GLOSSARY
Media Mail
By Justin Winter · Updated August 28, 2026
A discounted USPS class for books and educational media only. Letters and correspondence are not eligible, and pieces may be inspected.
Media Mail exists to move educational material cheaply. Eligibility is narrow and enforced: books, sound recordings, printed music, and similar items qualify, while advertising and personal correspondence do not.
USPS reserves the right to open Media Mail to verify contents, and it is slower than First-Class. It is never the right class for a letter or a legal document.
See also
- First-Class Mail — The everyday USPS class for letters and documents — typically 3–5 business days, with no tracking unless you add it.
- USPS Marketing Mail — The bulk advertising class, formerly Standard Mail: cheaper per piece, but it requires a permit, a minimum volume, presorting, and it travels slower.
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