123 Rates and Eligibility

1.0 Priority Mail Rates and Fees

1.1 Application

Priority Mail rates apply to pieces meeting the standards in 123.

1.2 Priority Mail Rate Application

Except under 1.3, 1.4, and 1.5, Priority Mail rates are charged per pound; any fraction of a pound is rounded up to the next whole pound. For example, if a piece weighs 1.2 pounds, the weight (postage) increment is 2 pounds. The minimum postage amount per addressed piece is the 1-pound rate. The Priority Mail rate up to 1 pound is based on weight only; rates for pieces weighing more than 1 pound are based on weight and zone. Other charges may apply. See Exhibit 1.3, Priority Mail Rates.

1.3 Minimum Rate for Parcels to Zones 1-4

Parcels addressed for delivery to Zones 1-4 (including Local) that weigh less than 20 pounds but measure more than 84 inches (but not more than 108 inches) in combined length and girth are charged the applicable zone rate for a 20-pound parcel (balloon rate).

Exhibit 1.3 Priority Mail Rates

Weight Not Over (pounds)	Zone1,2,3,4,5
	Local, 1 & 2	3	4	5	6	7	8
1	$4.60	$4.60	$4.60	$4.60	$4.60	$4.60	$4.60
2	4.60	4.90	5.30	6.20	6.55	7.00	7.50
3	5.05	5.70	6.40	8.25	9.10	9.65	10.55
4	5.70	6.65	7.70	10.20	11.10	12.20	13.45
5	6.30	7.55	8.90	11.90	12.90	14.35	15.85
6	6.85	8.25	10.00	12.95	13.10	14.75	16.05
7	7.35	8.85	11.00	13.95	14.35	16.40	18.30
8	7.75	9.60	11.95	14.90	15.60	18.00	20.55
9	8.15	10.25	12.50	15.90	16.85	19.60	22.85
10	8.50	10.75	13.10	16.95	18.25	21.30	25.05
11	8.80	11.20	13.65	17.95	19.75	22.90	26.35
12	9.15	11.70	14.20	18.95	21.30	24.10	27.50
13	9.50	12.20	14.75	20.00	22.85	25.05	28.45
14	9.80	12.70	15.35	20.90	24.10	26.50	29.85
15	10.15	13.20	15.90	21.55	24.65	26.75	30.50
16	10.35	13.45	16.20	22.00	25.20	27.35	31.25
17	10.50	13.70	16.50	22.55	25.85	28.05	32.10
18	10.70	13.90	16.80	23.00	26.35	28.60	32.85
19	11.10	14.15	17.10	23.55	27.00	29.30	33.70
20	11.60	14.35	17.40	23.95	27.50	29.85	34.40
21	12.00	14.55	17.70	24.35	27.95	30.40	35.10
22	12.50	14.80	17.95	24.90	28.60	31.10	35.95
23	12.90	15.00	18.45	25.30	29.10	31.65	36.60
24	13.35	15.20	19.00	25.85	29.70	32.35	37.50
25	13.85	15.40	19.65	26.25	30.15	32.85	38.15
26	14.25	15.60	20.25	26.80	30.80	33.55	39.35
27	14.70	15.80	20.85	27.20	31.25	34.05	40.80
28	15.15	16.00	21.40	27.55	31.70	34.55	42.30
29	15.60	16.20	22.05	27.90	32.10	35.00	43.70
30	16.10	16.40	22.65	28.30	32.55	35.50	45.15
31	16.50	16.55	23.25	28.65	32.95	35.95	46.65
32	16.95	16.95	23.85	29.00	33.40	36.80	48.10
33	17.40	17.40	24.40	29.35	33.80	37.85	49.50
34	17.85	17.85	25.05	30.00	34.80	38.90	50.95
35	18.30	18.30	25.65	30.65	35.75	39.95	52.40
36	18.75	18.75	26.25	31.30	36.70	41.05	53.85
37	19.20	19.20	26.95	31.90	37.65	42.10	55.30
38	19.65	19.65	27.50	32.55	38.70	43.10	56.75
39	20.05	20.05	28.25	33.20	39.65	44.20	58.25
40	20.45	20.45	28.90	33.85	40.55	45.20	59.65
41	20.85	20.85	29.50	34.20	41.50	46.25	61.10
42	21.25	21.25	30.25	34.90	42.40	47.35	62.55
43	21.65	21.65	30.90	35.70	43.45	48.40	64.00
44	22.05	22.05	31.50	36.50	44.35	49.50	65.45
45	$22.45	$22.45	$32.20	$37.25	$45.30	$50.55	$66.90
46	22.85	22.85	32.90	38.00	46.25	51.60	68.35
47	23.25	23.25	33.50	38.80	47.30	52.70	69.75
48	23.65	23.65	34.25	39.60	48.25	53.75	71.25
49	24.05	24.05	34.90	40.30	49.15	54.85	72.70
50	24.40	24.40	35.55	41.10	50.10	55.90	74.15
51	24.85	24.85	36.20	41.90	51.05	56.95	75.60
52	25.20	25.20	36.90	42.70	52.10	58.00	77.05
53	25.65	25.65	37.50	43.45	53.00	59.10	78.50
54	26.00	26.00	38.15	44.25	53.90	60.10	79.90
55	26.45	26.45	38.90	45.05	54.85	61.10	81.35
56	26.80	26.80	39.50	45.75	55.90	62.20	82.85
57	27.25	27.25	40.15	46.50	56.80	63.25	84.30
58	27.60	27.60	40.85	47.30	57.75	64.30	85.70
59	28.05	28.05	41.50	48.10	58.70	65.35	87.20
60	28.40	28.40	42.15	48.90	59.70	66.40	88.65
61	28.85	28.85	42.90	49.65	60.70	67.45	90.10
62	29.20	29.20	43.50	50.45	61.60	68.50	91.50
63	29.65	29.65	44.20	51.25	62.55	69.55	92.95
64	30.00	30.00	44.85	52.05	63.50	70.55	94.45
65	30.45	30.45	45.45	52.70	64.50	71.65	95.90
66	30.80	30.80	46.15	53.50	65.40	72.70	97.30
67	31.25	31.25	46.90	54.30	66.35	73.70	98.80
68	31.60	31.60	47.50	55.10	67.30	74.80	100.20
69	32.05	32.05	48.15	55.90	68.30	75.85	101.65
70	32.45	32.45	48.90	56.65	69.25	76.90	103.10

