A2 Envelope Postage
An A2 envelope is 4 3/8 x 5 3/4 in and holds a quarter-sheet 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 card. At 1 oz it is a standard letter: $0.82, one Forever stamp.
Your answer
Standard letter
No extra postageRegular letter postage. No surcharge.
- Postage per piece
- $0.82
- 100 invitations
- $82.00
Stamps for each one
1 × Forever (1 oz letter)
Why
- This is a standard letter: within 6.125 x 11.5 in, no thicker than 0.25 in, and length divided by height is 1.31 (it must be between 1.3 and 2.5). USPS rule
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100 invitations: $82.00 in postage ($0.82 each, standard letter)
It passes the shape rule, barely
USPS divides length by height, and the result has to be at least 1.3. For an A2 that is 5.75 ÷ 4.375 = 1.31. At this height the envelope must be at least 5 11/16 in long, and the A2 is 5 3/4 in. The margin is one sixteenth of an inch.
A true A2 is fine. The risk is an "A2-ish" envelope from a craft pack, or a handmade one cut a little short. If yours measures 5 5/8 in long, it fails and pays $1.31 instead of $0.82. Check one with a ruler.
Where the A2 shows up
This is the thank-you note size, and the usual envelope for folded handmade cards. It is also a common reply envelope when the RSVP card is larger than a 4 Bar.
Handmade cards are the ones that run into trouble. Layered cardstock, foam dots, brads, buttons and dimensional embellishments make the thickness uneven, which is a nonmachinable feature just like a wax seal. They also push the card past 1 oz faster than you would think.
Keep the address on the long side
Turn an A2 upright and address it along the 4 3/8 in side, and USPS reads it as 4 3/8 in long. That is under the 5 in minimum length, so the piece is not mailable at all.
Thick handmade cards can stop being letters
A letter may be at most 1/4 in thick. Shaker cards, pop-up mechanisms and stacked foam layers can pass that. The card is then a large envelope at $1.69 for 1 oz, more than the $1.31 a merely lumpy card costs. Measure the thickest point of the sealed envelope before you price a batch for a craft fair or an online shop.
Compare the options
| Option | Mail class | Each | For 100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| A2 (4.375 x 5.75 in) | Standard letter | $0.82 | $82.00 |
| Cut 1/8 in short (4.375 x 5.625 in) | Nonmachinable letter | $1.31 | $131.00 |
| A2 with a dimensional embellishment | Nonmachinable letter | $1.31 | $131.00 |
| A2 at 1.5 oz | Standard letter | $1.11 | $111.00 |
Questions and answers
How much postage does an A2 envelope need?
$0.82 up to 1 oz and $1.11 up to 2 oz, as long as the card inside is flat and flexible.
Is an A2 envelope nonmachinable?
No. Its aspect ratio is 1.31, just over the 1.3 minimum, so a standard A2 goes through the sorting machines.
Do handmade cards in A2 envelopes need extra postage?
Often, yes. Buttons, brads, foam layers and anything else that makes the card lumpy add the $0.49 nonmachinable surcharge.
What card fits an A2 envelope?
A 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 in card, which is a letter sheet cut in quarters or a half sheet folded once.