Whether you have family or friends in Canada, business contacts there, or need to send an important document, knowing how many stamps you need to mail a letter to Canada is essential. While Canada may seem like it should have the same postage as domestic U.S. mail since it‘s a neighboring country, mailing a letter to Canada actually follows USPS international mailing regulations and rates.
As a result, you‘ll need to use the proper stamps and postage to ensure your letters arrive safely in Canadian mailboxes without delay. But don‘t worry! This guide will tell you everything you need to know about how many stamps you need to send letters to Canada depending on the size and weight of your mail. We‘ll cover postage prices, the types of stamps you can use, and some helpful tips for a smooth mailing process.
How Much Does It Cost to Mail a Letter to Canada?
The cost to mail a letter from the United States to Canada depends on the size and weight of the envelope or package you‘re sending. There are two main categories that your mailpiece might fall under when mailing to Canada:
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Letters – These are standard-sized rectangular envelopes with a thickness of 1/4 inch or less. The maximum weight for a letter is 3.5 ounces.
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Large Envelopes (Flats) – These are bigger envelopes that exceed the dimensions of a standard letter but are no more than 3/4 inch thick. Flats can weigh up to 15.994 ounces.
Here are the current USPS First Class International postage prices for mailing letters to Canada based on weight:
- Up to 1 oz – $1.30
- Up to 2 oz – $1.30
- Up to 3 oz – $1.83
- Up to 3.5 oz – $2.36
And here are the rates for mailing flats (large envelopes) to Canada:
- Up to 1 oz – $2.60
- Up to 2 oz – $2.85
- Up to 3 oz – $3.09
- Up to 4 oz – $3.31
- Up to 5 oz – $3.53
- Up to 6 oz – $3.75
- Up to 7 oz – $3.97
- Up to 8 oz – $4.19
For flats over 8 ounces, the price continues to increase by about 22 cents per ounce, up to the maximum 15.994 ounces allowed.
What Stamps Should I Use to Mail a Letter to Canada?
The easiest way to mail a 1 ounce letter to Canada is with a Global Forever stamp. These special stamps were created by the USPS specifically for international mailing. As of 2023, each Global Forever stamp costs $1.30. The nice thing about Global Forever stamps is that they will always cover the 1 oz letter rate to Canada, even if that price goes up in the future.
If you don‘t have any Global Forever stamps on hand, you can also use a combination of regular domestic Forever stamps and additional ounce stamps to reach the necessary postage amount for your letter. The current cost of a domestic Forever stamp is $0.58, which is the rate for a 1 oz domestic letter. Additional ounce stamps are $0.48 each.
So for example, if you wanted to use domestic stamps to mail a 1 ounce letter to Canada, you would need:
- 2 Forever stamps (2 x $0.58 = $1.16)
- 1 additional ounce stamp ($0.48)
- Total postage of $1.64
While this combination would provide enough postage for a 1 oz letter to Canada, it‘s not very economical, since you would be paying $0.34 more than the $1.30 necessary. Whenever possible, it‘s best to use a Global Forever stamp for international letters to keep things simple and avoid overpaying.
Here are some more examples of the stamps you could use to mail letters and flats to Canada:
Letter up to 2 ounces:
- 1 Global Forever stamp ($1.30)
or - 3 domestic Forever stamps ($1.74 – overpay by $0.44)
Letter up to 3 ounces:
- 1 Global Forever stamp ($1.30) + 1 domestic Forever stamp ($0.58) = $1.88 total
- 3 domestic Forever stamps ($1.74) + 1 additional ounce stamp ($0.48) = $2.22 total (overpay by $0.39)
Flat up to 1 ounce:
- 2 Global Forever stamps ($2.60)
or - 5 domestic Forever stamps ($2.90 – overpay by $0.30)
Flat up to 2 ounces:
- 2 Global Forever stamps ($2.60) + 1 additional ounce stamp ($0.48) = $3.08 total (overpay by $0.23)
or - 5 domestic Forever stamps ($2.90) + 1 additional ounce stamp ($0.48) = $3.38 total (overpay by $0.53)
Tips for Mailing Letters to Canada
Now that you understand postage rates and stamp options, here are a few more helpful tips to keep in mind when mailing letters to Canada:
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Double check the size of your envelope. Make sure to measure the height, length, and width of your envelope to determine if it should be mailed at the letter rate or the flat rate. Staying within the size limits will help keep your postage costs down.
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Round up when calculating postage based on weight. If your letter or flat weighs just slightly over the 1 ounce, 2 ounce (or other ounce) mark, round up to the next ounce to ensure you have enough postage. It‘s better to overpay by a few cents than to have your mailpiece returned for insufficient postage.
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Consider using USPS online postage. If you‘d rather not deal with figuring out stamp combinations, you can use the Click-N-Ship tool on the USPS website to calculate and print out exact postage for your letter or flat. The online postage labels have barcodes that also provide tracking.
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Fill out customs forms for certain items. While regular letters and documents don‘t require any special forms, be aware that any packages containing goods may require a customs declaration form. The USPS website has more info on when these forms are necessary.
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The post office can help. If you‘re still unsure about how much postage you need after reading this guide, your local post office can always calculate the exact amount for you. The clerks can also sell you the specific stamps you need and walk you through the mailing process.
Conclusion: Proper Postage Ensures Your Letters Reach Canada
Mailing a letter to Canada requires some extra thought compared to mailing within the U.S., but it doesn‘t have to be complicated. Once you know the size and weight of your envelope, you can consult this guide to determine exactly how much postage you need. A Global Forever stamp is usually the easiest option for standard 1 ounce letters. For bigger or heavier envelopes, using a combination of Forever stamps and additional ounce stamps will ensure your letters have sufficient postage.
When in doubt, round up on postage or ask a postal worker for assistance. Having the right postage will help ensure your letters travel from the U.S. to Canada without any delays. And if you‘re ever mailing something especially important or time sensitive, remember that USPS offers services such as Global Express Guaranteed for faster international delivery.
With this stamp info in hand, you‘re ready to send letters to all your favorite Canadians, so go ahead and get mailing! Your friends, family, and business contacts in the "Great White North" will appreciate the timely correspondence coming from south of their border.
