Package Services overview
Package Services are a Domestic product previously known as Fourth-Class Mail. Package Services provide economical ground shipping options for packages which may contain merchandise, catalogs, printed and other media material. Personal correspondence is not to be included in Package Services items.
Note: Package Services are not sealed against postal inspection. The mailing of articles at any of the options listed as Package Services prices constitutes consent by the mailer to postal inspection of the contents. Contents not found in compliance are subject to First-Class Mail® pricing.
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What mailing options are available as Package Services?
Package Services consist of 3 mailing options:
- Media Mail® - Books, sheet music, printed educational material, film, videocassettes, and computer prerecorded media such as CD-ROMs. Advertising restrictions apply. This product is available at the Retail counter and BME (Bulk Mail Entry Unit) with authorization.
- Library Mail - Items sent to or from or exchanged between academic institutions (schools), public libraries, museums, and other authorized organizations. Books, sound recordings, and academic theses. This product is not available at the Retail Counter and requires BME (Bulk Mail Entry Unit) authorization.
- Bound Printed Matter Service - Consists of permanently bound sheets of which at least 90% are printed with advertising, promotional, directory, or editorial matter (or a combination of such matter). This product is not available at the Retail counter. BME (Bulk Mail Entry Unit) requires authorization.
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What are the Benefits of Using Package Services?
Package Service shipping options offer a variety of economy shipping solutions for customers who are making their shipping decision based on cost savings without sacrificing value and reliability.
- Package Services are categorized into one of three mail processing categories: machinable, irregular, or nonmachinable. These categories are based on the physical dimensions of the piece, regardless of the placement (orientation) of the delivery address on the piece.
- No mailpiece may weigh more than 70 pounds. Bound Printed Matter may not weigh more than 15 pounds.
- Delivery to every address in the US including PO Boxes and military addresses.
- Saturday and residential delivery is available at no extra cost.
- Extra Services, such as Insurance, USPS Tracking® and Signature Confirmation™ are available for an additional fee.
- Media Mail, Library Mail and Bound Printed Matter prices are based on weight only.
- Package Service items can be up to 108" in combined length and girth.
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Estimated delivery time for Package Services:
- The general time standard is typically 2-8 business days in the 48 contiguous states. Package Services is not a guaranteed service; delivery by a certain date or time is not available.
- Estimated delivery time between Alaska / Hawaii / Puerto Rico / APO-FPO’s and the contiguous 48 states is calculated by entering the origin and destination information into the Postage Price Calculator located in USPS.com®.
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IMPORTANT: The timeliness of service to destinations outside the contiguous U.S. may be affected by the limited availability of transportation. Due to the variability of transportation, Package Services packages may take up to three to five weeks to reach Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico and any U.S. Territories.
- This includes ZIP Codes™ with prefixes of 967 and 969 and those with the following prefixes: 995, 996, 997, 998, 999, 968, 006, 007, 008, and 009.
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Transit times to Military APO/FPO/DPO will vary depending on operational conditions and the unit of the addressee. Get more information on MPO transit times here.
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