The United States postal system is an incredible public service. For only $0.55, one can send a letter anywhere in the United States to arrive in 1-3 days! The first $0.55 covers up to 1 ounce. After that, add $0.20 per ounce up to 3.5 ounces.
How many stamps do I need for a letter to the United States?
The number of stamps you'll need depends on the weight. First weigh your envelope using a kitchen scale then add the correct number of stamps, rounding up to the nearest ounce.
1 ounce ($0.55)
One Domestic Forever stamp ($0.55)
2 ounces ($0.75)
One Domestic Forever stamp, and one 20¢ Additional Ounce stamp ($0.75)
Or you can overpay by $0.35 using two Domestic Forever stamps ($1.10)
At this time, mail to the United States is
opearting normally.
You can track updates on the USPS website. Please note that while first-class mail leters are not experiencing Covid-related delays, other types of mail such as first-class mail packages and Priority Mail are experiencing delays.
We monitor for updates daily and will update this page accordingly.
How many stamps for a postcard?
If you're sending a postcard to the United States you'll need one
Postcard Stamp for $0.35. You can also overpay using one Forever Stamp for $0.55.
Make sure your postcard is:
Rectangular (it can't be a square or round)
At least 3-1/2 inches high x 5 inches long x 0.007 inch thick
No more than 4-1/4 inches high x 6 inches long x 0.016 inches thick
Envelope requirements
Your envelope must be a minimum 5” x 3.5”, maximum 11.5” x 6+⅛”, and no thicker than 1/4".
Make sure your envelope is of uniform thickness, rectangular, and bendable. Otherwise, you may have a "non-machinable" envelope and add $0.15 of extra postage. Check out the full list of non-machinable characteristics.
Square envelopes must be a minimum of 5". Square envelopes are considered non-machinable so add the extra $0.21.
How to weigh your envelope
Use a kitchen food scale to measure your envelope’s weight. If you don’t own one, Amazon makes a good entry level scale for $10.99 and there’s a higher end scale from My Weigh for $38 on Amazon Prime. Walmart also offers several cheap kitchen scales like this Milleroo scale for $8.25.
If you're sending printed photos, check out our guide on how many stamps are needed to mail 4x6 photos — no scale needed!
Where to buy stamps
You can buy stamps at your local USPS post office and online at USPS.com — shipping is just over $1 for a sheet of stamps. Walmart and Amazon also carry stamps, as well as many local banks. Stamps from Amazon aren't a very good deal at $16.18 for a sheet of 20 which you can get for $5.18 less direct from the USPS.
The cost of a forever stamp will incerase from $0.55 to $0.58
Postcards will increase from $0.36 to $0.40
Flats will increase from $1.00 to $1.16
International forever stamps will increase to $1.30 from $1.20
Previous price increases
On January 24, 2021 additional ounces increased from $0.15 to $0.20. Metered mail and postcards increased by 1 cent. There was no change to 1 oz letters and flats. Postcard stamps increased to $0.36.
On January 26, 2020 fates for domestic letters under 3.5 ounces remained the same. Rates for flats (large envelopes) and all global first-class mail increased. Global forever stamps went from $1.15 to $1.20. Rates on additional ounces for flats (large envelopes) went up by $0.05 per additional ounce for domestic flats and changed for international flats as well. Additional ounces for all international first-class mail changed with the base increase from $1.15 to $1.20.
Where to apply stamps on a letter
Stamps go in the upper-right corner of a letter, ideally all in one row. However, the post office will accept your letter even if your stamps go to a second or third line.
Delivery times for letters to the United States
Mail send with stamps isn't tracked and delivery times are not guaranteed, however the typical delivery time is 1-3 days.
Sending more than 3.5 ounces to the United States or sending large envelopes to the United States
Below are the rates for sending a large envelope ("flat") to the United States. The maximum weight for a standard letter is 3.5 ounces, so use a flat if you're sending more than 3.5 ounces. The base rate for the United States is $1.00. Extra ounces cost more and the maximum weight is 13 ounces.
The rates below are sourced directly from the USPS.
Flats must be a minimum of 6-1/8" by 11-1/2", maximum 12" by 15". Unlike standard letters, the maximum thickness is 3/4".
Note you can't use a bubble envelope as bubble envelopes are typically more than 1/4" thick. Bubble envelopes are usually considered a "package / thick envelope" by the USPS. You can purchase a label on PayPal and print at home or visit your local post office.
Weight
Postage
How many stamps do I need for a large envelope (flats) to the United States?
The number of stamps you'll need depends on the weight. First weigh your envelope using a kitchen scale then add the correct number of stamps, rounding up to the nearest ounce.
1 ounce ($1.00)
One Domestic Forever stamp, one 35¢ Postcard stamp, and one 10¢ stamp ($1.00)
Or you can overpay by $0.10 using two Domestic Forever stamps ($1.10)
2 ounces ($1.20)
Two Domestic Forever stamps, and one 10¢ stamp ($1.20)
Or you can overpay by $0.45 using three Domestic Forever stamps ($1.65)
