Minimum Weight: None.

Maximum Weight: less than 16 ounces.

Minimum Quantity: 200 pieces or 50 pounds of mail.

Standard Mail is mail matter not required to be mailed as First-Class Mail or Periodicals. Lower nonprofit rates are available for Standard Mail but require specific authorization.

Mailers use Standard Mail to send:

• Printed matter, flyers, circulars, advertising.
• Newsletters, bulletins, and catalogs.
• Small parcels.

All Standard Mail rates are bulk rates, and each mailing must meet a minimum quantity of 200 pieces or 50 pounds of mail. There are no single-piece Standard Mail rates. In Standard Mail, there are rates for letters and flats/large envelopes. Unlike First-Class Mail, there is no separate Standard Mail card rate (cards are mailed as letters or flats). Standard Mail parcels (for instance, a small merchandise sample) are charged a residual shape surcharge.

Certain Extra Services can be used with Standard Mail parcels: electronic Delivery Confirmation, bulk insurance, and return receipt for merchandise. Standard Mail is not forwarded or returned unless you request it with an ancillary service endorsement. Forwarding and return services may result in additional fees or postage.

For beginning mailers, Standard Mail is often the best choice because postage rates are very low.

TIPS
--Standard Mail is for domestic mail only. You cannot send Standard Mail to international addresses.
--Many mailers use a service called "Priority Mail drop shipment" to speed up the delivery of their Standard Mail. You mail your trays or sacks of Standard Mail via Priority Mail to the postal facility nearest the final destination of your mail. This is a very cost effective way to get your message to your customer sooner.

Decision Tree: Six easy questions will lead you directly to the information you need about Standard Mail.

Calculate postage for Standard Mail

Ratefold - Notice 123 (PDF)

Domestic Mail Manual - Rates and Fees (HTML)

Business Rate Calculator – Compute rates for all discount mail.

Direct Mail will show you how to use the power of mail to grow your business.

Download Adobe Acrobat Reader