Postcard size guide
Drawn to scale. Dashed outlines are the other sizes; the dotted line inside is the safe area for text.
- Finished size
- 6 × 9 in
- Artwork with bleed
- 9.25 × 6.25 in
- Safe area for text
- 8.75 × 5.75 in
- Artwork at 300 dpi
- 2775 × 1875 px
- Shape (length ÷ height)
- 1.50
- How USPS treats it
- Card price in presorted commercial mailings; a single stamped card pays the letter price
- Best for
- Most campaigns. Room for a photo, an offer and a QR code, and it stands out in the mailbox.
USPS postcard size limits
The U.S. Postal Service sets the limits in its Domestic Mail Manual. There are two sets, depending on how the card is mailed:
- A single card with a stamp (section 101.6.2): at least 3.5 inches high, 5 inches long and 0.007 inch thick, and no more than 4.25 inches high, 6 inches long and 0.016 inch thick.
- Presorted commercial mailings (section 201.1.2): the card price is available up to 6 inches high and 9 inches long. Cards larger than 4.25 by 6 inches must be at least 0.009 inch thick.
- In both cases the card must be rectangular, with a length-to-height ratio between 1.3 and 2.5.
So a 4×6 card is a postcard however you mail it. A 6×9 card gets the card price only in a presorted commercial mailing; one 6×9 card with a stamp pays the letter price. A 6×11 card is longer than 9 inches, so it is always letter-size mail. USPS updates its standards and prices from time to time, so check the manual before a large print run.
Bleed, trim and safe area
Printers cut cards from larger sheets, and the cut can drift slightly. Three measurements protect your design:
- Trim is the finished size of the card, for example 6 × 9 inches.
- Bleed is 0.125 inch of extra artwork on every side. Extend background photos and colors into it.
- Safe area is 0.125 inch inside the trim. Keep all text, logos and QR codes inside it.
The address side
The back of a postcard needs a clear area for the delivery address, postage and the postal barcode. Nothing else can be printed there. In the PostalNest editor that area is reserved for you, so a design can't accidentally cover it.
For more detail, read postcard sizes and USPS rules. To place a QR code that scans, see QR codes on postcards.
Common questions
What size is a standard postcard?
The most common direct mail postcard sizes are 4×6, 6×9 and 6×11 inches. 4×6 is the classic postcard; 6×9 is the most popular for marketing because it stands out in the mailbox.
What is the largest size USPS treats as a postcard?
For a single stamped card, 4.25 inches high by 6 inches long. In presorted commercial First-Class mailings, the card price is available up to 6 by 9 inches (USPS Domestic Mail Manual, sections 101.6.2 and 201.1.2). The minimum is 3.5 by 5 inches.
Does a 6×11 postcard mail as a postcard?
No. At 11 inches long it is larger than any USPS card limit, so it mails as letter-size mail. It is still a popular format because of the extra space.
What is bleed on a postcard?
Bleed is extra artwork that extends past the edge of the finished card, usually 0.125 inch on each side. It gets trimmed off, so photos and colors run cleanly to the edge with no white sliver.
What resolution should postcard artwork be?
300 dots per inch at the printed size. For a 6×9 card with bleed, that is 2,775 × 1,875 pixels.
Design a card in the right size
Templates in 4×6, 6×9 and 6×11 with bleed and safe area built in.