How Long Does a Postcard Take to Arrive in the US?

Short answer: a postcard mailed within the US usually arrives in 2 to 5 business days. USPS sends postcards as First-Class Mail, and its own delivery target for First-Class Mail is 1 to 5 days depending on distance.

Here’s what changes that number, and how to plan around it.

What makes a postcard slower or faster

• Distance. A card going across town can land in a day or two. Coast to coast takes longer.
• When it’s dropped off. Mail picked up late Friday may not move until Monday.
• Weekends and holidays. Sundays and federal holidays don’t count as delivery days.
• December. Holiday volume slows everything down. Give December mail extra time.
• The card itself. Postcards that meet USPS size rules run through the sorting machines smoothly. Odd sizes can get pulled out for hand sorting.

The postcard size rules

To mail at the postcard rate, a card has to be:

Dimension	Minimum	Maximum
Height	3.5 in	4.25 in
Length	5 in	6 in
Thickness	0.007 in	0.016 in

Our cards are 5.5 × 4.25 in on postcard stock, inside those limits, so they travel at the postcard rate.

Timing a card when we mail it for you

When you order from us, there are two clocks:

1. Our clock: we print, write, stamp and mail your card within 5–7 business days.
2. USPS’s clock: it usually takes 3–5 business days after that.

So plan on about 8 to 12 business days from order to mailbox. If a card needs to arrive by a certain date, order at least 12 business days ahead. Our arrival planner counts the days for you.

What if it doesn’t show up?

If it’s been 21 days since we mailed it and nothing arrived, email us and pick a replacement or a full refund. If it arrives damaged or wrong, we replace it free. See our returns policy for the details.

The good news

Postcards are the friendliest mail there is. No envelope to open, no bill inside, just someone’s words. Even if it takes a few extra days, it’s still the best thing in the mailbox.

Send a postcard →