What Are Non-Machinable Stamps?
What Are Non-Machinable Stamps? (Meaning, Value + More)
Mail sorting machines are a key part of USPS’s efficiency. These machines are capable of sorting up to 36,000 pieces per hour. While they work best when standard-sized mail arrives, what do you do?
Mailpieces that don’t fit into machines need to have their stamps hand-canceled. This takes longer, not surprising.
What are non-machinable stamps?
USPS issues non-machinable stamps to cover domestic postage for First-Class mailpieces not meeting the specified sizing requirements. Some examples of non-Machinable goods include square greeting cards, stiff letters or letters containing keys or pens. These items are too large to fit in sorting machines so they must be hand cancelled.
What is Non-Machinable mail?
Prior to diving into the Non-Machinable Stamps, you should have some knowledge about non-Machinable mail.
Simply put, non-machinable mail refers to mail pieces that USPS cannot sort because of their irregular shape or size.
However, the most commonly used type of greeting card is square. Further, USPS considers a standard-sized letter to be:
At least 3 1/2 inches high x 5 inches long x 0.007 inches thick.
Not more than 6 1/2 inches tall x 11 1/2″ long x 1/4″ thick
So, letters that don’t meet these criteria slow down and sometimes even jam machines.
To avoid any mechanical issues, USPS employees remove unusually-sized mail and hand-cancel the stamps.
Hand sorting takes more time than machine sorting. USPS adds a surcharge to mail that isn’t standard in size (i.e. Non-Machinable mail)
What is the non-machhinable surcharge to first-class mail
As stated above, special-shaped and oversized mailpieces should be dealt with outside of standard automated mail processes.
In the majority of cases they are hand-sorted at USPS by employees. Because this makes them more difficult to process, there is a surcharge.
USPS does add a Non Machinable surcharge to First Class Mail when it receives any of the following:
Presently, the non-machinable surcharge for this item is $0.30
Forever USPS Stamps (Sheet Of 20) $13.75 Amazon offers a large selection of Firstclass, Forever and Special Delivery stamps. Certain orders can be shipped same day or next-day. Amazon Shop Now We will earn a commission for every purchase you make, and it’s free.
What are the costs of non-machinable Stamps?
Non-Machinable stamps currently sell at $0.88. That’s $0.30 higher than the standard-sized First Class letters.
Are Non-Machinable Stamps Forever Stamps?
Stamps bearing the “Non-Machinable Sucharge” on the back will remain valid as long as they are in use.
In other words, if you buy Non-Machinable stamps today and USPS increases the price tomorrow, you’ll still be able to use the stamps you purchased even though you paid less than the current value.
Are Non-Machinable stamps allowed on regular mail?
Technically speaking, yes, you can use Non-Machinable stamps for regular mail.
Non-Machinable stamps will cover the First class postage for a letter of one-ounce plus any non-Machinable surcharge.
If your letter is of standard size, you don’t need to pay the surcharge. Therefore, if you use a Non-Machinable stamp on your letter, you’ll be overpaying for no reason.
You can use 2 Forever stamps if you don’t own a Non-Machinable stamp
You can buy two Forever Stamps in order to pay the Non-Machinable surcharge. Forever Stamps now cost $0.58. That’s $1.16 of postage if you add them all together.
Additional, Non-Machinable Stamps can be purchased for $0.88. Two Forever Stamps are more than sufficient postage to pay the surcharge.
So, while you can use multiple Forever Stamps instead of a Non-Machinable stamp, you’ll be overpaying for postage.
A Non-Machinable stamp makes financial sense if one is available.
You can find non-machinable stamps in many places.
Purchase Non-Machinable Stamps can be purchased at any local Post Office or on the USPS Website. You also have the option to call 1-800-STAMP-24 (1 800 782-6724).
Individual stamps can be purchased if bought in-person. However, if you are buying Non-Machinable stamps online or over the phone, you’ll need to buy a sheet of 20.
What Are the Costs of Non-Machinable Stamps
Currently, Non-Machinable stamps sell for $0.88 each, which includes the $0.58 First-Class postage fee plus the $0.30 Non-Machinable surcharge.
For $17.60, you can get a 20-sheet sheet of Non-Machinable Stamps.
How do non-machinable stamps look?
These stamps may also be known as butterfly stamps.
This collaboration was initiated by the Greeting card Association and USPS in 2010.
Both organizations also wanted to help consumers know whether they had enough postage for their heavy or unusually-shaped envelopes.
The USPS also agreed to include butterflies on its non-machinable stamps. Meanwhile, greeting card companies began printing an icon of a butterfly on any cards that required a non-machinable stamp.
USPS currently offers two butterfly stamps. The one featuring the California Dogface is shown, and the other shows the Colorado Hairstreak.
These stamps, in addition to the butterfly design, also include “USA”, the non-machinable surcharge ” and the release year.
Our posts about military stamps as well as priority mail and semi-postal postal stamps will help you to understand more.
USPS has Non-Machinable stamps that can help you send an original wedding invitation or a funny birthday card.
Are Non-machinable letters more costly?
A nonmachinable mailpiece is a mailpiece that must be sorted outside of the standard, automated mail process. Because it is more expensive to processes these mailpieces, a surcharge applies to them.
How much is a butterfly non-machinable stamp worth?
Dec 31, 2009
Which Non-Machinable Stamps Are Worth How Much?
2-ounces
What Is the Value of the Butterfly Stamp in 2021
The price of an extra ounce will remain unchanged at 20 cents. The surcharge for non-standard square-shaped cards will increase from 20 to 30 cents. So, the Butterfly Stamps will be priced at 88 cents. June 1, 2020
.What Are Non-Machinable Stamps? (Meaning, Value + More)