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Bulk Mail 101
Help Topics:
Getting Bulk Rate Discounts
Barcoding and CASS
Move Update Requirement
Is it a Letter or a Flat?
Bulk Mail Postage Prices
 Presorted First Class Prices
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The USPS is now referring to postage "prices" instead of postage rates.
Most "bulk mail" is mailed at Standard Class prices. But if you want your mail delivered as quickly as normal First Class mail, or if you are mailing pieces that are different for every recipient, you must use presorted First Class to receive discounted postage prices.
Each mailing at presorted First Class prices must consist of at least 500 pieces.
Unlike Standard Class, presorted First Class may contain personalized information, and may be used for bills, statements and other material where each recipient receives a different piece of mail.
Nonprofit mailers do not receive any additional discounts over other mailers when using presorted First Class. Nor are there any extra discounts for depositing your mail at a sectional center or network distribution center.
Mail must be within the following weight limits in order to be eligible for presorted First Class prices:
For nonbarcoded, machinable letters, each piece may not weigh more than 3.3 ounces.
For nonbarcoded flats. each piece may not weigh more than 13 ounces.
For barcoded letters, each piece may not weigh more than 3.5 ounces.
For barcoded flats, each piece may not weigh more than 13 ounces.
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If you buy a permit imprint number,
you can print an "indicia" box like this on your mail instead of putting a stamp on each piece. That saves a lot of work!
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The most common way to pay your postage is to maintain an account at the post office. Every time you
bring in a mailing, the bulk mail acceptance crew will verify your postage calculations and then make sure
you have enough in your account to pay for it.
When you open an account, you'll get a permit number that you include in the "indicia" box you print
on your mail. Since the indicia is not really postage, you can have it printed as part of the
printing on your mail piece, just like your return address. So you don't need any special software to print an indicia.
Some mailers believe it is worth the effort to use stamps or a meter on their presorted mail, instead of an indicia, to make the recipient think it is not bulk mail. The choice is up to you.
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Make sure you know whether your mail piece is a letter, a flat, or a parcel. That is determined
by the size of the piece, not by what it contains. For example, a 9 x 12 envelope containing a letter
is considered a "flat" because of its size, while a 4 x 6 card is considered a "letter". For full
information on the categories, see Letters vs. Flats.
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First Class presort mail has different price categories depending on the size and shape of your
mail piece. See our page on letters vs. flats if you are not sure what category your mail piece fits into. There is
also a special price for postcards, which is included below. Note that the category is determined by the size of the mail piece, not by its content.
Prices for nonbarcoded letters:
Weight up to:
1 ounce:
2 ounces:
3 ounces:
3.5 ounces:
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42.4¢
42.4¢
67.4¢
79.9¢
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Pieces are subject to a 20¢ surcharge if they are of nonstandard shape.
Price for nonbarcoded postcards:
To be eligible for the postcard price, the card must be:
shaped like a rectangle, AND,
not less than 3 1/2" high or more than 4 1/4" high, AND,
not less than 5" long or more than 6" long, AND,
not less than .007" thick or more than .016" thick.
Prices for nonbarcoded letters:
Weight up to 1 ounce:
Basic Price:
150pc. to the same distribution center:
150pc. to the same 3-digit area:
150pc. to the same 5-digit area:
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40.4¢
37.4¢
37.4¢
35.0¢
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More than 1 ounce up to 2 ounces:
(eff. 1/22/12, the 2-ounce letter price is the same as the 1-ounce letter price.)
Basic Price:
150pc. to the same distribution center:
150pc. to the same 3-digit area:
150pc. to the same 5-digit area:
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40.4¢
37.4¢
37.4¢
35.0¢
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More than 2 ounces up to 3 ounces:
Basic Price:
150pc. to the same distribution center:
150pc. to the same 3-digit area:
150pc. to the same 5-digit area:
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65.4¢
62.4¢
62.4¢
60.0¢
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More than 3 ounces up to 3.3 ounces:
Basic Price:
150pc. to the same distribution center:
150pc. to the same 3-digit area:
150pc. to the same 5-digit area:
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77.9¢
74.9¢
74.9¢
72.5¢
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Prices for barcoded postcards:
Basic Price:
150pc. to the same distribution center:
150pc. to same 3-digit area:
150pc. to same 5-digit area:
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25.5¢
24.4¢
24.3¢
22.9¢
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To be eligible for the postcard price, the card must be:
shaped like a rectangle, AND,
not less than 3 1/2" high or more than 4 1/4" high, AND,
not less than 5" long or more than 6" long, AND,
not less than .007" thick or more than .016" thick.
Prices for barcoded flats:
Weight up to 1 ounce:
Basic Price:
150pc. to the same distribution center:
150pc. to the same 3-digit area:
150pc. to the same 5-digit area:
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73.0¢
63.0¢
57.4¢
40.0¢
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More than 1 ounce up to 2 ounces:
Basic Price:
150pc. to the same distribution center:
150pc. to the same 3-digit area:
150pc. to the same 5-digit area:
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90.0¢
80.0¢
74.4¢
57.0¢
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More than 2 ounces up to 3 ounces:
Basic Price:
150pc. to the same distribution center:
150pc. to the same 3-digit area:
150pc. to the same 5-digit area:
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$1.070
97.0¢
91.4¢
74.0¢
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More than 3 ounces up to 4 ounces:
Basic Price:
150pc. to the same distribution center:
150pc. to the same 3-digit area:
150pc. to the same 5-digit area:
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$1.240
$1.140
$1.084
91.0¢
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More than 4 ounces up to 5 ounces:
Basic Price:
150pc. to the same distribution center:
150pc. to the same 3-digit area:
150pc. to the same 5-digit area:
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$1.410
$1.310
$1.254
$1.080
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More than 5 ounces up to 6 ounces:
Basic Price:
150pc. to the same distribution center:
150pc. to the same 3-digit area:
150pc. to the same 5-digit area:
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$1.580
$1.480
$1.424
$1.250
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More than 6 ounces up to 7 ounces:
Basic Price:
150pc. to the same distribution center:
150pc. to the same 3-digit area:
150pc. to the same 5-digit area:
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$1.750
$1.650
$1.594
$1.420
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More than 7 ounces up to 8 ounces:
Basic Price:
150pc. to the same distribution center:
150pc. to the same 3-digit area:
150pc. to the same 5-digit area:
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$1.920
$1.820
$1.764
$1.590
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More than 8 ounces up to 9 ounces:
Basic Price:
150pc. to the same distribution center:
150pc. to the same 3-digit area:
150pc. to the same 5-digit area:
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$2.090
$1.990
$1.934
$1.760
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More than 9 ounces up to 10 ounces:
Basic Price:
150pc. to the same distribution center:
150pc. to the same 3-digit area:
150pc. to the same 5-digit area:
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$2.260
$2.160
$2.104
$1.930
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More than 10 ounces up to 11 ounces:
Basic Price:
150pc. to the same distribution center:
150pc. to the same 3-digit area:
150pc. to the same 5-digit area:
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$2.430
$2.330
$2.274
$2.100
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More than 11 ounces up to 12 ounces:
Basic Price:
150pc. to the same distribution center:
150pc. to the same 3-digit area:
150pc. to the same 5-digit area:
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$2.600
$2.500
$2.444
$2.270
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More than 12 ounces up to 13 ounces:
Basic Price:
150pc. to the same distribution center:
150pc. to the same 3-digit area:
150pc. to the same 5-digit area:
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$2.770
$2.670
$2.614
$2.440
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First Class presort rates
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