USPS® Presort postage overview
2021 rates and bulk mail savings opportunities for high-volume mailers
Saving with presort and automation discounts
- Presort and Automation bulk mail services offer significant savings over the cost of retail mailing rates.
- To qualify for Presort and Automation discounts, you must pre-sort your similar-sized mailings by zip code prior to sending.
- Automation refers to bulk mail that is pre-sorted and uses the USPS Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb). Automation rates offer high-volume mailers the deepest discounts available for letters, cards and flats.
- There are multiple ways to take advantage of bulk mail Automation rates.
Postage discounts with Pitney Bowes Presort Services
- In addition to offering access to bulk mail discounts, Pitney Bowes Presort Services help you improve delivery times and gain more visibility and control of your mailings.
- Update your mailing workflow with Pitney Bowes First-Class Mail Presort or Presort Xtra™.
- Execute more effective campaigns with Pitney Bowes Marketing Mail® Presort.
- Speak to one of our Presort representatives to explore the right plan to save with Presort/Automation bulk mail services.
Presort savings with Pitney Bowes Mailstream on Demand service
- Outsource critical mailings with Pitney Bowes’ print-to-mail service Mailstream On Demand.
- Focus on your business while Mailstream On Demand accurately prints, folds, inserts and sends your mailings for items like bills, invoices, statements.
- Send critical mailings on time
- Bulk mailing for First-Class Mail Letters and First-Class Flats
Using software for presort discounts
- First-Class Mail Automation rates with PlanetPress Connect.
- Presort your address lists, complete with address corrections and move update with ConnectRight® Mailer
To qualify for Automation bulk mail rates when doing it yourself with SaaS or software, your mail must meet certain criteria:
- Minimum volume requirement of 200 pieces for USPS Marketing Mail and 500 pieces for First-Class Mail.
- Mail must include an IMb encoded with the correct delivery point routing code on each piece in the address block or in the barcode clear zone.
- The addresses must be checked and CASS-certified within the last 180 days.
- A complete address with the correct ZIP Code, ZIP+4 code or numeric equivalent to the delivery point barcode (DPBC).
- A specific and similar shape and size.
- No more than 3.5 oz. for automation USPS Marketing Mail and USPS Marketing Mail Carrier Route.
First Class Mail bulk mail presort/automation letters & cards August 2021 rates
The following tables list the USPS rate changes and pricing effective August 29, 2021 for First-Class Mail Letters Commercial rates
New for August 2021:
- 5 Digit Spread for First Class Letters to Increases from 3.0 cents to 3.5 cents per piece
- Thanks to some substantial improvements in the regulatory process, the USPS was required to significantly increase the workshare discount for sorting mail from the AADC to the 5 Digit sortation level.
- AADC and Mixed AADC discounts created for NonAutomation Machinable Commercial Letters.
| 2021 Rates |
Automation Machinable |
Machinable | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight not over (oz.) |
5-Digit |
AADC |
Mixed AADC |
AADC | Mixed AADC |
|
| 1 | $0.426 |
$0.461 |
$0.485 |
$0.494 | $0.461 |
|
| 2 | $0.426 |
$0.461 |
$0.485 |
$0.494 | $0.461 | |
| 3 | $0.426 |
$0.461 |
$0.485 |
$0.494 | $0.461 | |
| 3.5 | $0.426 |
$0.461 |
$0.485 |
$0.494 | $0.461 | |
| Savings per Thousand pieces |
Automation |
Machinable | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight not over (oz.) |
5-Digit |
AADC |
5-Digit |
AADC | Mixed AADC |
|
| 1 | $104.00 |
$69.00 |
$45.00 |
$36.00 |
$69.00 |
|
| 2 | $304.00 |
$269.00 |
$245.00 |
$236.00 |
$269.00 |
|
| 3 | $504.00 |
$469.00 |
$445.00 |
$436.00 | $469.00 |
|
| 3.5 | $704.00 |
$669.00 |
$645.00 |
$636.00 | $669.00 |
|
| 2021 Rates |
Automation |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-Digit |
AADC |