1.4 Dimensional Weight Rate for Low-Density Parcels to Zones 5-8

Postage for parcels addressed for delivery to Zones 5-8 and exceeding 1 cubic foot (1,728 cubic inches) is based on the actual weight or the dimensional weight (as calculated in 1.4.1 or 1.4.2), whichever is greater.

1.4.1 Determining Dimensional Weight for Rectangular Parcels

Follow these steps to determine the dimensional weight for a rectangular parcel:

a. Measure the length, width, and height in inches. Round off (see 604.7.0) each measurement to the nearest whole inch.

b. Multiply the length by the width by the height.

c. If the result exceeds 1,728 cubic inches, divide the result by 194 and round up (see 604.7.0) to the next whole number to determine the dimensional weight in pounds.

1.4.2 Determining Dimensional Weight for Nonrectangular Parcels

Follow these steps to determine the dimensional weight for a nonrectangular parcel:

a. Measure the length, width, and height in inches at their extreme dimensions. Round off (see 604.7.0) each measurement to the nearest whole inch.

b. Multiply the length by the width by the height.

c. Multiply the result by an adjustment factor of 0.785.

d. If the final result exceeds 1,728 cubic inches, divide the result by 194 and round up (see 604.7.0) to the next whole number to determine the dimensional weight in pounds.

e. If the dimensional weight exceeds 70 pounds, the parcel pays the 70-pound rate.

