Learn About Bulk Mailing and Tracking → Presorted First Class

How to Save Postage on 500 or more pieces of First Class Mail

Scott
Postage $aver Software

Normally, the cheapest way to send quantities of mail is to use USPS Marketing Mail. But Marketing Mail is for mail that is essentially identical, and cannot be used for personal mail like bills or statements.

Postage Saver software makes postal bulk mailing easy

If you're sending at least 500 pieces of personal mail at one time, you can still save postage by using Presorted First Class.

Presorted First Class Mail postage rates are higher than Marketing Mail, but less than regular First Class retail rates. Presorted First Class also offers a special rate for postcards (up to 6" x 9") that is almost as low as the Marketing Mail rate, but can provide faster service.

For #10 business envelopes, you'll save 14% - 26% off regular postage. For a 6" x 9" postcard, you can pay as little as 35.4 cents. To earn these discounts, you'll need to do some of the things that USPS would usually do, like sorting the mail for them and adding barcodes before you mail.

BTW, you are never required to prepare mail as Presorted First Class Mail, no matter how many pieces you have. USPS is perfectly happy for you to put regular First Class postage on every piece you mail, and they'll take care of the rest.

Presorted First Class can be used only for domestic mail (including military addresses, Puerto Rico and U.S. territories and possessions). If you need to send large quantities of international mail, check out this guide.

Here's what this page covers:

What are the rates?

How many pieces do I need?

What are the size and weight limits?

How much are permits?

What else do I need to get started?

If what you're sending is not required to be sent as First Class Mail, and delivery speed is not an issue, there are other discounted rates that will probably work better. Here are several other common types of discounted mail:

Marketing Mail, the most common kind of "bulk mail", used for most advertising mail, newsletters, political mail, etc. Low postage rates, with even lower rates for approved nonprofits.
Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM), if you're mailing flat-size mail to every residential or business mailbox (or both) on a carrier's route. Technically a type of Marketing Mail but with very low rates and no addressing or sorting required.
Periodicals class (formerly called 2nd Class), for subscription magazines and newspapers.
Bound Printed Matter, for catalogs, books, etc. Great rates, especially for pieces weighing one pound or more.
Bulk Rate Parcels, for cartons, tubes or any rigid container, or for pieces larger than flats or heavier than one pound.

How much will I save by using Presorted First Class Mail?

The postage rate for Presorted First Class Mail depends on the size and weight of the mail piece. For barcoded pieces, the rate also depends on how many pieces you have going to a particular zip code or area.

For a barcoded mailing, there's a pretty good chance that you'll pay different postage rates on different pieces in the same mailing, depending on where the pieces are going.

Here are some important ways the rates for Presorted First Class are different from rates for other mail categories:

Unlike for Marketing Mail, nonprofits do not get lower postage rates for Presorted First Class Mail.
Presorted First Class Mail does not offer "entry discounts" for sending your mailing from a major sorting center.
Unlike any other mail class, Presorted First Class offers lower rates for postcards, up to 6" x 9".

Using Presorted First Class Mail for a normal letter, you'll typically pay 50.4¢ - 58.6¢, compared to 68¢ for a regular stamped letter. And, the presorted rates for letters stay the same up to 3.5 ounces, while the retail rate increases for each ounce.

You can use our Presorted First Class Mail postage rate calculator to find the rates available for your mailing.

Presorted First Class Postage Rate Calculator

Rates updated for latest USPS changes effective Jan. 21, 2024.

Make the following selections to find the rates available for your Presorted First Class Mailing:

Select Mail Size:
Postcard - card up to 6" x 9".
Letter - up to 6⅛" x 11½" x ¼", whether in an envelope or not.
Flat - up to 12" x 15" x ¾", whether in an envelope or not.

Flats must be able to bend. If your piece is flat-sized but not flexible, or is larger than a flat in any dimension, it is a parcel.

Weight in Ounces:
Weight must be 3.5 ounces or less for letters, or 13 ounces or less for flats.
Weight is not used for postcards.

For letters, does something like an unusual shape make this mailing
"nonmachinable"?
yes no

(Rates will appear here when you fill in the information above.)

