How Much Does It Cost to Post a Letter in Australia? (2026 Guide)
Whether you’re sending a birthday card, a signed contract, or a formal notice, it helps to know exactly what you’re up for before you head to the post office — or before you decide not to go at all.
Here’s a straightforward breakdown of what it costs to send a letter within Australia in 2026.
📮Standard Letters (No Tracking)
Australia Post’s regular letter service is the most affordable way to send mail domestically.
- Standard letter stamps: $1.70–$8.50 depending on letter size and weight
- Concession stamps: $0.60 (for eligible concession card holders)
There’s no tracking with standard letters — once it’s in the post box, you won’t know where it is until it arrives (or doesn’t).
The $1.70 stamp covers a small standard letter. Larger or heavier letters cost more — up to $8.50 for the biggest standard letter sizes. You’ll also need to supply your own envelope and have access to a printer if your document isn’t already on paper. Delivery typically takes 2–6 business days depending on the destination.
🪪 Registered Post
If you need proof that your letter was sent and delivered, Registered Post is the way to go.
- Registered Post label: $5.85
- Registered Post prepaid envelopes: Up to $9.90 for the largest size
- Includes: Tracking, proof of posting, delivery confirmation
- Optional extras: Signature on delivery, person-to-person delivery, Extra Cover (insurance)
Registered Post needs to be lodged over the counter at a post office — you can’t just drop it in a red post box. This adds a trip to the post office to the process.
📨 Express Post
For time-sensitive mail, Express Post is Australia Post’s fastest domestic option.
- Express Post envelopes: $9.00–$11.05 depending on size.
- Includes: Tracking, next business day delivery to metro areas
Express Post envelopes come with postage prepaid, so you don’t need stamps. But you still need to get your document printed, into the envelope, and lodged — either at a post office or in a yellow Express Post box.
📩 Prepaid Envelopes
If you don’t want to deal with stamps, Australia Post sells prepaid envelopes in various sizes.
- Small prepaid envelope: From around $2.00
- Large prepaid envelope: From around $3.40
- Available: At post offices and online
These are convenient, but you’ll still need to print your document and get the envelope posted.
The Hidden Costs 💰
The stamp price is only part of the story. The real cost of posting a letter includes:
- Printing: If you don’t own a printer, you’ll need to print at a library ($0.20–$0.30/page) or Officeworks ($0.12+/page)
- Envelopes: $0.50–$2.00 depending on size, unless you buy prepaid
- Fuel: A round trip to the post office costs real money — especially right now. With fuel prices elevated across Australia, even a short drive adds a few dollars to what was supposed to be a $1.70 task
- Time: The trip itself — finding parking, waiting in a queue, getting back
For a single letter with a stamp you already have and an envelope in the drawer, the cost is genuinely just $1.70. But for most people — especially those without a printer at home — the real cost is significantly higher once you factor in everything else.
💻Online Print-and-Post Services
If you’d rather skip the printing, envelopes, stamps, and trip to the post office entirely, online print-and-post services handle all of it for you.
PostMyDoc, for example, lets you upload a PDF and handles printing, enveloping, and posting via Australia Post. Pricing starts from $8.95 for up to 10 black & white pages with Standard Post included. Express Post with tracking is available from $18.95.
It’s not the cheapest option if you already have a printer, stamps, and envelopes at home. But if you don’t — or if your time is worth more than the difference — it removes every step between having a digital file and getting it in the post.
Quick Comparison 📊
| Method | Approximate Cost | What You Need |
|---|---|---|
| Standard stamp | $1.70–$8.50 | Printer, envelope, post box |
| Registered Post | $5.85–$9.90 | Printer, envelope, trip to post office |
| Express Post (prepaid) | $9.00–$11.05 | Printer, post office or Express Post box |
| Library print + stamp | ~$3.00–$5.00+ | Trip to library, envelope, stamps, post box |
| Online print-and-post | From $8.95 | Just your PDF |
The Bottom Line 🤘
If you’ve got a printer, envelopes, and stamps at home, posting a letter in Australia is still cheap. If you don’t — and most people don’t keep all three on hand — the real cost adds up quickly once you factor in printing, supplies, and the trip.
It comes down to what you value more: the lowest possible price, or getting it done without leaving your desk.