Current USPS postage rates at a glance
Use this USPS postage rate chart to compare eight common mail classes. Starting prices are not quotes: package postage can vary by weight, dimensions, zone, and purchase channel.
| Service | Current price |
|---|---|
| First-Class Letter (1 oz)1 oz stamped retail letterEffective | $0.82 |
| First-Class PostcardQualifying retail single-piece postcardEffective | $0.65 |
| Priority MailRetail Flat Rate EnvelopeEffective | $12.90+ |
| Priority Mail ExpressRetail Flat Rate EnvelopeEffective | $35.90+ |
| Ground Advantage4–8 oz retail package, Zones 1–4Effective | $7.90+ |
| EDDM (retail)Qualifying EDDM Retail mailpieceEffective | $0.260 per piece |
| Certified Mail (add-on)Add-on fee; base postage is separateEffective | +$5.55 |
| Media MailQualifying Media Mail, 1 lbEffective | $4.39+ |
Need an all-in comparison? Use the mail cost calculator.
Detailed price list
Complete USPS rate tables
Prices by weight, zone, and add-on for each service.
First-Class Mail rates for letters, postcards and flats
Stamped and metered letter prices by weight, plus postcard and large-envelope rates.
One Forever stamp covers a standard machinable 1 oz letter. Heavier letters need additional postage, and the postcard price applies only to pieces that meet USPS postcard rules.
First-Class letters by weight
| Weight | Stamped | Metered |
|---|---|---|
| 1 oz | $0.82 | $0.78 |
| 2 oz | $1.11 | $1.07 |
| 3 oz | $1.40 | $1.36 |
| 3.5 oz (max) | $1.69 | $1.65 |
Postcards and flats
| Service | Rate |
|---|---|
| Postcard | $0.65 |
| Large Envelope / Flat (1 oz) | $1.69 |
| Presorted Automation 5-Digit (1 oz) | $0.621 |
Source: USPS Notice 123 (opens in new tab). Mailing prices effective .
USPS package rates: Ground Advantage, Priority Mail and Media Mail
Package examples by service, weight, zone, packaging type, and retail or commercial price.
USPS package rates do not have one nationwide price. Exact postage depends on the service, package weight and dimensions, destination zone, packaging, and whether retail or commercial pricing applies.
Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express
Flat Rate packaging examples. Priority Mail usually takes 2–3 days; Priority Mail Express is the guaranteed option to most addresses.
| Option | Retail | Commercial |
|---|---|---|
| Flat Rate Envelope | $12.90 | $11.12 |
| Small Flat Rate Box | $13.65 | $12.10 |
| Medium Flat Rate Box | $24.80 | $21.17 |
| Large Flat Rate Box | $34.00 | $31.00 |
| Express Flat Rate Envelope | $35.90 | — |
Ground Advantage
Tracked ground shipping with $100 insurance included. Selected Zone 1–4 weights are shown; exact prices vary by package and destination.
| Option | Retail | Commercial |
|---|---|---|
| 1 lb (Zone 1–4) | $9.55 | $7.61 |
| 5 lb (Zone 1–4) | $12.95 | $9.70 |
| 10 lb (Zone 1–4) | $15.95 | $11.91 |
Media Mail
Discounted tracked shipping for qualifying books, film, manuscripts, and educational media. Content restrictions apply.
| Service | Rate |
|---|---|
| 1 lb | $4.39 |
| 2 lb | $5.13 |
Source: USPS Notice 123 (opens in new tab). Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, and Ground Advantage prices effective ; Media Mail prices effective .
EDDM postage rates
Every Door Direct Mail retail and BMEU prices, permit requirements, and volume rules.
EDDM reaches every address on selected postal routes. Retail and Business Mail Entry Unit options have different permit and volume rules, and USPS does not publish one standard EDDM delivery window.
| Service | Rate |
|---|---|
| EDDM Retail (per piece) | $0.260 |
| EDDM BMEU (per piece) | $0.259 |
Source: USPS Notice 123 (opens in new tab). Mailing prices effective .
Certified Mail and extra-service fees
Certified Mail, Return Receipt, signature, insurance, and other add-on prices.
