Envelopes & Postal Standards
Envelopes
How to Size Up an Envelope
For best results envelopes should be at least 1/2 longer than the longest insert. It is recommended that the clearance be no less than 1/4 on the top and bottom.
Anatomy of an Envelope
Closure Designation
Open Side The opening and seal flap are located along the long dimension of an envelope.
Open End The opening and seal flap are located along the short dimension of an envelope.
Standard Envelopes Styles
Commercial and Official Booklet Ticket Window Remittance Policy Catalog Metal Clasp Announcement or A Style Wallet Flap Business Announcement and Baronial Coin
Commercial and Official Standard correspondence-style envelopes. They have open-sided construction with gummed flaps. Commercial sizes range from no. 5 to no. 6 3/4. Official sizes range from no. 7 to no. 14
Booklet For use with booklet, folders and other types of direct mail. Open-sided design.
Ticket Open-sided envelope used for theater tickets. Often printed with advertising.
Window Permits name and address typed on the enclosure to show through the window.
Remittance Large flap can be printed to contain any message. Often used for returning payments. Used for coupons, credit information, applications, statements, etc.
Policy Primary used for insurance policies. Open end construction. Also used for mortgages, and other legal papers.
Catalog Open end construction with wide seams and heavy gummed flaps. It provides good protection for mailing of catalogs, magazines & reports.
Metal Clasp Strong and durable. Ideal for mailing bulky papers and heavy publications. Open end construction with both a gummed seal flap and a metal clasp for added security.
Announcement or A Style Open side envelope with double side seam construction and a square flap. Made for use with a wide range of matching text and cover papers.
Wallet Flap Open side envelope with a deep flap and extra wide gummed area offers protection to the enclosure. Mostly used by banks or investment firms for mailing documents.
Business Announcement and Baronial Open side formal envelope with deep, pointed flaps and diagonal seams. Widely used for invitations, formal announcements and greeting cards.
Coin Small, open end construction with a center seam used for paper currency as well as coins by banks and corporations.
Postal Standards
Postcard Letter Large Envelope Package
Postcard Rectangular Card stock No envelope First Class Mail Postcards Minimum size: 5 inches (length) 3.5 inches (height).007 inch thick First Class Mail Postcards Maximum size: 6 inches (length) 4.25 inches (height).016 inch thick First Class Mail Large Postcards Maximum size: 11.5 inches (length) 6.125 inches (height).25 inch thick
Letter Small Rectangular First Class Mail Letter Minimum size: 3.5 inches (length) 6.125 inches (height).007 inch thick First Class Mail Letter Maximum size: 11.5 inches (length) 6.125 inches (height).25 inch thick
Letter Small Rectangular Square Envelope The minimum size for a square envelope is 5" x 5". Square letters are subject to the nonmachinable surcharge. Letters that meet one or more of the nonmachinable characteristics below are subject to the nonmachinable surcharge. It is a square letter It is too rigid does not bend easily It has clasps, string, buttons, or similar closure devices It has an address parallel to the shorter dimension of the letter It contains items such as pens that cause the surface to be uneven The length divided by height is less than 1.3 or more than 2.5
Letter Delivery Address Placement On a letter-size piece, the recommended address placement is within the optical character reader (OCR) read area, which is a space on the address side of the mail piece defined by these boundaries. a.left: 1/2 inch from the left edge of the piece. b. Right: 1/2 inch from the right edge of the piece. c. Top: 2-3/4 inches from the bottom edge of the piece. d. Bottom: 5/8 inch from the bottom edge of the piece.
Large Envelope Rectangular Flat First Class Mail Letter Minimum size: 11.5 inches (length) 6.125 inches (height).25 inch thick First Class Mail Letter Maximum size: 15 inches (length) 12 inches (height).75 inch thick
Large Envelope Rectangular Flat Large envelopes that are rigid, nonrectangular, or not uniformly thick pay package prices. For large envelopes, length is the longest dimension. For larger items, see package prices.
Package 3-D Box Thick Envelope Tube
MERLIN https://www.usps.com/merlin/
Business Mail 101 http://pe.usps.com/businessmail101/
Mailpiece Design Analyst Mailpiece Design Analysts are specially trained U.S. Postal Service employees who are available at business mail entry units to answer questions. A Mailpiece Design Analyst can: Provide technical assistance on mailpiece design for printers, graphic designers, envelope manufacturers, and advertising agencies. Help you design mailpieces that adhere to Postal Service standards and requirements for automated rates. Test paper and mailpiece samples for thickness, color, flexibility, and barcode tolerances. Analyze Optical Character Recognition (OCR) readability of your prospective and actual mailpieces. Help you with the online Business Reply Mail tool.
Mailpiece Design Analyst The Mailpiece Design Analyst(s) for the '958' Service Area is(are): DANNY WALKER UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE 3101 W SUNFLOWER AVE SANTA ANA CA 92799-9323 Phone Number: 714-327-6527 Fax Number: 714-556-1492 Email Address: danny.r.walker@usps.gov