VICTOR AMATEUR RADIO ASSOCIATION  --  W2VTM

U.S. Postal Rates - Domestic and International
And Canada-to-US

US Postal Rates as of 27 January 2013 increase

Canadian Rates effective 14 January 2013

International  |  Domestic  |  Canada-US  |  Glossary  |  Related Sites  |  Foreign Postal Links

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International Postage Rates (from USA) 

Country

Post Card
(4¼" x 6") 

1.0 oz
Letter

2.0 oz
Letter

Express Mail
Flat Rate ½ lb

Postal
Calculator

Priority Mail

Flat-Rate 4 lb
Envelope

Flat-Rate 20 lb
Boxes

Canada

$1.10 

1.10

1.10

 32.59

Canada

 19.95 40.95

Mexico

$1.10 

1.10

1.65

 41.28

Mexico

 23.95 59.95

All Others

$1.10 

1.10

1.90 - 2.05*

 43.20 - 49.92

Other

 23.95 59.95

  * Rate depends upon destination country 
  Maximum Dimensions 

 

Min LxW

Min Thickness

Max Length

Max Dimensions

Max Thickness

Post Card

5½" x 3½"

.007"

6"

4¼" W

.016"

Letter/Letter Package

5½" x 3½"

.007"

24"

36" L+W+H

--

Parcel Post

5½" x 3½"

--

42"

79" L+W

--

 Note:  Rates are for "standard sized" envelopes.  Unusually shaped, bulky, or oversized will result in higher postage costs.

 IRCs and International Money Orders (from USA) 

IRC (International Reply Coupon)

Discontinued in the US as of 27 Jan 2013; Current IRCs expire 31 Dec 2013
International Postal Money Orders

$4.50 US

 

Note for US IRCs:  The United States no longer sell IRCs as of 27 Jan 2013.  As of 11 October 2007, customers will no longer be able to redeem U.S.-origin international reply coupons issued before 2002. Customers will be able to exchange U.S.-origin IRCs bearing the expiration date of 31 December 2006, until 01 September 2008. These coupons may be exchanged for postage in the amount of the sale price minus $0.01. The IRC for the Universal Postal Union (UPU), Item 330700, either U.S.-origin or foreign-origin, will be the only IRC currently redeemable.  For details, see Postal Bulletin 22215 (page 28).
 

  
US Domestic Postage Rates (USA to USA) 
Class Basic Rate Additional Rate Maximum Dimensions

First Class Letter 

$0.46 up to 1 ounce

0.20 per ounce
up to 3.5 ounces

11½" long x 6-1/8" high x ¼" thick
First Class Flat1 $0.92 up to 1 ounce 0.20 per ounce
up to 13 ounces		 15" long x 12" high x ¾" thick
13 ounces max
First Class Package/Parcel $2.07 up to 3 ounce 0.17 per ounce  

Post Card 

$0.33

N/A

6" long x 4¼" high x 0.016" thick (0.007" min)

Parcel Post 

$5.60 to 6.85 up to 1 lb (machinable)
(rates depend on zones)

use Postal Calculator

34" x 17" x 17" (non-oversized)
Flat Rate Box $39.95 N/A 13-5/8" x 11-7/8" x 3-3/8" or
11" x 8-1/2" x 5-1/2"

Express Mail
Flat Rate Envelope2,4

$19.95 max regardless of weight or destination (within USA)

N/A

Must use Post Office-supplied envelope

Express Mail
(next day)2,3,4

$14.10 - 30.60 (½-pound)
$16.05 - 35.90 (1 pound)

use Postal Calculator

34" x 17" x 17" (non-oversized)
70 pounds max

Priority Mail
Flat Rate Envelope2,4

$5.60 regardless of weight or destination (within USA)

N/A

Must use Post Office-supplied envelope
Priority Mail Domestic
Flat Rate Box2,4		 $12.35 - Medium
$16.85 (14.85 APO/FPO) - Large
Regardless of weight or destination		 N/A Must use Post Office-supplied shipping box

1 A Flat is an oversized letter (at least one dimension does not meet requirement for First Class Letter)
2 Pickup Service (1-800-222-1811) is available for $15.30 per stop regardless of number of pieces
3 Rates for Post Office to Street Address; rate reduced for PO to PO
4 Requires use of special envelopes available at Post Office

 [ 1 ounce = 28.35 grams;  1 pound = 0.454 kilograms ] 

Domestic First Class Postage Non-machinable Surcharge ($0.20):

An surcharge is required for items weighing 1 ounce or less with any of the following criteria:

  1. It is a square letter (minimum size is 5 x 5 inches)
  2. It is too rigid – does not bend easily
  3. It has clasps, string, buttons, or similar closure devices
  4. It has an address parallel to the shorter dimension of the letter
  5. It contains items such as pens that cause the surface to be uneven
  6. The length divided by height is less than 1.3 or more than 2.5

Certified Mail

$3.10

Insurance

$1.95 up to $50 value, $2.45 up to $100 value;  for other values, use rate calculator
Express Mail Ins. $0.90 up to $200 value; $2.40 up to $500 value, plus $1.55 per $500 or fraction thereof > $500

Registered Mail

$11.20 if no declared value; $12.05 up to $100, $13.95 up to $500;  >$500, use rate calculator

Return Receipt

$1.25 by e-mail, $2.55 by mail (at time of mailing); $4.10 for merchandise (at time of mailing)
Money Orders $1.20 up to $500, $1.60 up to $1000 (domestic);  $0.35 for Military

See USPS Notice 123 for all rates

 

Canada to US Rates

Canadian Postage Rates (Canada to USA)

Prices in Canadian Dollars as of 14 Jan 2013

Class

Basic Rate ($CDN)

Additional Rate ($CDN)

Maximum Dimensions

Letter

$1.10 (0-30 g)

$1.34 (30-50 g)

245mm x 150mm x 5mm

Oversized Letter

$2.20 (0-100 g)

$3.80 (100-200 g)
$7.60 (200-500 g)

380mm x 270mm x 20mm
Xpresspost
to USA		 $25.38 to $28.21
(up to 0.5 kg/1.1 lb)
Rate Calculator 		See Rate Chart  1m x 1m x 1m (max length+girth=2.74m)
Surcharges apply if oversized
Surface Parcel Rate Calculator See Rate Chart   

Air Parcel

  

See Rate Chart 

Maximum: 600mm for any one dimension or
     900mm for Length + width + depth
Minimum: 140mm x 90mm x 0.18mm

Small Packets

 

(surface packet discontinued
11 Feb 2013)
Air

Light Packet

Weight

$  7.80
$2.65
 0-100
$5.53

100-250 g

$  10.35

 $8.89

250-500 g

$ 15.56

 N/A

500g - 1kg

(length plus width plus depth is no more than 90 cm;
greatest dimension is no more than 60 cm)
Max weight 1 kg

Registered Mail is available for all Letter Post, Small Packets (Air) -- $15.25 CDN plus applicable postage.


Optional Advice of Receipt (A/R) Card:  $1.85 at the time of mailing only.

Canada to US Rates International Letter Post (from Canada to non-USA)

 Six sheets of letter size paper (8½ x 11 inches, or A4 size) weighs about 1 ounce 
 General Rate Finder Web Site:  http://www.canadapost.ca/cpotools/apps/far/personal/findARate
 Canada Post’s Customer Service number:  1 888 550-6333 

Glossary

Letter Traditional envelope used for personal correspondence
Flat Large, flat envelope used mailing multiple pages, printed matter, brochures, etc.
Parcel Boxed item (not flat) used for mailing merchandise, books, other larger items
IRC International Reply Coupon, which can be traded for one unit of surface mail postage worldwide
Aerogramme Lightweight letter with international postage pre-applied that can be folded to create its own envelope
DX Foreign Country (outside the United States)
Non-machinable Letters that cannot be machine scanned due to unusual dimensions or bulk; Click here for info
   

 

Postage Related Web Sites

Zip Code Search:  For a given City/State  |   ZIP+4 Look-up 
US Postage Calculator:  Domestic & International 
Postal Explorer (USPS Search Engine):  Postal Explorer
Abbreviation Codes:  States & Possessions  |  Street Suffix Codes  |  Secondary Unit Designators 
U.S. Postal Service:  Home Page  
U.S. Postal Service Rate Publications:  Domestic Rates  |  International Mail Manual  |  International Rate Tables 
Value of Unmarked US Stamps:  Make-up stamps, lettered-value stamps,   unvalued stamps, etc. 
IRC (or Postal Reply Coupon):  The Ponzie Scheme  |  Wikipedia Article

Canada Post (Canadian Postal System):  English  |  Français 
Canadian Postal Rates:  English  |  Français 
Canadian Postal Code Search:  English  |  Français 

World-wide Postage Rates (Swiss site):  English & Deutsch  

International Postal Authorities:  Links to Postal Authorities Worldwide 

   

Victor Amateur Radio Association Home Page

Web Page Maintained by Pete Greene, N2LVI
Contact:  Pete Greene, N2LVI
Last Updated:  08 Feb 2013

Page Accesses Since 01 April 1999:
 

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