Mixed AADC |
||
| Postcard |
$0.306 |
$0.318 |
$0.326 |
|
| Savings per Thousand pieces |
Automation |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-Digit |
AADC |
Mixed AADC |
||
| Postcard |
$94.00 |
$82.00 |
$74.00 |
|
First-Class Mail - Commercial – Flats August 2021 rates
The following tables list the USPS rate changes and pricing effective August 29, 2021 for First-Class Mail Flats Commercial rates
| 2021 Rates |
Automation Machinable |
Non-Auto |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-Digit |
3-Digit |
ADC |
Mixed ADC | Presorted | ||
| 1 |
$0.555 |
$0.730 |
$0.783 |
$0.891 |
$1.000 |
|
| 2 | $0.755 |
$0.930 |
$0.983 |
$1.091 |
$1.200 |
|
| 3 | $0.955 |
$1.130 |
$1.183 |
$1.291 |
$1.400 |
|
| 4 | $1.155 |
$1.330 |
$1.383 |
$1.491 |
$1.600 |
|
| 5 | $1.355 |
$1.530 |
$1.583 |
$1.691 |
$1.800 |
|
| 6 | $1.555 |
$1.730 |
$1.783 |
$1.891 |
$2.000 |
|
| 7 | $1.755 |
$1.930 |
$1.983 |
$2.091 |
$2.200 |
|
| 8 | $1.955 |
$2.130 |
$2.183 |
$2.291 |
$2.400 |
|
| 9 | $2.155 |
$2.330 |
$2.383 |
$2.491 | $2.600 |
|
| 10 | $2.355 |
$2.530 |
$2.583 |
$2.691 |
$2.800 |
|
| 11 | $2.555 |
$2.730 |
$2.783 |
$2.891 |
$3.000 |
|
| 12 | $2.755 |
$2.930 |
$2.983 |
$3.091 |
$3.200 |
|
| 13 | $2.955 |
$3.130 |
$3.183 |
$3.291 |
$3.400 |
|
| Weight not over (oz.) |
5-Digit |
3-Digit | ADC | Mixed ADC |
Presorted | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-13 oz. | $605.00 |
$430.00 |
$377.00 |
$269.00 |
$160.00 |
|
Marketing Mail Letters postage rate changes for 2021
The following tables list the USPS rate changes and pricing that effective August 29, 2021 for Marketing bulk mail services (Commercial).
| 3.5 oz. or less |
Carrier Route |
Automation |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Point | Saturation |
High Density Plus |
High Density |
Basic | 5-Digit Scheme | AADC | Presorted | |
| None |
$0.197 |
$0.210 |
$0.239 |
$0.332 |
$0.277 |
$0.309 |
$0.330 |
|
| DNDC | $0.172 |
$0.182 |
$0.200 | $0.275 | $0.239 | $0.265 | $0.309 |
|
| BSCF | $0.172 |
$0.185 |
$0.214 |
$0.308 |
$0.250 |
$0.282 |
- | |
| DDU | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 3.5 oz. or less | Carrier Route |
Automation |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Point |
Saturation |
High Density Plus |
High Density |
Basic | 5-Digit Scheme | AADC | Mixed AADC | |
| 1 |
$333.00 |
$320.00 |
$291.00 |
$198.00 |
$253.00 |
$221.00 |
$200.00 |
|
| 2 | $354.00 |
$341.00 |
$312.00 |
$219.00 |
$274.00 |
$242.00 |
$221.00 |
|
| 3 | $358.00 |
$345.00 |
$316.00 |
$222.00 |
$280.00 |
$248.00 |
- |
|
| 3.5 | - |
- |
- |
- |
- | - |
- |
|
| 3.5 oz. or less |
Carrier Route |
Automation |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Point | Saturation |
High Density Plus |
High Density |
Basic | 5-Digit Scheme | AADC | Mixed AADC |
|
| None |
$0.117 |
$0.125 |
$0.153 |
$0.246 |
$0.146 |
$0.178 |
$0.199 |
|
| DNDC | $0.096 |
$0.104 |
$0.132 |
$0.225 |
$0.125 |
$0.157 |
$0.178 |
|
| BSCF | $0.092 |
$0.100 |
$0.128 |
$0.222 |
$0.119 |
$0.151 |
- | |
| DDU | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 3.5 oz. or less | Carrier Route |
Automation |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry Point |
Saturation |
High Density Plus |
High Density |
Basic | 5-Digit Scheme | AADC | Mixed AADC | |
| 1 |
$413.00 |
$405.00 |
$377.00 |
$284.00 |
$384.00 |
$352.00 |
$331.00 |
|
| 2 | $434.00 |
$426.00 |
$398.00 |
$305.00 |
$405.00 |
$373.00 |
$352.00 |
|
| 3 | $438.00 |
$430.00 |
$402.00 |
$308.00 |
$411.00 |
$379.00 |
- |
|
| 3.5 | - |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- | |
Presort solutions to consider
Mailstream On Demand
Our print and mailing outsourcing service provides flexibility, security, and cost control so you can concentrate on growing your business and not the mail.
Ecommerce and retail solutions
Increase the impact of your mail while simplifying USPS® compliance requirements.
Drive down costs and improve mail efficiency with mail presort services from Pitney Bowes. Automate bound and packet mail processing and improve delivery.