Certified Mail costs +$5.55 in addition to eligible base postage. A 1 oz stamped letter with Certified Mail totals $6.37; Return Receipt and other services cost extra.
| Service | Rate |
|---|---|
| Certified Mail (add-on fee) | $5.55 |
| Certified Mail + Restricted Delivery | $14.35 |
| Return Receipt (hard copy, PS 3811) | $4.65 |
| Return Receipt (electronic) | $2.91 |
| Certificate of Mailing (PS 3817) | $2.45 |
| Signature Confirmation (retail) | $5.15 |
| Signature Confirmation (electronic) | $4.15 |
| Registered Mail (declared value $0) | $20.90 |
| Insurance ($0.01–$50.00) | $2.80 |
| Insurance ($50.01–$100.00) | $3.50 |
| Insurance ($100.01–$200.00) | $4.50 |
Source: USPS Notice 123 (opens in new tab). Mailing prices effective .
Service comparison
USPS delivery times
Compare published or typical USPS service windows. These are estimates unless a row explicitly identifies a money-back guarantee.
| Mail Class | Delivery Window |
|---|---|
| First-Class Mail Not guaranteed | 1–5 days |
| Priority Mail Not guaranteed | 2–3 days |
| Priority Mail Express Money-back guarantee to most addresses | 1–3 days (money-back guarantee to most addresses) |
| Ground Advantage Not guaranteed | 2-5 days |
| Media Mail Not guaranteed | 2-8 days |
| EDDM Not guaranteed · Timing varies by local entry and route processing | No standard USPS window published |
| Certified Mail Not guaranteed · Certified Mail adds proof, not a faster delivery class | Follows the eligible base service |
Rates over time
USPS stamp and postcard price history, 2020–2026
Use the exact-date table for quoting or analysis. USPS can change rates more than once in a calendar year, so the date is part of every checkpoint.
| Effective date | 1 oz stamped letter | Domestic postcard |
|---|---|---|
| (opens in new tab) | $0.55 | $0.35 |
| (opens in new tab) | $0.55 | $0.36 |
| (opens in new tab) | $0.60 | $0.44 |
| (opens in new tab) | $0.66 | $0.53 |
| (opens in new tab) | $0.73 | $0.56 |
| (opens in new tab) | $0.73 | $0.56 |
| (opens in new tab) | $0.78 | $0.61 |
| (opens in new tab) | $0.82 | $0.65 |
View price-trend charts
Percentage labels show cumulative change since 2020.
First-Class Letter (1 oz, stamped)
First-Class Postcard
Sources, downloads and methodology
Download the same fact-backed records used on this page. The CSV and JSON files share stable identifiers, effective dates, verification dates, and source links.
How the rate dates work
USPS Notice 123 is the official domestic price list. Mailing prices and Media Mail prices on this page are effective ; Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, and Ground Advantage examples use the separate price cycle.
How Postmarkr keeps this accurate
Every rate on this page is pulled from a verified fact library maintained by Postmarkr. Each fact is traced to an official USPS source — primarily USPS Notice 123 (opens in new tab), the Domestic Mail Manual, and official USPS service pages.
Every fact records its effective date, last verification date, and the exact source location (down to the section and line number). Automated CI checks flag any rate fact that hasn't been re-verified within 60 days of a USPS rate cycle change.
USPS typically updates rates in January and July each year. We re-verify all rates within weeks of each change. If you spot an error, please let us know.
Citation and dataset details
How to cite this dataset
Download rate-history SVG
- Title
- USPS Rates & Delivery Times
- Publisher
- Postmarkr
- Canonical URL
- https://postmarkr.com/usps-rates
- Last verified
- Primary source
- USPS Notice 123 (opens in new tab)
Optional citation
Postmarkr, “USPS Rates & Delivery Times,” last verified 2026-07-19, https://postmarkr.com/usps-rates.
You may quote or analyze the data. Verify time-sensitive decisions against USPS Notice 123. If you publish or quote this dataset, please cite the canonical page so readers can verify the current version.
Revision log
- — Added CSV and JSON distributions, Dataset metadata, and a downloadable chart generated from the Postmarkr fact library.
- — Added the July 13, 2025 exact-date history checkpoint and its USPS Notice 123 archive source.