Flats (USPS)

The United States Postal Service uses the words "flats" and "nonletters" interchangeably to refer to large envelopes, newsletters, and magazines.

Size restrictions

To fit the definition a flat must:

Have one dimension that is greater than 6-1/8 inches high OR 11-½ inches long (the side parallel to the address as read) OR ¼ inch thick.
Be no more than 12 inches high x 15 inches long x ¾ inch thick.
Weigh no more than 13 ounces.

Furthermore, the item must be somewhat bendable: see the USPS Domestic Mail Manual for exact details. This general rule does not apply to: Automation rate flats and Standard Mail Enhanced Carrier Route flats.

Postage

The maximum size for a flat provides plenty of room to put lots of material in the envelope. An issue, however, is that the higher the weight the higher the postage, especially for First-Class Mail.

External links and references

Domestic Mail Manual 101.2 Flats Physical Standards

United States Postal Service

Organizations	American Letter Mail Company American Postal Workers Union Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service Bureau of Transportation Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee National Alliance of Postal and Federal Employees National Association of Letter Carriers National Association of Presort Mailers National Postal Mail Handlers Union National Rural Letter Carriers' Association Postal Regulatory Commission Postal Transportation Service PostalWatch Incorporated United States Postal Inspection Service United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General

Systems	Address Management System Advanced Facer-Canceler System Coding Accuracy Support System Flats Sequencing System Locatable Address Conversion System United States Postal Savings System

Services	Click-N-Ship Express mail in the United States National Change Of Address Permit mail Permit Reply Mail Postal notes Railway Mail Service Registered mail Special Delivery Special handling

Facilities	Air Mail Facility Boat Railway Post Office Community post office Dead letter office Highway Post Office J. W. Westcott II List of United States Post Offices National Postal Museum Network Distribution Center Railway mail service library Red Brick Roads Sectional center facility Streetcar Railway Post Office Terminal Railway Post Office

Legal	Comstock laws Post Office Act Postal Reorganization Act Postal Service Act Private Express Statutes Rural Post "Good" Roads Act of 1916 Title 39 of the United States Code

Related	Airmails of the United States CAR-RT SORT Catcher pouch Cimarron Redoubt Domestic Mail Manual Facing Identification Mark Flats Information-Based Indicia The Inspectors Intelligent Mail barcode Label 228 List of postal killings List of U.S. state abbreviations List of United States airmail stamps Mail bag Mail cover Mail hook Mail Isolation Control and Tracking Mail jumping Mail pouch Mail sack Mail satchel The Mail Story Nixie ORM-D Owney (dog) Pony Express mochila Postage stamps and postal history of the United States Postal Alpha Numeric Encoding Technique Postal Clause Postal worker Postmaster General Prohibitory Order Remote Bar Coding System Rural Free Delivery Rural letter carrier STD-4C United States post office murals List of murals USPS Post Office Box Lobby Recycling program United States Postal Service creed

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