Sending letters, cards and documents within NZ
Prices, guidelines and estimated delivery times for sending letters, documents and postcards.
Sending letters, cards and documents within NZ
Prices, guidelines and estimated delivery times for sending letters, documents and postcards.
Sending using Standard Mail
Standard Mail is what you might think of as ‘the post’. You can use Standard Mail to send any letters, cards, postcards or documents, as long as they:
- Contain paper based written or printed letters only
- Weigh less than 1kg
- Fit within the maximum dimensions of 260mm high x 385mm long x 20mm thick
To send, you will need stamps, KiwiStamps or prepaid envelopes.
Please do not use Standard mail for important or urgent documents. For these we recommend our Economy Courier, Courier, or Express services.
Find out about sending with our Courier and Express services
Standard Mail price guide
These prices are for sending only. You must have your own envelope. You can purchase stamps and envelopes online or in NZ Post stores.
Estimated delivery time:
3 working days
STANDARD
Medium
$2.90 (or 1 x KiwiStamp)
Envelopes sizes include: postcards, E9, DLE, DLEE, MaxPop, Cheque Mailer
Max size: 130mm x 235mm x 6mm
Max weight: 500gm
STANDARD
Large
$4.20
Envelopes sizes include: C5
Max size: 165mm x 235mm x 10mm
Max weight: 500gm
STANDARD
Oversize
$5.50
Envelopes sizes include: C4, E35
Max size: 260mm x 385mm x 20mm
Max weight: 1kg
How to post your letter, card or document using Standard Mail
At an NZ Post store
You can buy stamps and drop off your letters at your local NZ Post store.
From a mail box
If you already have stamps, you can send your letter using a mail box.
Sending tracked, signed for and large letters and documents
If you are sending a large package of documents weighing over 200gm, larger than 260mm high x 385mm long x 20mm thick, or would like to track your letter or document or get the receiver to sign for it, you can send using Courier or Courier Economy.
Sending tracked, signed for and large letters and documents
If you are sending a large package of documents weighing over 200gm, larger than 260mm high x 385mm long x 20mm thick, or would like to track your letter or document or get the receiver to sign for it, you can send using Courier or Courier Economy.
Sending letters overseas
Sending letters, documents or postcards overseas? Use our letter sending guide to view all your sending options including Economy Letters, tracked and signed for items, plus price guides and estimated delivery times.
Help with sending
How to address mail
Check out our guidelines on how to address your items correctly so it reaches its destination on time, every time.
How postcodes work
Find out how postcodes work and view our Postcode Directory and maps.
Holidays that impact deliveries
See the public and regional holidays that can affect delivery times.
Delivery updates and delays
View the latest service updates that may receiving parcels and mail within New Zealand.
Frequently asked questions
Post your mail in the Standard Mail slot at an NZ Post store or posting box. Find your nearest posting box using the Find NZ Post tool and filtering by 'Post a letter'.
KiwiStamps are non-denominated stamps, meaning they do not have a specific value (denomination) on them.
A KiwiStamp will always be worth the required postage to send a medium letter on the day it is used/mailed (currently $2.90). KiwiStamps purchased now can continue to be used in the future even if the required postage changes.
We don’t recommend using multiple KiwiStamps for larger letters as the value of KiwiStamps will be increasing from 1 July 2025 to $2.90 each, which means, if you use multiple KiwiStamps, you’d be paying more than required. For larger letters, our recommendation is to use a KiwiStamp, plus a stamp of a fixed denomination to add up to the postage value you need. E.g. The cost to post a Standard Mail Large envelope is $4.20, if you use 2 x KiwiStamps, you’d be paying $5.80. By using 1 x KiwiStamp ($2.90) plus other stamps to the value of $1.30, you save $1.60.