Learn About Bulk Mailing and Tracking → Periodicals

How to Save Postage with USPS Periodicals Class Mail

 Scott Hochberg
 Postage $aver Software


USPS Periodicals class is a special postal category that offers low rates for newspapers, magazines and other regularly-scheduled publications, such as college course catalogs, bus schedules, and legal reporting services. In the past, Periodicals class was called Second Class Mail.

There are detailed eligibility requirements to use Periodicals class, but the most important are that the publication be "issued at a regular frequency of at least four times a year" and mailed primarily to those who have subscribed to or requested the publication.

So, if you're mailing your newspaper to everyone in an area whether they asked for it or not, you cannot use Periodicals class. In that case, Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) might the best choice.

Similarly, if your publication is a one-time mailing, or is not published on a regular schedule, then EDDM or Marketing Mail might be cheapest if the pieces weigh less than a pound, or Bound Printed Matter might be cheapest if they are heavier.

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?

How do I apply for nonprofit rates?

What else do I need to get started?

Periodicals class mailers must keep accurate records for each issue published, including the number of copies printed, how the copies were distributed, and lists of subscribers and requesters.

Periodicals 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.

Periodicals class postage is the most complicated of all USPS rates to calculate. The only way to really know what a particular mailing might cost is to run the circulation list through software like Postage $aver. But our postage calculator below will at least give you an idea of the pricing.

The postage rate for Periodicals class bulk mail depends on the size and weight of the mail piece, how much of the publication is advertising, and whether the recipient is in the same county as the sender. There are also discounts for taking your mailing to a major sorting facility. You may pay different postage rates on different pieces in the same mailing, depending on where the pieces are going.

Nonprofits get small additional discounts off of the commercial Periodicals class rates, and there are also discounts for publications for classroom use and for certain publications related to agriculture.

After calculating the postage for each piece, there are additional charges for each "bundle" of mail, and for each tray or sack. For mailings that are large enough to require pallets, there is a charge for each pallet.

Use our Periodicals class postage rate calculator to find the rates available for your mailing:


See, I told you these rates are complicated.

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.

For Periodicals class, there is no minimum per mailing, nor are there any minimums per zip code, month or year, as long as your publication meets the eligibility requirements.

Mail pieces sent at Periodicals class rates must weigh no more than 70.4 ounces (4.4 pounds). To qualify for barcoding discounts, each piece can weigh no more than 20 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. Nonbarcoded pieces can be up to 1¼" thick. Barcoded pieces can be no more than 3/4" thick.

You must have authorization from USPS before you can use Periodicals class rates. The one-time fee for a Periodicals class authorization is $890. The fee is paid directly to USPS. A vendor cannot issue mailing authorization to you.

There is no separate Permit Imprint Authorization Fee required for Periodicals class. Periodicals class mail does not require any form of postage (indicia, stamps, or meter strip) to be printed on or attached to the piece.

How to apply for Periodicals class authorization: You must apply for your authorization in person, using USPS form 3500.

Where to apply: You must take the completed application to the post office that serves your "known office of publication", which is "a public office for transacting the business of the publication during normal business hours. It must also be the office where the publication’s circulation records are kept or can be available for USPS examination." Specific instructions are included with form 3500.

Many kinds of nonprofit organizations are eligible for low nonprofit rates when using Periodicals class. There are also special rates for state departments of agriculture and for publications for classroom use. To use these rates, you must first be approved by USPS.

You can request approval for these rates on your application for Periodicals class authorization.

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 Periodicals class 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.

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 Periodicals class 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", or USPS mailing sacks. It's your choice, but we recommend tubs as they are easier to handle and often don't require bundling of the pieces.
  
  Effective Jan. 22, 2023, sacks will not be allowed for Periodicals flats except in limited situations. Sacks will still be used for Periodicals parcels.

Make 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, you should strap the sleeves 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.

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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