Postcard Stamp Price 2026: $0.65, If Your Card Fits the Rules
A domestic postcard stamp costs $0.65, effective July 12, 2026, up from $0.61. A book of 20 costs $13.00. The rate itself is simple. What trips people up is whether the card in their hand actually qualifies for it.
The size limits decide whether your card qualifies
USPS charges the postcard rate only for cards inside a narrow set of dimensions. Miss any one of them and the card is treated as a letter.
| Requirement | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 3.5 in | 4.25 in |
| Length | 5 in | 6 in |
| Thickness | 0.007 in | 0.016 in |
| Shape | Rectangular | |
Oversized holiday cards are the usual casualty
A card that exceeds 4.25 by 6 inches, or one printed on heavy stock thicker than 0.016 inches, gets the First-Class letter rate of $0.82 instead. That is a $0.17 difference per card, which matters once you are mailing a hundred of them. If you are buying cards specifically to mail at the postcard rate, check the dimensions on the packaging before the design.
A Forever stamp works, and costs you $0.17 each time
Yes, you can put a Forever stamp on a postcard. It is worth $0.82 and the card needs $0.65, so USPS keeps the difference. On a single card nobody cares. On a run of holiday cards it is real money, and it is the main argument for buying postcard stamps rather than raiding the book of Forever stamps in the drawer.
Sending abroad is a different rate again. An international postcard needs the $1.75 Global Forever stamp, whatever the destination country.
Left with a part-used book after the cards go out
Postcard stamps are the ones most likely to be bought in bulk for one occasion and then forgotten. They do not expire, and unused ones in good condition still have resale value. We buy them from the public along with Forever stamps and older denominations, and pay within 3 business days of an accepted offer. Rates are on the sell unused stamps page.