USPS Rates
January 2026
The rates that actually matter for direct mail buyers across Southern California — with the BMEU drop notes nobody puts in the USPS Notice.
2026 USPS rates at a glance
| Mail class | Per-piece rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| First-Class Mail — 1 oz letter | $0.780 | Stamps; transactional and high-priority mail. |
| First-Class Mail — postcard | $0.610 | Up to 4.25" × 6" — most political 4×6 postcards. |
| First-Class Presort — letter | $0.626 | 500+ pieces, presorted; common for invoices, statements, fundraising. |
| Marketing Mail — letter (automation) | $0.336 | 200+ pieces; standard for commercial direct mail. |
| Marketing Mail — flat (automation) | $0.553 | 6"+ pieces; political mail, large postcards, self-mailers. |
| Nonprofit Marketing — letter | $0.197 | USPS Nonprofit authorization required; fundraising and renewal mail. |
| Nonprofit Marketing — flat | $0.328 | Authorized nonprofits; member magazines, appeals. |
| EDDM Retail | $0.213 | Every Door Direct Mail; up to 200 pieces per ZIP per day, no permit. |
| EDDM BMEU (permit imprint) | $0.205 | Permit imprint + bundle prep; deeper discount on larger drops. |
Source: USPS Notice 138 (pending PRC filing). Rates rounded to 3 decimals for planning.
Where we induct mail in Southern California
Standard induction point for SoCal mail; we choose the BMEU closest to your in-home window.
Standard induction point for SoCal mail; we choose the BMEU closest to your in-home window.
Standard induction point for SoCal mail; we choose the BMEU closest to your in-home window.
Standard induction point for SoCal mail; we choose the BMEU closest to your in-home window.
We induct mail at the BMEU closest to your target audience, not just the one closest to our dock. A piece printed in Buena Park for a Riverside drop inducts at Moreno Valley, not Santa Ana — saves a day of transit and tightens the in-home window.
- When do these rates take effect?
- USPS Notice 138 lists January 2026 as the effective date, pending Postal Regulatory Commission filing. Rates can be revised before the effective date — we update this page within 24 hours of any rate change.
- Which class should I use for political mail?
- Most California political mail goes Marketing Mail letter or flat (automation). Persuasion mail with a 7–10 day in-home window fits Marketing Mail; rush rapid-response and GOTV mail with a 3-day in-home window often shifts to First-Class Presort for speed.
- What's the cheapest way to mail nonprofit?
- USPS Nonprofit Marketing Mail at the automation letter rate is the cheapest authorized class — about half of standard Marketing Mail. You need a current PS Form 3624 nonprofit authorization for your permit before you can mail at this rate.
- Do I need to do anything to get the BMEU discount?
- Yes — pieces need to be presorted, addressed with full-service IMb (intelligent mail barcode), and inducted at a USPS Business Mail Entry Unit on a Mail.dat job ticket. We handle all of this in-house, so the BMEU rate is just what we quote.
Want exact postage on your job?
We'll quote your actual paper, class, and SoCal BMEU induction in writing within one business day.