Bulk Mail

Postcards are an inexpensive way to get an immediate message to customers. When they arrive in the mail, there’s the message – no envelope to open! First-Class Mail postcards are a great value, too. With First-Class Mail postcards, you pay a low price and get all of the benefits, like forwarding and return that come with First-Class Mail.

You may think that your mailpiece is a “postcard,” because it is a single sheet of paper. But to qualify for mailing at the First-Class Mail postcard price, it must be:

• Rectangular
• At least 3 1/2 inches high x 5 inches long x 0.007 inch thick
• No more than 4 1/2 inches high x 6 inches long x 0.016 inch thick

If your mailpiece does not meet the dimensions above, then the Postal Service considers it a letter and letter-size postage is charged. With Standard Mail, there is a little more Flexibility – there is no separate (lower) price for postcards, so you don’t have to worry about your postcard being to big – because you’re paying letter prices anyway. But make sure that your postcard is no larger than 6-1/8” x 11-1/2 x 1/4" thick. Mailpieces larger than any of those dimensions and you’ll have to pay flats (large envelope) postage prices.

You probably have a picture in your mind of what a “letter” is. Possibly you’re using a standard no. 10 for your letter, so that’s easy to picture. However, if you decide to create a mailpiece with its own special envelope or if you are designing a piece that will be folded to letter-size, be sure to keep in mind the following size requirements for letters.

• Rectangular
• At least 3-1/2 inches height x 5 inches length x 0.007 inch thickness
• No more than 6-1/8 inches height x 11-1/2 inches length x 0.007 inch thickness

You can fold sheets of paper to form letter-size pieces or newsletters. Folded pieces, or folded self-mailers, can save time and money because you’re not paying for or stuffing envelopes. Folded self-mailers must be sealed or they will be subject to the nonmachineable surcharge. We recommend that you use wafer seals or tabs to close the open sides of folded mailpieces.

The Postal Service uses the word “flats’ to refer to large envelopes, newsletters, and magazines. The words large envelopes and flats are used interchangeably. Whatever you call them, flats must:

• Have one dimension that is greater than 6-1/8 inches high or 11-1/2 inches long or 1/4 inch thick.
• Be no more than 12 inches high x 15 inches long x 3/4 inch thick.

The maximum size for a flat provides plenty of room to put lots of material in the envelope. But keep in mind that weight usually affects price –the higher the weight the higher the postage, especially for First-Class Mail.