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 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.

For Express Mail and Priority Mail the Postal Service offers a special deal. Mailpieces that are mailed in Flat Rate packaging, are not zoned, so you pay the same price no matter how far your mailpiece travels. Express Mail has two Flat Rate Boxes, and Priority Mail has several Flat Rate Boxes and can be mailed for one low price regardless of weight (up to 70 pounds) or domestic distance. The Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box also may be used to ship to APO/FPO and DPO destination addresses for a lower price. All other Priority Mail prices are zoned.

Check out the Flat Rate packaging section of Price List - Notice 123.

TIP
--Pound for pound, the Flat Rate packaging is the best service for the best value.

How size and shape affect prices

How weight affects prices

How quantity affects prices

Destination entry prices

Calculate postage for any class of mail or commercial price

Price List - Notice 123

Business Calculator – Compute prices for all commercial mail.

Download Adobe Acrobat Reader