Mail & Shipping Services
USPS has express and standard mail services to fit your needs. Depending on what items you’re sending (and when you want them delivered), choose based on:
- Fastest delivery speed
- Most affordable price
- Shipping online vs. at a Post Office™ location
Find the deadlines to send your gifts before the holidays and see Post Office™ Holiday Hours.
Compare Mail Services
Compare USPS mail services by starting retail prices, delivery speed, and more. Most services automatically include USPS Tracking® (except First-Class Mail® service), and you can add insurance and extra services.
Save on Shipping: If you're using Priority Mail Express®, Priority Mail®, or USPS Ground Advantage™ service, you can ship online with enhanced Click-N-Ship® service and get lower Commercial Rates. Businesses can get additional savings by opting in to the Business Rate Card.
Description
Price
Delivery Speed
Max Weight
Tracking
Insurance
Fastest Delivery Speed
Fast air delivery for your most important mail and packages (with some Flat Rate options).
Expand AllYou're sending something urgent that must arrive next-day or 2-day.1 You need date-certain delivery with money-back guarantee.2
From $28.75
Next-Day to 2-Day1
70 lbs
Included
Up to $100 insurance included3; you can buy additional insurance coverage up to $5,000
You're sending important items that need to arrive in 1-3 business days.4
Flat Rate Envelope: From $9.65
USPS Mailing Box (Flat Rate): From $10.20
Your Own Box By Weight/Zone: From $9.35
1-3 business days4
70 lbs
Included
Up to $100 insurance included3; you can buy additional insurance coverage up to $5,000.
Postcards & Envelopes
Mail, like postcards, letters in small envelopes (up to 3.5 oz), and large envelopes (up to 13 oz).
Expand AllYou're sending a letter envelope (under 3.5 oz) or large envelope (under 13 oz) that's flat and bends easily.
From $0.51 (postcards)
From $0.66 (letters)
From $1.35 (large envelopes)
1-5 Business Days
Letters: 3.5 oz
Large Envelopes: 13 oz
No. (Delivery confirmation available if you add a service such as Certified Mail)
No for letters (unless you buy certain other add-on services.)
Only at the Post Office6
Go to the Post Office to ship heavier items like books and educational material.
Expand AllYou're sending only books (or other eligible media) and want the most affordable price.
From $3.92
2-8 Business Days7
70 lbs.
Included
You can buy insurance for loss or damage up to $5,000 for merchandise only
Priority Mail Express
Next-Day to 2-Day Guarantee by 6 PM2
Our fastest domestic shipping service, Priority Mail Express® delivers 7 days a week, 365 days a year (with limited exceptions). Next-day delivery is available to most U.S. addresses and PO Box™1 addresses with a money-back guarantee2. With our free Flat Rate Envelopes, you don’t need to weigh shipments 70 lbs and under. Purchase Priority Mail Express postage and shipping labels at a Post Office™ location or online. Prices start at $28.75 at a Post Office. (Ship online with enhanced Click-N-Ship service and get lower Commercial Rates.)
Priority Mail
Shipping in 1–3 Business Days4
Priority Mail® is our bestselling mail service. Domestic deliveries arrive in 1-3 business days4 depending on where your package starts and where it’s going. Tracking and insurance are included, shipping boxes and envelopes are free, and with Priority Mail Flat Rate®, you don't need to weigh shipments 70 lbs and under. Purchase Priority Mail postage and shipping labels at a Post Office or online. Prices start at $9.35 at a Post Office. (Ship online with enhanced Click-N-Ship service and get lower Commercial Rates. Businesses can get additional savings by opting in to the Business Rate Card.)
USPS Ground Advantage
Shipping in 2-5 Business Days5
USPS Ground Advantage™ is an affordable and reliable way to send packages up to 70 lbs inside the U.S. Packages up to 15.999 oz are priced by the ounce, rounded up to 4 oz, 8 oz, 12 oz, and 15.999 oz. Packages heavier than 15.999 oz are charged by the pound (rounded up). Prices start at just $4.75 at a Post Office. (Ship online with enhanced Click-N-Ship service and get lower Commercial Rates. Businesses can get additional savings by opting in to the Business Rate Card.)