If you already have the list you want to mail to, we recommend you download a free trial copy of our Postage Saver bulk mail software, and run your list through it. It will figure out the exact postage you'd pay for mailing that specific list, and let you try various options.

How many pieces do I need for Presorted First Class Mail?

For Presorted First Class Mail, you need at least 500 pieces in your entire mailing. Your mailing can be to just one zip code or all across the country. There are also no monthly or yearly minimums.

What are the size and weight limits for Presorted First Class Mail?

The weight limit for Presorted First Class Mail depends on the size of the mail piece.

Presorted First Class letter-size mail may not weigh more than 3.5 ounces.
Presorted First Class flat-size mail may not weigh more than 13 ounces.

The longer side of each piece must be no more than 15 inches long. The shorter side must be no more than 12 inches long. The piece can be no more than 3/4" thick.

Pieces that are larger, or that aren't flexible enough to go through postal sorting equipment, are classified as parcels. Parcels have separate bulk rate prices and requirements. Here's more about saving money on bulk parcels.

What are the permit fees for sending Presorted First Class Mail?

You must have a mailing permit for Presorted First Class Mail before you can use those rates. There are two fees that you may (or may not) need to pay to get your permit: a Permit Imprint Authorization Fee and an Annual Mailing Fee. These fees are paid directly to USPS. A vendor cannot issue a mailing permit to you.

Here's how to figure out what you'll pay to get your permit:

How will you "stamp" your mail?

I will include a "postage paid" box (also called a "permit imprint" or an "indicia") as part of my mail piece to show that I am paying the postage at the post office. To do this, there is a one-time "Permit Imprint Authorization Fee". One fee covers all use of the postage paid box, including for other mail categories like Marketing Mail.

If you use a permit imprint, you can also get a 3¢/piece discount on mailings of at least 200 pieces of First Class letter-sized mail, without needing to presort or to add barcodes, or to pay an Annual Mailing Fee.
One-time Permit Imprint Authorization Fee: $320.

I will stick a special bulk rate postage stamp (called a "precanceled stamp") on each piece. The stamp for Presorted First Class is 25¢. You then pay the balance of the postage at the post office. There is a 3,000 stamp minimum order for precanceled stamps.
No Permit Imprint Authorization Fee (but you'll have to put all those stamps on).

Will you print barcodes on your mail?

Postal barcodes are used in the sorting process and can also allow you to track mail you've sent. (They are not used for paying postage.)

You're not required to print barcodes on your mail to get Presorted First Class Mail rates, but if you do, USPS will waive your annual mailing fee. You'll also get a slightly lower postage rate.

There are some costs to create barcodes. First, you'll need to "CASS-certify" your mailing list. This is a USPS requirement to make sure your barcodes are based on accurate zip+4 codes and to provide an extra two-digit "delivery point" code. This service is typically provided by an online vendor. Companies that provide CASS service typically charge around $2 per thousand addresses.

You'll also need software to create the barcodes, like our Postage $aver Pro, which costs $98.50, but which also sorts your mail as required and prints the necessary postal paperwork.

I will print a barcode on each piece.
Annual mailing fee is waived.

I will not add barcoding to my mail.
Annual mailing fee: $320.

For the options selected, you will need to pay USPS a one-time Permit Imprint Authorization Fee of $320. You will not pay an annual mailing fee as long as you add barcodes to all presorted mailings you send (but you do need to apply for the permit).

How to apply for a Presorted First Class Mail permit: You can apply online for a Presorted First Class Mail permit and for a permit imprint authorization. Or, you can apply in person using USPS form 3615.

Either way, you'll need to choose a post office where your permit account will be kept. You should select the post office where you expect to take your mail. That would normally be the post office that is most convenient for you, but not all post offices accept bulk mail.

In suburban and rural areas, many post offices accept bulk mail. But in major cities, bulk mail is generally accepted only at the regional sorting center and sometimes at a few smaller post offices.

To find out whether bulk mail is accepted at a specific post office, find the post office using the post office locator on USPS.com, and see if it shows "Bulk Mail Acceptance Hours" in the chart of that office's hours. To find all of the post offices in your area that accept bulk mail, call the USPS District Business Mail Entry office for your area, which you can find using the USPS locator screen.

