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Postcard mailing regulations are often very confusing. If regulations are not followed correctly, the United States Post Office (USPS) will reject the postcard and return it. It is very important to know what regulations apply and to what type of postcard special regulations apply.

In general, the USPS does not regulate placement of any content found on the front of the postcard. The regulations exist to ensure standard compliance in regards to placement of stamps, addresses, and content on the back of the postcard.
 

General Postcard Regulations

1. All stamps should be placed in the right top corner of the postcard. If the stamp is placed anywhere other than this corner of the postcard, the postcard will be rejected by USPS.

2. No rounded corners are allowed on postcards. USPS will reject any postcard that does not have a straight corner on each side of the postcard.

3. The bottom 3/4" of the postcard should be left blank for postal barcodes. The only thing USPS accepts on the bottom 3/4" of a postcard is a 7% or less solid greyscale color. If the barcode cannot be read, however, USPS will reject the postcard. It is best to leave the bottom 3/4" of the postcard completely blank.

4. A 5/8" space should be left between the right side and the mailing address. If needed, text can be closer, but it is recommended by USPS to leave a 5/8" space for readability and control reasons.

5. USPS recommends placing a return mailing address in the top left corner of the postcard. While USPS often accepts postcards with return mailing addresses in other locations, the best practice is to place it in the top left corner.

6. The post office will scan postcards from bottom to top. Additionally, USPS reads the first five digits on the postcard. For this reason, it is recommended to place the mailing address below the return address, so the mailing address is read first. This practice minimizes postcard return and rejection.

7. It is not recommended to place an address on the left side of the postcard. The left side of the postcard is typically where content goes, and is placed next to the mailing address. If an address is placed in both the right and left sides, USPS will typically return the postcard because it cannot determine which address is the proper mailing address. To reduce rejection, do not place an address in the content area of the left side of the postcard.
 

The Standard 4.25 Inch By 6 Inch Postcard

The most common size postcard is 4.25 inches by 6 inches. The perk of this postcard size is the postage discount received in conjunction with the size. As of 2010, a 4.25 inch by 6 inch postcard requires twenty-eight cents in postage. USPS sells twenty-eight cent stamps to make this amount easy to obtain with one stamp.

International rates for the standard postcard size of 4.25 inches by 6 inches varies depending on the destination. Common rates include 75 cents postage for U.S. to Canada, 79 cents for U.S. to Mexico, and 98 cents to other countries.

Other Sizes of Postcards

USPS only allows First Class mail postcards with a length between 5 inches and 6 inches, a height between 3 ½ inches and 4 ¼ inches, and a thickness between .007 inch and .0016 inch. Standard mail, for an increased postage price, allows postcards to be as large as 6 inches by 11 inches. The same thickness requirements apply for the larger postcard sizes.

Standard mail (previously known as bulk mail) requires at least 200 pieces at the time of mailing. It is recommended by USPS to allow up to three weeks for standard mail pieces to be delivered.

Updated April 8, 2010
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