Can maps, atlases, charts or posters go by Media Mail?
USPS's rules: Educational only
An atlas qualifies as a book, since USPS treats maps on book pages as reading matter, and a single-sheet map or chart qualifies if it's designed for educational reference and conveys its information mainly through graphs, diagrams, tables or other non-narrative matter. A decorative poster isn't on the list, poster books are ruled out by name, and a sheet that is mainly narrative text doesn't count as a chart even with a graph on it. A qualifying chart rolled in a tube pays Media Mail prices by weight: $4.39 up to 1 lb.
Rates verified on
The rule, in USPS's words
Quoted from the official pages linked below each quote, checked Oct 19, 2026.
“Each chart must be a single printed sheet of information designed for educational reference.”
“must be conveyed primarily by graphs, diagrams, tables, or other nonnarrative matter.”
“Examples of qualifying charts include maps produced primarily for educational reference, tables of mathematical or scientific equations, noun declensions or verb conjugations used in the study of languages, periodic table of elements”
“Maps printed on pages of books are considered for postal purposes to be reading matter.”
What it costs to ship
Media Mail costs the same to every US address, with a 1 lb minimum ($4.39) and any fraction of a pound rounded up. Ground Advantage, USPS's ground package service with tracking included, is priced by weight and zone: online is USPS's commercial price for labels bought online, and the counter price is retail.
| Package | Media Mail (if it qualifies) | Ground Advantage online, Zones 1-9 | Ground Advantage at the counter, Zones 1-9 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 lb | $4.39 | $8.01 to $11.22 | $10.05 to $13.65 |
| 2 lb | $5.13 | $8.39 to $13.42 | $11.30 to $19.80 |
| 5 lb | $7.34 | $10.35 to $20.24 | $13.75 to $27.45 |
Worked examples
- A road atlas, 2 lb: Media Mail, $5.13.
- A rolled periodic-table wall chart in a tube, 1 lb: $4.39. By Ground Advantage online it's $12.51 to $15.72, because a tube adds the $4.50 nonstandard fee (Notice 123).
- A rolled movie poster in a tube, 8 oz: not a chart, so Ground Advantage, $11.83 to $13.45 online with the tube fee.
Every weight from 1 to 70 lb: Media Mail rates · Ground Advantage rates
Edge cases
- Cards of narrative text packed loose with a qualifying book can go at Media Mail prices as printed matter, as USPS ruled in PS-213.
- A globe isn't on the list: a chart has to be a single printed sheet.
- A tube costs nothing extra by Media Mail, since DMM 173 sets no nonstandard fees; Ground Advantage online adds $4.50 for a cylindrical tube or roll and $10.00 for anything over 30 in. long (Notice 123), and a tube over 30 in. pays only the higher of the two (USPS).
- Poster books don't qualify (PS-064); see activity books.
What to do
- Ship atlases and educational charts by Media Mail.
- Ship decorative posters and art prints by Ground Advantage.
Sources
Rates verified on from each official page below.
- USPS Domestic Mail Manual 173: Media Mail and Library Mail prices and eligibility
- USPS Customer Support Ruling PS-236: Atlas, Media Mail (updated June 2014)
- USPS Notice 123: price list (effective Oct 4, 2026)
- USPS Customer Support Ruling PS-213: Books and Charts, Media Mail (updated January 2017)
- USPS: Mail and shipping services (Media Mail eligibility, Ground Advantage, First-Class Mail)
- USPS Customer Support Ruling PS-064: Media Mail, Books (updated January 2017)
- USPS: temporary price change for 2026 holiday shipping (Aug 25, 2026)
Free 1-page Reseller Cheat Sheet: fees on 8 platforms, Media Mail and stamp prices
What each platform takes from a $10, $25 and $50 sale, Media Mail 1-10 lb, Ground Advantage to Zones 1, 5 and 8, and the Forever stamp, on one printable page. The link appears as soon as you sign up.