For some categories of mail, USPS provides an extra discount if you take your mailing to a regional sorting center. They don't do that for Presorted First Class Mail. You might get better service taking your mail to the sorting center, because you'll save one transportation step, but you won't save any additional postage.

USPS "Mailer ID" number: When you get your permit, you will be assigned a "Mailer ID" number, which is NOT the same as your permit number. The Mailer ID number is a 9-digit number that begins with 9 (unless you are a very large volume mailer). Make sure you find out what it is, because you will need your Mailer ID when preparing your mailing.

Postage Saver for Parcels makes shipping bulk parcels easy

What software and other supplies do I need to prepare Presorted First Class Mail?

To prepare your mail, you'll need software to do the required sorting and to print the necessary postal paperwork. You'll also need USPS mailing containers, and, for flat-sized mail, rubber bands.

USPS "Pave-certified" presort software: To qualify for Presorted First Class Main rates, your mail must be sorted and placed in mailing containers according to very detailed USPS rules.

It's not just sorting by zip code - various zips must be combined with others, depending on quantity, where you're mailing from and to, the size of the mailpiece, etc... It's literally a book full of sorting rules, and the routings change each month.

You'll also need to print paperwork for submitting your mailing and special barcoded tags to label each mailing container.

USPS Pave Certification

The easiest way to do all of this is to use software designed to prepare bulk mail. USPS doesn't require any particular software, but does certify software for accuracy through their "PAVE" certification program.

Our Postage $aver Pro and Postage $aver Lite software is PAVE-certified at the gold level, meaning they've passed the highest level of testing. It's inexpensive and easy to use, and you won't have to become an expert to prepare your mail correctly.

Mailing containers: You'll need to sort your mail into specific mail trays or mail sacks before you can mail it at Presorted First Class Mail rates. Your presort software will determine exactly what you need for each mailing.

The containers are provided by the USPS at no charge. You can pick them up at the post office where you are mailing your bulk mail. Here are the kinds of trays or sacks that you will need:

For letter-sized pieces and postcards up to 4 5/8" tall and 10" long, use "MM" mailing trays. These come in 1-foot long and 2-foot long sizes. You may need some of each.

You can usually also use MM trays (instead of EMM trays) for letter-sized pieces up to 5 1/2" tall (half of a normal letter-sized sheet) by letting the pieces lean down a bit in the tray. MM trays are smaller and easier to handle than EMM trays.
For larger letter-sized pieces up to 6 1/8" tall and 11 1/2" long, use "EMM" mailing trays*. They come only in a 2-foot size.
For flat-sized pieces, use tubs, also called "flat trays".

Be sure to pick up the cardboard sleeves that go around the letter trays to close them, or lids for the tubs. For trays that are going beyond the area handled by your nearest sorting center, or for any tubs, you should strap the sleeves or covers in place. You can buy a strapping kit from Staples, Quill, Uline or similar commercial office supply companies. It's probably a lifetime supply, unless you're doing a lot of out-of-area mailing.

Special postage stamps for presorted mail: If you've decided to use stamps instead of printing an indicia on your mail, you need to buy special stamps for presorted mail. You can buy those only through the USPS Business Customer Gateway. Log in to the Gateway, then choose "Additional Services" at the top, then scroll to "StampsNow Commercial Postal Store". For Presorted First Class, search for "presorted", then choose the 25¢ stamps. (You'll pay the extra postage when you mail.) They are available only in coils of 3,000 and 10,000.

Special tags for political and ballot mail: If you're mail campaign mail or official election mail, USPS has special tags that you need to put on trays and sacks.

Size 64 rubber bands: If you are preparing flat-sized mail, you'll need rubber bands to bundle your mail. (You'll also need them if you are preparing nonmachinable letter-sized mail, but chances are you aren't doing that.) You can buy a bag at your favorite office supply store.

Congratulations! You're now ready to move on to actually preparing your mailing.

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Scott

Scott started Postage Saver Software in 1994. He's been helping small businesses and nonprofits save postage with postal bulk mail for more than 25 years. Scott's based in Austin, Texas. He's happy to answer your bulk mailing questions!

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