How Much Does It Cost to Mail a Letter?

Mailing a 1-ounce letter with a stamp costs $0.82, according to USPS Price List Notice 123 (edition effective October 4, 2026). One Forever stamp covers it. The stamped price was $0.78 in the edition effective April 26, 2026 and $0.82 in the edition effective July 12, 2026. Prices for heavier letters, large envelopes, postcards and international mail are below; the stamp calculator turns any of them into a number of stamps.

Maintained by Archie Chang · Reviewed November 2, 2026 · Methodology & sources

Not an official source. FedRateCalc is independent and is not affiliated with the U.S. Postal Service. The prices come from the USPS price list; USPS.com and your Post Office are authoritative.

When the price changed

Notice 123 shows $0.78 for a stamped 1-ounce letter in the edition effective April 26, 2026 and $0.82 in the edition effective July 12, 2026; the edition effective October 4, 2026 shows $0.82 too. The Postal Regulatory Commission’s notice of the filing gave the date:

“DATES: Effective July 12, 2026.”

USPS final rule, Federal Register, June 2, 2026, DATES (Federal Register, USPS final rule, New Mailing Standards for Domestic Mailing Services Products (June 2, 2026))

“On May 27, 2026, the PRC favorably reviewed the price adjustments proposed by the Postal Service. The price adjustments and DMM revisions are scheduled to become effective on July 12, 2026. Final prices are available under Docket No. R2026-1 (Order No. 9584) on the Postal Regulatory Commission's website at www.prc.gov.”

USPS final rule, Federal Register, June 2, 2026, Supplementary Information (Federal Register, USPS final rule, New Mailing Standards for Domestic Mailing Services Products (June 2, 2026))

“The intended effective date for the planned price adjustments is July 12, 2026.”

Postal Regulatory Commission, Docket No. R2026-1, Order No. 9512, Federal Register, April 14, 2026 (Federal Register, Postal Regulatory Commission Order No. 9512, Market Dominant Price Adjustment (April 14, 2026))

Letters by weight

Stamped letters are the price for a letter with stamps on it; metered letters have postage printed by a postage meter.

Weight not over	Stamped	Forever stamps	Metered
1 ounce	$0.82	1	$0.78
2 ounces	$1.11	2	$1.07
3 ounces	$1.40	2	$1.36
3.5 ounces	$1.69	3	$1.65

The Forever stamp count is arithmetic: the stamped price divided by the 1-ounce stamped price, rounded up. Postage is charged by the ounce or fraction of an ounce:

“First-Class Mail - Per ounce or fraction thereof; any fraction of an ounce is considered a whole ounce. For example, if a piece weighs 0.5 ounces, the weight (postage) increment is 1 ounce.”

Domestic Mail Manual 133.1.2, Price Computation (Domestic Mail Manual 133, Prices and Eligibility (retail First-Class Mail); archived copy)

Over the top of this table a letter-size piece pays large envelope prices:

“For weights over 3.5 ounces, see Large Envelopes prices.”

Notice 123, footnote 4 to Letters (Stamped) (USPS Price List, Notice 123 (edition effective October 4, 2026); archived copy)

Large envelopes by weight

Weight not over	Price	Forever stamps
1 ounce	$1.69	3
2 ounces	$1.98	3
3 ounces	$2.27	3
4 ounces	$2.56	4
5 ounces	$2.85	4
6 ounces	$3.14	4
7 ounces	$3.43	5
8 ounces	$3.72	5
9 ounces	$4.02	5
10 ounces	$4.32	6
11 ounces	$4.62	6
12 ounces	$4.93	7
13 ounces	$5.24	7

This table ends where the First-Class Mail weight limit ends; pieces that fail the large envelope tests pay parcel prices, which are not shown here:

“Large envelope-sized pieces that are rigid, nonrectangular, or not uniformly thick pay parcel prices.”

Notice 123, footnote 2 to Large Envelopes (Flats) (USPS Price List, Notice 123 (edition effective October 4, 2026); archived copy)

Postcards

A domestic postcard costs $0.65. An international postcard costs $1.75 to Canada, $1.75 to Mexico and $1.75 to all other countries.

