USPS Media Mail: What Qualifies, 2026 Rates and How to Ship Books

Updated October 28, 20262026 ratesWhat qualifies

USPS Media Mail is the Postal Service's lowest-cost way to send books, recorded media and educational materials, priced by weight alone: $4.39 for 1 lb and $11.02 for 10 lb at retail, to any US address. In exchange it is slower, USPS can open the package to check what is inside, and items with advertising, video games and computer drives do not qualify. It is usually mailed at a Post Office counter, marked Media Mail, up to 70 lb and 108 inches in length plus girth.

What qualifies for Media Mail

  • Books of at least 8 printed pages, with no advertising other than incidental announcements of books.
  • Sound and video recordings, such as CDs, DVDs, vinyl records and tapes.
  • Printed music, bound or in sheets.
  • Playscripts and manuscripts for books, periodicals and music.
  • Printed educational test materials used by or for schools.
  • Printed educational reference charts: single sheets that teach mainly through graphs, diagrams or tables.
  • Computer-readable media with prerecorded information, plus guides made only for use with it.
  • Films 16 mm or narrower, and medical information in loose-leaf pages and binders for doctors, hospitals and medical schools.

What does not qualify

Advertising is the main disqualifier. A book can carry announcements of other books, one bound-in order form and one envelope or postcard, and nothing else: paid ads or the publisher's ads for other products rule it out. USPS also excludes by name video games in any format, game consoles, computers, computer and digital drives, and blank storage such as portable hard drives and flash drives. Clothes, toys and other merchandise are not on the list at all. If USPS finds items that do not qualify, you or your recipient pays the higher postage.

A few extras are allowed: an invoice or packing slip for the contents, a short personal message or greeting with the item, and inscriptions such as Happy Birthday or a dedication written in a book.

Media Mail rates for 2026

Media Mail is priced by weight only, with no zones and no dimensional weight. Any fraction of a pound rounds up to the next pound, and 1 lb is the minimum. Media Mail was left out of the temporary 2026 increases, so its prices did not change for the holidays. The Ground Advantage prices below include the holiday increase that runs through January 16, 2027. Packages can weigh up to 70 lb and measure up to 108 inches in length plus girth.

USPS Media Mail retail prices vs Ground Advantage, zones 1 to 8
Weight Media Mail Ground Advantage
1 lb $4.39 $10.05 to $13.65
2 lb $5.13 $11.30 to $19.80
3 lb $5.86 $11.80 to $23.15
4 lb $6.60 $13.05 to $25.65
5 lb $7.34 $13.75 to $27.45
10 lb $11.02 $16.75 to $40.85
15 lb $14.71 $20.90 to $60.10
20 lb $18.39 $24.00 to $72.15
30 lb $25.76 $41.15 to $120.30
50 lb $40.49 $56.65 to $171.25
70 lb $55.23 $68.00 to $204.30

The USPS shipping calculator compares Media Mail with every other USPS service for your package.

How long Media Mail takes

USPS lists Media Mail at 2 to 8 days, and the federal service standard in effect since July 1, 2025 is 4 to 7 days within the lower 48 states. Neither is guaranteed, and Media Mail can run slower than Ground Advantage, especially in December. For anything with a deadline, pay for Ground Advantage or Priority Mail.

Media Mail can be opened and inspected

Media Mail is not sealed against postal inspection. Mailing at Media Mail prices counts as consent for USPS to open the package and check that everything inside qualifies, however it is sealed. Pack it so it can be opened and closed again without damage, and leave anything that does not qualify out of the box.

How to ship books by Media Mail

  1. Pick a snug box or book mailer. Books slide and corners crush, so the item should fit with a little room for cushioning: 12 1/8 x 9 1/8 x 2 inch easy-fold mailers take hardcovers up to about 8 1/2 x 11 inches, and 9 1/2 x 6 1/2 x 2 inch mailers fit 6 x 9 inch paperbacks.
  2. Fill every gap so nothing shifts, and wrap anything with a dust jacket or glossy cover.
  3. Seal it with 2 inch packing tape on every seam.
  4. Mark it Media Mail in the postage area, with the delivery address and your return address.
  5. Take it to the Post Office counter. USPS.com does not sell Media Mail through Click-N-Ship, it is not on the free Package Pickup list, and a stamped package over 10 oz or thicker than 1/2 inch must be handed to a clerk.

CDs and DVDs ship the same way in 5 5/8 x 5 inch CD mailers or 7 5/8 x 5 7/16 inch DVD mailers, which hold the case flat. Vinyl records need a stiff record mailer with corner protection.

Media Mail vs Ground Advantage

For qualifying items Media Mail is cheaper at every weight: a 2 lb box of books costs $5.13 by Media Mail against $11.30 to $19.80 by Ground Advantage, and the gap widens as weight grows. Ground Advantage is faster at 2 to 5 business days, includes $100 of insurance and tracking, and takes any merchandise. Pick Media Mail for heavy books and records with time to spare, and Ground Advantage when speed or protection matters.

Frequently asked questions

What can be sent by Media Mail?

Books of at least 8 pages without advertising, CDs, DVDs, vinyl records and other recordings, printed music, manuscripts and playscripts, educational test materials and reference charts, prerecorded computer media and certain films and medical binders.

How much does Media Mail cost?

At retail, $4.39 for 1 lb, $7.34 for 5 lb and $11.02 for 10 lb, to any US address. It is priced by weight only, rounded up to the next pound.

How long does Media Mail take?

USPS lists 2 to 8 days, and its service standard within the lower 48 states is 4 to 7 days. Delivery is not guaranteed.

Can I send clothes or other items by Media Mail?

No. Only qualifying media and educational materials can go Media Mail. Clothes, toys, video games, computer drives and anything with advertising must go by Ground Advantage, Priority Mail or another service.

Can a business use Media Mail?

Yes. Any sender can use Media Mail if the contents qualify. Library Mail, a related service, is the one limited to schools, libraries, museums and qualifying nonprofits.

Can I use a Priority Mail box for Media Mail?

No. USPS-made Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express boxes, including Flat Rate boxes, may only be used for those services. If you ship in one, you pay Priority Mail prices.

Can I include a note in a Media Mail package?

Yes, a short personal message or greeting with the item is allowed, along with an invoice or packing slip and inscriptions such as a dedication in a book.

Related tools and charts

Eligibility, inspection, marking and mailing rules from the USPS Domestic Mail Manual, sections 173 to 176, and USPS.com. Prices from USPS Notice 123, effective October 4, 2026. Service standard from 39 CFR 121.4. Checked October 28, 2026.