First-Class Postage — What Exactly is First-Class Mail?

First-class postage is a type of mail which indicates the level of service a package or letter is supposed to receive from a postal service. Most folks in the US think that all mail is sent first-class and that the label is a kind of misnomer. That’s because most consumer-facing mail is sent this way. (In the UK, there’s an actual distinction between classes of postage for consumers, so it’s different.) You’re about to find out what first-class mail really is.

First-Class Postage and Other Classes of Mail

First-class mail gets higher priority in terms of delivery time over other classes of mail. While the USPS doesn’t explicitly break other types of mail into classes, there’s a rough hierarchy which can be broken down in to four main classes of mail:

  • First-class mail — Letters, postcards or packages up to 13 ounces qualify as first-class mail. Put a postage stamp on a standard letter and you can send it anywhere in the United States for the price of a stamp.
  • Second-class mail — Officially known as the “Periodical” class of mail. The USPS reserves second-class mail for newspapers magazines and any other periodical that is published more than four times a year at regular times. Special categories of periodical mail (eduction, nonprofits) get lower postage prices.
  • Third-class mail — The USPS calls third-class mail “Standard Mail.” Its bulk pricing is designed for catalogs, newsletters, flyers and advertising.
  • Fourth-class mail — Also known as “Media Mail,” fourth-class mail is an inexpensive way to ship educational materials. Books, film, audio recordings and even loose notes are eligible but delivery times can span up to 8 days because of the low priority.

It’s obvious, but most consumers wouldn’t encounter anything but first-class postage since the other classes of mail are primarily for businesses or special needs.

First Class Postage Rates

Pricing for first-class mail varies quite a bit but you can calculate all sorts of mail prices with this handy postage calculator. Basically, the price of a stamp is standard (keep track of that here on the homepage!) and that covers most first-class mail — all letters under one ounce in weight. The only exception is a postcard which you can mail for 32 cents. Other letters range in price based on weight up to about $1.

Flats and boxes range in postage price from about $1 to up to about $4, depending on how many ounces the item weighs, as long as it’s less than 13 ounces overall. This is why it’s best to just use a calculator.

How Long Does It Take?

According to the USPS, first-class mail takes two to three days to arrive with its recipient. Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee around this — so you won’t get your money back if it doesn’t get there in time. But some first-class mail arrives in only one day.

The postal service only factors their transportation into their estimate so other variables like when your mail gets picked up aren’t a part of the equation. To eliminate that issue, it’s best to drop mail directly at the post office. Official mail boxes or your own mailbox can have sporadic pick-up times so it’s harder to get a reliable timeframe using those methods of drop-off.

Another variable that can impact first-class postage delivery times are days that the postal service doesn’t operate. Sundays aren’t a working day for the post office. The USPS also observes the long list of federal holidays, which can add to delivery time. Exceptions like severe weather and high-volume seasons like Christmas can also cause delays.

In the UK, first-class mail is an actual delivery time upgrade over second-class and it’s priced likewise. The Royal Mail delivers mail with first-class postage the day after it’s sent — though, like in the US, this isn’t guaranteed.

Overall, you can get a lot more detailed information about prices, regulations and dimensions on first-class mail from the USPS here and here.

Stamp Price Increase — How to Prepare for the New Price of a Stamp

On January 27th, 2013, the US postal service will officially enact a brand new stamp price: 46 cents for a standard 1-ounce letter. A slew of other new postage increases are also a part of the change and they’re detailed here.

The same exact thing happened this week one year ago — a one-cent increase to the price of a stamp — so it’s pretty certain that every year around mid-January, you’ll have to scramble to take advantage of the imminent change. Make sure you’re not losing outĀ becauseĀ of the price change!

What You Need to Do Before the Price of a Stamps Goes Up

Stock up on forever stamps: Now’s your last chance to grab forever stamps for the lower price of 45 cents. Forever stamps are always valid for mailing a letter regardless of future postage increases — they’re always good for mailing a standard 1-ounce letter. However, because of the price adjustment, buying a single forever stamp will cost one cent more. A roll of 100 stamps next week will cost a dollar more. If the price of a stamp increases at the same rate, in a decade, that same roll could cost about $10 more. Buying stamps now, especially if you do a lot of mailing, will save some cash and hassle in the long run.

Use up your old stamps: If you still have official 45-cent stamps that aren’t labelled “forever” (most novelty, collectable or themed stamps aren’t forever stamps) you need to use them quickly! Send out your bills early or drop other letters you’ve been procrastinating on in the mail. Even though the price of a stamp officially changes on Sunday, since many corner mailboxes aren’t serviced on Sundays, there’s a short implicit “grace period.” If you can get your mail in the box on Monday, January 28th, it will probably reach its destination — just make sure you’ve listed a return address just in case. So, you’ve got time. If you have any leftover stamps on Monday, you’re still in luck. The USPS offers one-cent stamps which you can also add to the corner of a letter to bring your postage total up to the new 46-cent requirement.