For certain classes of mail the price is determined by how far the mailpiece travels to get to its destination: the farther it travels the more you pay in postage. The actual distance is measured by "zones." Zones range from Zone 1 (local, close to you) to Zone 8 (very far away from you). The farther the mail goes, the more zones it crosses, and the more postage you pay.

First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, Library Mail, and Media Mail are not zoned. That means that you pay the same price no matter where your mail is going. What a great deal!

Express Mail, Priority Mail, Parcel Post, and Bound Printed Matter are all zoned. Therefore, the further your mailpiece travels (i.e., the more zones your mail crosses), the more you pay in postage.

For Priority Mail the Postal Service offers a special deal. Mailpieces that weigh 1 pound or less or are mailed in a flat-rate envelope, or small flat-rate box, are not zoned, so you pay the same price no matter how far your mailpiece travels. The Priority Mail medium flat-rate box comes in two sizes and can be mailed for one low price regardless of weight or distance; the Priority Mail large flat-rate box is approximately 50 percent larger then the regular box. The large flat-rate box also may be used to ship to APO/FPO destination addresses for a lower price.

TIP
--Pound for pound, the Priority Mail flat-rate envelope, and flat-rate boxes, are the best service for the best value.

How size and shape affect prices

How weight affects prices

How quantity affects prices

Destination entry discounts

Calculate postage for any class of mail or price discount

Price List - Notice 123

Discount/Bulk Calculator – Compute prices for all discount mail.

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