“Each card and part of a double card claimed at card pricing must be:”
Rectangular.
Not less than 3-1/2 inches high, 5 inches long, and 0.007 inch thick.
Not more than 4-1/4 inches high, or more than 6 inches long, or greater than 0.016 inch thick.
Not more than 3.5 ounces (Charge flat-size prices for First-Class Mail card-type pieces over 3.5 ounces.)

Domestic Mail Manual 101.6.2.2, Postcard Dimensions (Domestic Mail Manual 101, Physical Standards; archived copy)

“Ineligible cards are subject to letter-size pricing.”

Domestic Mail Manual 101.6.2.1, Card Price (Domestic Mail Manual 101, Physical Standards; archived copy)

International letters by price group

Weight not over	Group 1 (Canada)	Group 2 (Mexico)	Group 3–5	Group 6–9
1 ounce	$1.75	$1.75	$1.75	$1.75
2 ounces	$2.35	$2.60	$3.50	$3.50
3 ounces	$2.95	$3.50	$5.25	$5.25
3.5 ounces	$3.50	$4.15	$5.75	$5.75

Canada is price group 1 and Mexico is price group 2. USPS lists the group of every other country on its Postal Explorer country page.

Nonmachinable surcharge

Some letters pay $0.49 more. The characteristics that trigger it are listed on the stamp calculator page. Notice 123 says:

“Letters that meet one or more of the nonmachinable characteristics in DMM 101.1.2 are subject to the $0.49 nonmachinable surcharge.”

Notice 123, footnote 1 to Letters (Stamped) (USPS Price List, Notice 123 (edition effective October 4, 2026); archived copy)

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to mail a letter?

Mailing a 1-ounce letter with a stamp costs $0.82 as of USPS Price List Notice 123 (edition effective October 4, 2026). A Forever stamp is worth that price, so one Forever stamp covers a 1-ounce letter. When we checked on November 2, 2026, USPS.com's price page also listed letter stamps from $0.82.

How much does it cost to mail a letter that weighs more than 1 ounce?

Stamped letters cost $1.11 up to 2 ounces, $1.40 up to 3 ounces, $1.69 up to 3.5 ounces as of USPS Price List Notice 123 (edition effective October 4, 2026). Each ounce or fraction of an ounce counts as a whole ounce. A letter-size piece over 3.5 ounces pays large envelope prices, so a 4-ounce piece costs $2.56 and the price rises to $5.24 for 13 ounces.

Is it cheaper to mail a letter with a postage meter than with a stamp?

A metered 1-ounce letter costs $0.78 and a stamped one $0.82 as of USPS Price List Notice 123 (edition effective October 4, 2026), a difference of $0.04 (arithmetic). The metered price is lower at each weight up to 3.5 ounces.

How much does it cost to mail a large envelope?

A large envelope (flat) costs $1.69 up to 1 ounce, $2.27 up to 3 ounces and $5.24 up to 13 ounces as of USPS Price List Notice 123 (edition effective October 4, 2026). Pieces that are rigid, nonrectangular or not uniformly thick pay parcel prices, which are not in this table.

How much does it cost to mail a postcard?

A domestic postcard costs $0.65 as of USPS Price List Notice 123 (edition effective October 4, 2026). An international postcard costs $1.75 to Canada, Mexico and all other countries. A card that does not meet the card standards is subject to letter-size pricing (Domestic Mail Manual 101.6.2.1).

How much does it cost to mail a letter to another country?

A 1-ounce international letter costs $1.75 in every price group as of USPS Price List Notice 123 (edition effective October 4, 2026). A 2-ounce letter costs $2.35 to Canada, $2.60 to Mexico and $3.50 to countries in price groups 3 to 9, depending on the country. A Global Forever stamp is worth the 1-ounce price.

What did it cost to mail a letter before July 12, 2026?

Notice 123 showed $0.78 for a stamped 1-ounce letter in the edition effective April 26, 2026 and $0.82 in the edition effective July 12, 2026. The Postal Regulatory Commission notice of April 14, 2026 gave July 12, 2026 as the intended effective date. The stamped price in the edition effective October 4, 2026 is the same $0.82.

Use the stamp count calculator to turn postage into stamps. Before you go, check whether the Post Office is open, whether mail is delivered or the 2026 USPS holidays.