UK Postage Rates For Envelope Sizes

British postage rates are dependent on the size of the envelope being mailed, with small envelope postage rate being the lowest and large envelope postage rate and package/parcel rates being more expensive. See also American Envelope Sizes & Postage Rates. The following classes of postage are available:

Letter

The small letter size attracts the lowest rate of postage and is suitable for standard business correspondance in the DL envelope (holds A4 folded into thirds), postcards (click for standard postcard sizes), birthday cards and other small greeting cards. The following table gives the maximum dimensions for a small letter in millimetres and inches.

Dimension	Max Size (mm/g)	Max Size (in/oz)
Height	165 mm	6.5 in
Width	240 mm	9.4 in
Thickness	5 mm	0.2 in
Weight	100 g	3.5 oz

 

Thus you can post envelopes of sizes DL, C5, C6/C5, C6, C7/C6, C7, C8, C9 and C10 under the standard letter rate as long as they aren't too thick or too heavy.

If you wanted to use US envelopes in the UK you could send Lady Grey (A2), Thompson's Standard (A6), Besselheim (A7), Carr's (A8), Diplomat (A9), 6¼, 6¾, 7, 7¾, 8 5/8, and 9 using the small letter rate.

Stamps for Letter Rate

UK standard first and second class stamps are used for the letter rate, these stamps are red marked with 1st for first class and blue marked with 2nd for second class. These stamps replaced stamps with monetary values printed on them in 1989. The maximum size of an envelope you can send with a first class stamp is 240mm x 165mm.

Pricing for Royal Mail 1st and 2nd class letter sevices can be found here.

Large Letter

The large letter size covers A4 sheets, magazines, CDs and DVDs in cases and many of the larger greetings cards. Large letter items need extra postage, pricing is dependent on the weight of the item, with up to 100g being covered by the cheapest rate.

Dimension	Max Size (mm/g)	Max Size (in/oz)
Height	250 mm	9.8 in
Width	353 mm	13.9 in
Thickness	25 mm	1.0 in
Weight	750 g	10.5 oz

 

Envelopes of C4 size can be posted under the large letter postage rate, however a C3 envelope would be too large.

US envelopes of the following sizes are covered by the UK's large letter postage rate Willow (A10), 10, 11, 12, 14 and 16.

Stamps for Large Letter Rate

UK large first and second class stamps are used for the large letter rate, these stamps are larger than the standard stamps and red marked with 1st and large for first class and blue marked with 2nd and large for second class. These stamps replaced stamps with monetary values printed on them for large letter in 2006. The maximum size of an envelope that can be sent with a large 1st class stamp is 353mm x 250mm which would be a B4 envelope.

Parcels

The UK Royal Mail now has four parcel classes, Small Parcel (wide), Small Parcel (deep), Medium Parcel and Rolls or Cylinders. The size and weight limits for each are as follows:

Small Parcel (wide)

Dimension	Max Size (mm/g)	Max Size (in/oz)
Height	450 mm	17.7 in
Width	350 mm	13.8 in
Thickness	80 mm	3.1 in
Weight (Max)	2kg	4 lbs 6.5 oz

Small Parcel (deep)

Dimension	Max Size (mm/g)	Max Size (in/oz)
Height	350 mm	13.8 in
Width	250 mm	9.8 in
Thickness	160 mm	6.3 in
Weight (Max)	2kg	4 lbs 6.5 oz

Medium Parcel

Dimension	Max Size (mm/g)	Max Size (in/oz)
Height	460 mm	18.1 in
Width	610 mm	24.0 in
Thickness	460 mm	18.1 in
Weight (Max)	20kg	44 lbs 1.4 oz

Postal Tubes

The maximum dimensions for Rolls or Cylinders (postal tubes) are 900 mm (35.4 in or 2 ft 11.4 in) length and the length plus twice the diameter of the tube must be no more than 1040 mm (40.9 in or 3 ft 4.9 in). So for a 900 mm length tube the maximum diameter would be 70 mm (140 divided by 2) or for a 500 mm tube the maximum diameter would be 270 mm (540 divided by 2).

The latest pricing for parcels can be found on the Royal Mail's Website., with tips on how to get the best value here.

The Small Parcel rate applies for Rolls and Cylinders less than 450mm (17.7 in) length, 80mm (3.1 in) diameter and 2kg (4 lbs 6.5 oz) in weight.

The parcel rate would allow C3 envelopes to be sent, however the limits would not cover a C2 envelope.

All larger items are required to be sent by the Royal Mail's courier service Parcelforce Worldwide.