Shipping small or flat items that require a little protection is easy: all you need is a bubble envelope, which you can find at most office supply stores. the only drawback is calculating the postage.
Most bubble mailers are larger than your average business envelope or greeting card. So how many stamps do you need for a bubble envelope? can you get away with a forever stamp? if this is a question you have, you’re in luck. I have the answer below!
how many bubble mailer stamps in 2022?
the number of stamps needed to send a bubble envelope through the united states postal service depends on the dimensions and weight of the envelope in 2022. envelopes that are small and light enough may be eligible for first-class postage or a forever stamp. those that do not meet the requirements will need additional postage.
For more information on the size and weight requirements for different classes of mail when sending a bubble envelope, a quick how-to guide, and how much you can expect it to cost, read on!
Is a bubble mailer considered flat?
Let’s examine the dimensions USPS lists for flooring and what it considers to fall under the letter category.
From there, you can figure out if your bubble mailer is considered a letter, flat, or something else.
That said, the dimensions of a flat are:
- minimum: 6 1/8” high; 11.5” long; ¼” thick
- maximum: 12” high; 15” long; ¾” thick
also, the dimensions of a card are:
- minimum: 3/5” high; 5” long; .007” thick
- maximum: 6 1/8” high; 11.5” long; ¼” thick
also, first-class letters eligible to be mailed with a single forever stamp ($0.58 value) must weigh no more than one ounce.
so if you have your bubble mailers (and they come in many different sizes) on hand, get a ruler or tape measure and see what dimensions they fit.
Also, if your bubble mailer falls under the flooring category, you know you’ll need more postage than a single stamp forever.
In addition, you can submit a bubble mailer as a flat, using stamps up to 13 ounces in weight (or seven stamps forever); in, say, four ounces, that would cost $1.76 in postage.
what if your bubble mailer meets the height and length requirements but not the width, say, it’s thicker than three-quarters of an inch?
then, you have a package in your hands. Fortunately, you can still send it first class, but you’ll use a first class packet instead of a first class letter, and you won’t use stamps.
Ultimately, if you have any questions about your bubble envelope, you can always take it to your post office and ask the clerk at the counter.
how do you send a bubble envelope?
To send your bubble mail, you must first enclose everything you are sending and seal it.
After that, you can use the guide in the previous section to find out if you can send a first class letter or if you need a parcel class.
so, if it qualifies as a first class or flat letter, and you have stamps on hand, you can calculate the necessary postage and apply it.
then drop it in your mailbox or drop it off at a usps mailbox or your post office, and voila.
Remember, if the bubble envelope is too big or too heavy to qualify as a letter or flat, you have a package.
As long as it weighs less than 13 ounces, you can ship it first class (if it weighs more, you’ll have to choose from some of the other slightly more expensive package options).
If you don’t have a scale at home, you can take your bubble envelope to the post office and a clerk will help you at the counter.
however, if you have a scale and a business account, you can weigh the package at home and print a label with click-n-ship.
but, if you don’t have a business account, you’ll need to take the package to the post office for postage.
can you just put stamps on a bubble mailer?
yes, you can just put stamps on a bubble envelope if it meets the requirements of a letter or blueprint.
By comparison, shipping a package always requires a label, which you can print at home if you have a scale and printer or take it to the post office.
Also, one of the nice things about a bubble mailer qualifying as a package is that tracking is always included so you can see its progress all the way to the destination.
how much does it cost to send a padded envelope?
The cost of sending a padded envelope depends on the size and weight.
for example, if your bubble mailer is small enough to qualify as a letter, you only need one forever stamp, which costs $0.58.
however, flats require additional postage after one ounce of weight.
Also, after four ounces in weight or dimensions greater than one floor, package postage is needed for a shipping label.
Fortunately, you can calculate your shipping costs with this calculator from usps.com.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on usps 70 cent stamps, how many stamps for a manila envelope, and how many stamps per pound.
conclusion
Bubble envelopes can be so small and light as to require only one stamp forever, but larger or heavier ones that qualify as flat will require additional postage.
Also, bubble mailers are big enough to qualify as packages, but the bonus is that those shipping classes, including first class, come with tracking.