What Is USPS Overnight?

The United States Postal Service offers overnight service, which is considered faster than standard mail. The USPS will deliver your first-class mail piece as early as noon local time on Saturday, and it’s guaranteed to arrive by 3:00 PM on Monday in most cases. 

This service is available for Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, First-Class Package Service, and First-Class Mail® shipments up to 20 pounds. You can send documents or packages that weigh less than 13 ounces using First-Class Mail. However, because of their small size, these items are not eligible for tracking or insurance coverage. 

If you want proof of delivery or insurance protection on your shipment, use Priority Mail instead. In addition, all Priority Mail Express shipments include $100 worth of insurance automatically.  

The Cost of USPS Overnight Shipping

Shipping your product overnight can give your business a boost, but it comes at a cost. To start with, you’ll need to spend more on packaging materials and spend money on time-sensitive postage. You’ll also need to factor in extra costs for returns or exchanges and consider that consumers may be less likely to order from you if they know their package will be delivered so quickly. 

The cost of shipping via USPS has gone up in recent years and is likely to continue rising. The prices for an overnight package are $15.30 for packages under 1 pound, $19.20 for packages between 1 and 3 pounds, and $39.90 for any packages over 3 pounds. 

This is quite expensive compared to other shipping options. For example, FedEx offers FedEx Priority Overnight Delivery for $8.95 per package weighing less than 20 pounds, and UPS offers UPS Next Day Air Saver Delivery for just $5.99 per package weighing less than 70 pounds—so these companies charge about half as much as USPS does for its service! 

What is the Cutoff Time for USPS Overnight?

USPS Overnight cutoff time is at 3:00 pm. The USPS office hours are from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. If you want to send your package via USPS Overnight, make sure it reaches a USPS before 3:00 pm. If it gets there after that, you should go with 2nd Day Air or Next Day Air. That will be a much more expensive option, though. 

A good tip for sending packages via USPS Overnight is to take advantage of their free box and packing materials when you ship. The only thing you’ll have to pay for is your postage. If you can pack your items in a small enough box, then there’s no reason not to use USPS Overnight Shipping.

USPS overnight restrictions

There are a few restrictions to keep in mind when sending mail with overnight service: 

  1. Documents must be prepared according to specific requirements. 

  2. Packages must be at least 4 inches high, 12 inches long, and 6 inches wide. And if you’re mailing parcels through Priority Mail Express, they need to be under 70 pounds.

  3. If your package is larger than these dimensions, you can use First-Class Package Service or USPS Retail Ground service instead of Priority Mail Express service. 

  4. If your package weighs more than 20 pounds or is over 108 inches in length (for example, skis), it will not qualify for overnight service but may qualify for another type of USPS delivery service such as USPS Parcel Select Ground or USPS Parcel Select Regional Ground services that are available only within certain regions of the country. 

  5. Packages must be marked “Priority Mail Express” and cannot weigh more than 70 pounds. 

  6. You can also use Priority Mail Express to send items by a commercial carrier, which means you can ship them to businesses with street addresses instead of residential addresses. 

  7. Items sent by shipping city Mail Express cannot be shipped to PO Boxes or APO/FPO military addresses; they must be shipped to street addresses only.

  8. If you want proof of delivery, insurance coverage, signature confirmation, or special handling services, you’ll need to use a different type of USPS service, such as USPS First-Class Package Service (which includes $50 worth of insurance coverage) instead of Priority Mail Express service.

Conclusion

If you find yourself needing to ship a package, and don’t have time to wait for standard shipping, you should use overnight shipping services. We all know that time is money—and waiting around for packages can waste valuable time. So if you need your package delivered in a hurry, overnight shipping may be right for you. It’s fast, reliable, and oftentimes more affordable than standard shipping. 

Is USPS Overnight the same as the next day?

Yes. Next-day delivery is the same as USPS Overnight. Packages are delivered by 12:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. the next day.

What time do you have to ship for overnight USPS?

The Overnight shipping cutoff time varies for every post office, however, it typically coincides with the office’s closing hour. The truck will usually leave at 6 p.m., but you should try to pick up your delivery at least fifteen minutes before the deadline.

Does USPS have 1-day delivery?

Priority Mail Express is the Postal Service’s quickest mail delivery service. It includes $100 in insurance coverage and guarantees 1-Day or 2-Day expedited shipping by 3 p.m. for any mailable document. In many regions, Priority Mail Express service is available 365 days a year.

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