces must qualify as USPS flats — a mail category with specific dimensional requirements. Many businesses assume “large postcard = EDDM,” but the minimum qualifying size is larger than most people expect.

EDDM flat size requirements:

Dimension	Minimum	Maximum
Height	6.125 inches	12 inches
Length	11.5 inches	15 inches
Thickness	0.009 inches	0.75 inches
Weight	—	3.3 oz

The critical number: 6.125 inches tall by 11.5 inches long is the minimum qualifying EDDM size. A 6x9 postcard is 6 inches tall — below the minimum. A 5.5x8.5 postcard is significantly below the minimum. Neither qualifies for EDDM.

The most common EDDM size used by businesses in the Hudson Valley is 6.25 x 11 inches — just above the minimum in both dimensions, keeping production cost low while meeting the spec. The 6.5 x 9 is frequently mistakenly requested as EDDM — it does not qualify.

The Address Side: Three Required Elements

EDDM pieces don’t carry individual recipient addresses, but the address side must include three specific elements:

1. “Postal Customer” Address Line

In place of the recipient’s name and address, the address block reads:

[Return Address]          EDDM RETAIL

Local
Postal Customer
[City, ST ZIP]

The format must follow USPS addressing standards for the recipient line. “Postal Customer” is the USPS-approved phrase. Do not substitute “Current Resident,” “Occupant,” or any other phrase.

2. EDDM Retail Indicia

For EDDM Retail mailings (dropped at the serving post office), the indicia reads:

EDDM RETAIL

This must appear in the upper right corner of the address side. It is printed as part of the piece — not a stamp, not a meter impression. The indicia box has a specific required layout:

┌─────────────────────────────┐
│         EDDM RETAIL         │
│                             │
│ [Your Return Address Here]  │
└─────────────────────────────┘

The USPS provides official EDDM indicia artwork for download at usps.com. Use the official version — handmade or modified versions may be rejected.

3. Barcode Clear Zone

The bottom 5/8 inch (0.625”) of the address side must be completely blank — no text, no graphics, no background color bleeding into this area. This is the barcode clear zone where postal processing equipment scans and applies barcodes.

Any printing in the barcode clear zone causes the piece to fail postal acceptance. This is one of the most common reasons EDDM pieces are rejected at the counter — a background color that extends to the bottom edge of the address side.

Paper Weight and Rigidity

EDDM flats must be rigid enough to pass through USPS automated sorting equipment without folding. The USPS applies an informal “flex test” at acceptance — if the piece bends significantly when held from one end, it may be rejected.

At Cornerstone, all EDDM pieces are printed on 100 lb. gloss cover minimum. This exceeds the technical minimum and provides a comfortable margin on the rigidity standard. We occasionally work with clients who want to reduce printing cost by using lighter stock — we advise against it and note the rejection risk.

If your EDDM is a folded piece (a brochure-style flat rather than a postcard), the combined thickness after folding must still be within the 0.009–0.75 inch range, and any open edges must be tabbed.

Design Compliance Checklist

Before submitting an EDDM design to print, verify:

At Cornerstone, we run this checklist on every EDDM job we receive. Files that have issues are flagged and corrected before they go to press — never after.

The Message Side: Designing for Response

While the address side has rigid USPS requirements, the message side is where the campaign’s creative work happens. Effective EDDM message side design follows the same principles as any direct mail piece — but the larger format (6.25x11 or larger) creates both opportunities and challenges:

More space is not a reason to add more content. The larger EDDM format tempts many businesses to cram in multiple offers, extensive service lists, and large blocks of text. This consistently underperforms a clean layout with one strong offer, one compelling visual, and one clear CTA. The additional space should create breathing room — larger type, more white space, a larger photo — not more clutter.

The headline must work at mail-stack distance. EDDM pieces are large and often viewed from the top of a mail stack. The headline should be readable from 2–3 feet away — which means 48–72 pt. type on a 6.25x11 piece. If you can’t read the headline at arm’s length, increase the size.

Full-bleed photography works exceptionally well on EDDM. The large format allows a full-bleed photo to create visual impact that smaller postcards can’t match. A 6.25x11 photo of a beautifully landscaped yard, a finished kitchen renovation, or a plated restaurant dish creates an emotional response that text descriptions cannot replicate. Use the space for one stunning image, not four mediocre ones.

Common EDDM Design Mistakes We See

At Cornerstone, we review EDDM designs daily. These are the mistakes we catch most often:

Designing at 6x9 instead of 6.25x11. The most common error. Clients or designers create a 6x9 postcard and request EDDM — but 6x9 does not meet the minimum EDDM size requirement of 6.125x11.5. The piece must be redesigned and reprinted at the correct size, wasting time and money.

Background color in the barcode clear zone. A full-bleed design that extends to all edges of the address side will violate the barcode clear zone at the bottom 5/8 inch. The solution: design the address side with a white strip along the entire bottom edge, or use a background color that transitions to white before reaching the clear zone.

Using RGB color mode. EDDM pieces are printed on commercial presses that use CMYK color. Designs submitted in RGB will have their colors converted, often resulting in dull or shifted hues. Always design and export in CMYK. Pay particular attention to blues and reds, which shift the most between RGB and CMYK.

Missing bleed. The document must include 0.125 inch bleed on all sides beyond the trim edge. Without bleed, the printer cannot cut the pieces accurately — any slight misalignment in cutting will show a white edge on full-bleed designs. Set up the document at 6.5x11.25 (6.25+0.125+0.125 x 11+0.125+0.125) from the start.

Placing critical content too close to the trim edge. Text, phone numbers, or logos placed within 0.125 inch of the trim edge may be partially cut off during finishing. Keep all critical content at least 0.25 inch inside the trim line — we call this the “safety margin.”

EDDM Production Timeline at Cornerstone

Understanding the production timeline helps you plan campaigns with realistic delivery expectations:

Day 1–2: Design review and proof. We review the submitted design (or create a new design) against the EDDM compliance checklist. You receive a digital proof for approval. If the design requires corrections, add 1 day for revisions.

Day 2–3: Printing. Once the proof is approved, the job goes to press. Printing a standard EDDM run of 5,000–10,000 pieces takes 1–2 days depending on workload and paper availability.

Day 3–4: Bundling and prep. EDDM pieces must be bundled in carrier route bundles with facing slips — each bundle labeled for the specific route it will be delivered on. We handle all bundling and labeling in-house.

Day 4–5: Post office drop. Bundled pieces are dropped at the serving post office for the selected routes. EDDM Retail pieces are delivered by USPS carriers within 7–14 business days of the drop.

Total timeline: 5 days from approved design to post office drop, plus 7–14 days for USPS delivery. For time-sensitive campaigns (events, seasonal offers), plan for the full 3-week window from design approval to in-home delivery.

For EDDM design, printing, and post office drop, call (845) 255-5722 or request a quote. We serve businesses throughout Ulster, Dutchess, and Orange counties.

Need Design for Your Next Mail Campaign?

We design for print — specs, bleeds, and USPS requirements built in from the start.

Get a Design Quote → Call (845) 255-5722