1.5 Flat-Rate Boxes and Envelopes

Any amount of material may be mailed in a USPS-produced Priority Mail flat-rate box or flat-rate envelope. When sealing a flat-rate box or flat-rate envelope, the container flaps must be able to close within the normal folds. Tape may be applied to the flaps and seams to reinforce the container, provided the design of the container is not enlarged by opening the sides and the container is not reconstructed in any way.

1.5.1 Flat-Rate Boxes—Rate and Eligibility

Each USPS-produced Priority Mail flat-rate box is charged $8.95, regardless of the actual weight of the piece or its destination. Only USPS-produced flat-rate boxes are eligible for the flat-rate box rate.

1.5.2 Flat-Rate Envelopes—Rate and Eligibility

Each USPS-produced Priority Mail flat-rate envelope is charged $4.60, regardless of the actual weight of the piece or its destination. Only USPS-produced flat-rate envelopes are eligible for the flat-rate envelope rate.

1.6 Rates for Keys and Identification Devices

Weight Not Over (pounds)	Rate1
1 pound	$5.30
2 pounds2	6.00

1.7 Keys and Identification Devices

Keys and identification devices (e.g., identification cards or uncovered identification tags) that weigh more than 13 ounces but not more than 1 pound are returned at the 1-pound Priority Mail rate plus the fee. Keys and identification devices weighing more than 1 pound but not more than 2 pounds are mailed at the 2-pound Priority Mail rate for zone 4 plus the fee. The key or identification device must bear, contain, or have securely attached the name and complete address of a person, organization, or concern, with instructions to return the key or identification device to that address and a statement guaranteeing payment of postage due on delivery.

1.8 Pickup on Demand Fee

Priority Mail only, per occurrence: $14.25. May be combined with Express Mail and Package Services pickups (see 507.5.0, Pickup on Demand Service).

1.9 Determining Single-Piece Weight

To determine single-piece weight in any mailing of nonidentical-weight pieces, weigh each piece individually. To determine single-piece weight in a mailing of identical-weight pieces, weigh a sample group of at least 10 randomly selected pieces and divide the total sample weight by the number of pieces in the sample. Express all single-piece weights in decimal pounds rounded off to four decimal places.

1.10 Computing Postage—Priority Mail

Determine single-piece weight increment for each piece and affix postage to each piece under 124.1.2, Affixing Postage—Single-Piece Rate Mailings (as applicable) or, for permit imprint mailings, multiply the number of addressed pieces at each rate increment by the corresponding postage rate.

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2.0 Basic Eligibility Standards for Priority Mail

2.1 Definition of Priority Mail

Priority Mail is First-Class Mail weighing more than 13 ounces and, at the mailer's option, any other mailable matter weighing 13 ounces or less. Priority Mail rates are based on zone and weight. The maximum weight is 70 pounds, except for APO and FPO mail subject to 703.2.0, Overseas Military Mail, and 703.4.0, Mail Sent by U.S. Armed Forces, and Department of State mail subject to 703.3.0.

2.2 Service Objectives

All Priority Mail receives expeditious handling and transportation. The USPS follows uniform guidelines for distributing and delivering mail but does not guarantee delivery within the specified time. Local postmasters can provide more information.

2.3 Matter Closed Against Postal Inspection

Matter closed against postal inspection includes First-Class Mail (including Priority Mail) and Express Mail. The USPS may open mail other than First-Class Mail or Express Mail to determine whether the proper rate of postage is paid. Material wrapped or packaged so that it cannot be examined easily or examined without destruction or serious damage is closed against postal inspection and is charged the appropriate First-Class Mail or Express Mail rate.

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3.0 Content Standards for Priority Mail

3.1 Eligibility

All mailable matter may be sent as Priority Mail, except matter prohibited by standards (e.g., certain hazardous materials).

3.2 Matter Required to be Mailed as First-Class Mail

Mailers have the option to use Express Mail service for mailpieces required to be mailed as First-Class Mail or Priority Mail. Unless Express Mail is used, Priority Mail rates are required for a mailpiece that weighs more than 13 ounces when the mailpiece contains matter that must be mailed as First-Class Mail. Complete descriptions of matter requiring the use of First-Class Mail are provided in 133.3.0.

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