The postage rate for mailing a regular first-class letter in the United States starting January 27, 2013 is $0.46 for the first ounce and $0.20 for additional ounces up to 3.5 ounces. After that, you must use the rate for large envelopes, called flats, which start at $0.92 and also add $0.20 for additional ounces. Suppose that you only have 46-cent stamps. What should you do? You could affix one such stamp for each ounce. However, two first-ounce stamps covers three ounces for a letter. The first table below shows the costs for up to 13 ounces and the number of first-ounce stamps needed when you don't have additional-ounce stamps. The second table below shows the values when only first-ounce stamps are applied, and how many ounces for letters and flats are covered by using only these stamps.
| Ounces | Cost for Letters | Stamps Needed | Cost for Flats | Stamps Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0.46 | 1 | $0.92 | 2 |
| 2 | 0.66 | 2 | 1.12 | 3 |
| 3 | 0.86 | 2 | 1.32 | 3 |
| 3.5 | 1.06 | 3 | ---- | --- |
| 4 | 1.52 | 4 | 1.52 | 4 |
| 5 | 1.72 | 4 | 1.72 | 4 |
| 6 | 1.92 | 5 | 1.92 | 5 |
| 7 | 2.12 | 5 | 2.12 | 5 |
| 8 | 2.32 | 6 | 2.32 | 6 |
| 9 | 2.52 | 6 | 2.52 | 6 |
| 10 | 2.72 | 6 | 2.72 | 6 |
| 11 | 2.92 | 7 | 2.92 | 7 |
| 12 | 3.12 | 7 | 3.12 | 7 |
| 13 | 3.32 | 8 | 3.32 | 8 |
| First-Ounce Stamps | Value | Covers-Letters (oz) | Covers-Flats (oz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0.46 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | 0.92 | 3 | 1 |
| 3 | 1.38 | 3.5 | 3 |
| 4 | 1.84 | 5 | 5 |
| 5 | 2.30 | 7 | 7 |
| 6 | 2.76 | 10 | 10 |
| 7 | 3.22 | 12 | 12 |
| 8 | 3.68 | 13 | 13 |
Following are the size requirements on letters and large envelopes (flats). If any of the limits on flats are exceeded, then package rates apply. If any of the limits on letters are exceeded without exceeding the corresponding limit for flats, then the rates for flats apply. The minimum requirements must be met for both letters and flats.
| Dimension | Minimum (in) | Limit-Letters (in) | Limit-Flats (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length (side to side) | 5 | 11 1/2 | 15 |
| Height (top to bottom) | 3 1/2 | 6 1/8 | 12 |
| Thickness (front to back) | 0.007 | 1/4 | 3/4 |
Reference 1 contains the following notice about letter requirements:
Letters that meet one or more of the nonmachinable characteristics below are subject to the nonmachinable surcharge.
- It is a square letter
- It is too rigid – does not bend easily
- It has clasps, string, buttons, or similar closure devices
- It has an address parallel to the shorter dimension of the letter
- It contains items such as pens that cause the surface to be uneven
- The length divided by height is less than 1.3 or more than 2.5
This surcharge is $0.20.
Disclaimer: This above information is based on that from USPS.com. Although intended to be accurate, errors may occur. You assume all risks in using the information on this page.
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Last updated: 27-May-2013