First-Class Mail
Mail in 1–5 Business Days
First-Class Mail® is an affordable mail service for standard-sized, single-piece envelopes weighing up to 3.5 oz and large envelopes weighing up to 13 oz. Prices start at $0.66 at a Post Office.
Media Mail
Shipping in 2–8 Business Days7
Media Mail® is a cost-effective way to send eligible books, media, and educational materials. You can only send certain types of media: If you try to include anything that’s not allowed, you (or your recipient) will have to pay higher postage rates. All Media Mail packages are subject to opening and inspection by the Postal Service. Prices start at $3.92 at a Post Office.
Using Media Mail
Here's what you can send:
- Books (at least 8 pages)
- 16-millimeter or narrower width films
- Printed music and test materials
- Video and sound recordings (including tapes, albums, and CDs/DVDs)
- Playscripts and manuscripts
- Printed educational reference charts
- Medical loose-leaf pages and binders
- Computer-readable media
NOTE: Video games, computer drives, and digital drives do not qualify for Media Mail prices.
Weight, Size, & Shape Requirements
- Maximum weight is 70 lbs.
See the full list of requirements and allowed items: Media Mail Eligibility Standards
(Note: Library Mail is a related service for eligible organizations, including schools, museums, nonprofits, and other groups.)
Additional Package Fees:
-
Dimensional (DIM) weight rates apply to large, lightweight packages. If your package is larger than 1 cubic foot (1,728 cubic inches):
- Multiply Length x Width x Height and divide by 166 to get the DIM weight in pounds.
- If the DIM weight is greater than the actual package weight, you’ll need to pay the DIM weight price.
Example: You have a package that is 16” x 12” x 10” and weighs 5 lbs.
- Multiply length x width x height to get the volume of 1,920 cubic inches. That’s larger than 1 cubic foot (1,728 cubic inches), so you must divide by 166 to find its DIM weight: 1,920 divided by 166 equals 11.56, which rounds up to 12 lbs.
- The DIM weight of 12 lbs is greater than the actual package weight of 5 lbs. You must pay the postage as if the package actually weighs 12 lbs.
- Nonstandard Fee: You’ll pay an extra fee for sending a nonstandard size:
- For ground shipping (via USPS Ground Advantage, Parcel Select, or Parcel Select Lightweight), you’ll pay more if your package measures:
- Between 22 and 30 inches long: add $4.00
- More than 30 inches long: add $7.00
- More than 2 cubic feet (3,456 cubic inches): add $15.00
- For expedited shipping (via Priority Mail Express or Priority Mail), you’ll pay more if your package measures:
- Between 22 and 30 inches long: add $4.00
- More than 30 inches long: add $15.00
- More than 2 cubic feet (3,456 cubic inches): add $25.00
If you omit or give inaccurate dimensions and/or don’t pay the DIM weight rate (when it applies), you’ll pay a dimension-noncompliance fee of $1.50.
TIP: Use the USPS® Price Calculator tool to calculate your domestic postage costs. You'll need to know your package’s weight, shape, and size measurements.
1. For many major markets. Average number of days based on origin and destination. Back ^ to legal disclaimer 1
2. Exceptions apply. For details, visit the Domestic Mail Manual. Back ^ to legal disclaimer 2
3. Insurance coverage is provided against loss, damage, or missing contents and is limited to a maximum liability of $100 when then the pieces bear an Intelligent Mail barcode (IMpb) or USPS retail tracking barcode and the mailer pays retail or commercial prices. For more details, see the Domestic Mail Manual Section 503.4. Back ^ to legal disclaimer 3
4. In most cases, the expected delivery date printed on your receipt or provided at checkout will reflect a delivery time of 1, 2, or 3 business days and is based on origin, destination, and drop-off time. The expected delivery date does not come with a money-back guarantee. Back ^ to legal disclaimer 4
5. For mailable items up to 70 lbs. Expected delivery in 2–5 business days. Packages going to certain places (including Alaska, Hawaii, and offshore destinations), or containing hazardous materials or live animals may receive slower service. Back ^ to legal disclaimer 5
6. Not eligible for online shipping with Click-N-Ship or PC Postage third-party vendors. Back ^ to legal disclaimer 6
7. The timeliness of service to or from destinations outside the contiguous U.S. may be affected by the limited availability of transportation. Back ^ to legal disclaimer 7