There is no single charge set to mail or ship a letter. There are various types of mail, and each requires a different type of postage that is priced differently. The postage required for your letter or package will be determined by its size, shape, and weight.
First-Class Mail, the size of a standard envelope, is one of the cheapest and most popular types of mail you can send through USPS.
First-Class Mail letters only require a single stamp if they are under the weight restriction of 3.5 ounces even though First-Class Mail stamps cost $0.60 each.
Parcels and large envelopes mailed through First-Class package service can be up to 13 ounces. Once it exceeds this, they become Priority Mails.
USPS mail classes are more expensive. Additionally, if your mail exceeds the weight limit for its class, you’ll have to pay for additional postage.
Let us go straight into how much it costs to mail a letter.
Table of contents
How Much Does it Cost to Send a Letter | Full Guide
The table below shows the prices and standard weight limits for various classes of USPS mail in 2023.
You will see how much it cost to mail a letter in a bit.
See also: How to Write a Reference Letter for a Friend | Full Guide
How Much Does First Class Postage Cost?
Someone can typically use a first-class stamp when sending a standard letter through the mail possibly three or four pages of letter-sized paper, packed in an envelope. As of July 20, 2023, a first-class stamp (retail stamp) will cost $0.60.
Letter Stamps
Standard-sized, rectangular envelopes: From $0.60
Square, Oversized, or Unusual Envelopes: From $0.99
Postcard Stamps
Standard-sized, rectangular postcards: From $0.44
Global Forever (International)
Standard-sized, rectangular envelopes: From $1.40
How much it is to mail a letter
| Service | Prices Starting at |
| Priority Mail Express | $26.95 at the Post Office. $23.50 for Commercial Base and Commercial Plus |
| Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Envelope | $26.95 at the Post Office, $23.50 for Commercial Base & Commercial Plus |
| Priority Mail Express Open & Distribute Service | See your USPS sales agent for Commercial Base & Commercial Plus |
| Priority Mail | $8.70 at Post Office, $7.37 for Commercial Base and Commercial Plus |
| Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope | $8.95 post Office, $7.75 for Commercial Base and $7.75 for Commercial Plus |
| Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes | From $8.38 Additional fee if postage is paid at Retail |
| Priority Mail Open & Distribute Service | See your USPS sales agent |
| Priority Mail Return Service | $7.37 for Commercial Base and Commercial Plus |
| First-Class Mail | $0.60 at the Post Office, $0.455 for Commercial Pricing |
| First-Class Package Service | $3.37 for Commercial Pricing, $4.50 for Retail Pricing |
| First-Class Package Return Service | $3.37 for Commercial Pricing |
| USPS Marketing Mail | $0.209 for Commercial Pricing |
| Every Door Direct Mail – Retail | $0.187 for Flats up to 3.3 oz |
| Parcel Select | $3.50 for Commercial Pricing |
| Parcel Select Lightweight | $2.32 for Commercial Pricing |
| USPS Retail Ground | $8.50 at the Post Office |
| Parcel Return Service | $3.37 for Commercial Pricing |
| Ground Return Service | $7.22 for Commercial Pricing |
| Media Mail | $3.49 at the Post Office, $2.17 for Commercial Pricing |
| Library Mail | $3.32 at the Post Office, $2.06 for Commercial Pricing |
See also: How to Write a Grievance Letter in 2023 | Full Guide & Samples
International Prices to mail a letter
| Service | Prices Starting From |
| Global Express Guaranteed® | $67.80 at the Post Office, $64.41 for Commercial Base $64.41 for Commercial Plus |
| Priority Mail Express International® | $47.95 at the Post Office, $44.95 for Commercial Base $44.95 for Commercial Plus |
| Priority Mail Express International Flat Rate | Envelopes at $47.95 at the Post Office |
| Priority Mail International® | $40.45 at the Post Office, $37.47 for Commercial Plus and Base |
| Priority Mail International Flat Rate | Envelopes From $29.60 at Post Office. $28.13 for Commercial Base and Commercial Plus. Small Flat Rate Boxes $30.70 at Post Office Starting at $29.17 for Commercial Base and Commercial Plus Medium Flat Rate Boxes. $56.80 at Post Office From $53.94 for Commercial Base. $53.94 for Commercial Plus Large Flat Rate Boxes. $73.80 at Post Office. $70.13 for Commercial Base From $70.13 for Commercial Plus |
| First-Class Mail International | Letters and postcards from $1.40 for all countries Large Flats Envelopes from $2.75 for all countries |
| First-Class Package International Service | $14.85 at the Post Office $14.11 for Commercial Base and Commercial Plus |
| Airmail M-Bags | $52.80 |
| International Priority Airmail | Price varies |
| International Surface Air Lift | Price varies |
| International Business Reply Service | From $1.90 per piece |
How Much Extra is Insurance?
Another optional add-on for your letter is insurance, however, most individuals upgrade their postage from first-class to flat rate envelopes or a similar package because insurance is included with those postal packages.
The likelihood is quite high that you won’t require more than $50 in insurance when mailing a letter, and flat rate envelopes provide it by default.
You will also receive up to $50 in insurance free from priority mail if you want to insure your envelopes and letters but don’t want to spend much extra money on top of first-class postage. Please take that into account.
See also: How Many Stamps to Mail a Letter in 2023 | Full Description
How Much Extra Does Tracking Cost?
First-class mail does not always come with tracking information, especially if you don’t specifically ask for it at the local post office soon away.
And while USPS’s Express, Priority, Parcel Select, and First Class Package services include tracking information free, first-class standard mail will require you to pay a little extra for this useful information.
You should expect your tracking information add-on to cost between $0.20 and $0.90, or maybe more, depending on the specifics of your package and the destination.
Suppose the knowledge of where your letter is in the delivery process and when it’s expected to arrive is important to you. In that case, investing in this extra feature is almost always advisable.
Can I purchase letter delivery receipts?
Even if you don’t wish to send your letter by certified or registered mail, you can still obtain delivery receipts as an optional add-on.
Some people don’t require the chain of custody or the additional insurance that those two postal services provide. Certified and registered mail may get very expensive especially if your letter is a little on the heavy side of things.
Some people merely want to use delivery receipts to verify that their letters have reached their intended recipient and have been read by the appropriate person.
On first-class envelopes, you can purchase delivery receipts for as little as $0.50; however, if you choose to use another postal service, the cost will slightly rise.
If the added postage for your letter will be close to those price ranges, it might be worthwhile to look into both Certified and Registered mail programs.
These USPS programs have many advantages that a first-class stamp and delivery receipt do not.
Conclusion
We have listed all the possible ways and medius to mail a letter and how it cost to mail them. Go through the table above to confirm the amount before choosing the option to go with.
References
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