The short answer
To address a postcard, write the recipient’s name, street address, and city, state, and ZIP Code on the lines in the right half of the address side, and put the stamp in the upper-right corner. Your message goes in the left half, and an optional return address goes in the upper-left corner. A standard 4 × 6 postcard mails anywhere in the US with a $0.65 postcard stamp.
How do you address a postcard?
Every postcard has a picture side and an address side, and everything the Postal Service needs goes on the address side: the recipient’s address, the stamp, and your return address if you add one. USPS tells senders to write the delivery address in the space the card gives you, on the same side where you write your message and put the stamp.
Most printed postcards divide the address side with a vertical line. The left half is for your message. The right half has a few short lines for the address and a small box in the top-right corner for the stamp. If you follow that layout, you’ll satisfy the rules that matter:
1. Put the stamp in the upper-right corner of the address side.
2. Write the recipient’s name, street address, and city, state, and ZIP Code on the lines in the right half, in the lower part of the card.
3. If you add your return address, put it in the upper-left corner of the address side. On a postcard that usually means squeezing it above your message.
4. Write your message in the left half and keep it out of the address and stamp areas.
5. Leave the bottom strip of the card blank so the Postal Service can print a barcode there.
Where does everything go on the back of a postcard?
USPS rules on placement come from the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM). DMM 604.1.7 says stamps “must be affixed firmly in the upper right corner of the address side.” DMM 602.1.5 says a domestic return address must be in the upper-left corner of the address side or of the addressing area. DMM 202.5.1 reserves a barcode clear zone in the lower-right corner of the address side of cards and letter-size pieces: 4-3/4 inches from the right edge and 5/8 inch up from the bottom.
The DMM also recommends keeping the delivery address within the optical character reader (OCR) read area: at least 1/2 inch from the left and right edges, and between 5/8 inch and 2-3/4 inches up from the bottom edge. In practice, that means writing the address in the lower half of the right side, above the bottom strip. The table below lays out the address side as a simple map.
| Zone | What goes there | Rule or source |
|---|---|---|
| Top left | Your return address (optional on a postcard, but useful) | DMM 602.1.5: return address goes in the upper-left corner of the address side |
| Top right | Postage stamp | DMM 604.1.7: stamps go in the upper-right corner of the address side |
| Left half | Your message | USPS: write in the space the card gives you; keep the message out of the address area |
| Right half, lower middle | Recipient’s name and address on three or four lines | DMM 202.2.1: OCR read area runs from 5/8 inch to 2-3/4 inches above the bottom edge |
| Bottom strip, right side | Nothing; leave it blank | DMM 202.5.1: barcode clear zone, 4-3/4 inches wide and 5/8 inch high |
| Picture side | Image, or a message if the card has no picture | Not used for addressing |
How should the recipient’s address be written?
Use the same format you’d use on an envelope. USPS asks you to print neatly in capital letters, use a pen or permanent marker, leave out commas and periods, and include the ZIP+4 Code when you can. Put each part on its own line: the recipient’s name, the street address with the apartment or suite number, then the city, state, and ZIP Code. If the apartment number won’t fit on the street line, USPS says to put it on its own line directly above the street address.
These conventions come from USPS Publication 28, Postal Addressing Standards. It also covers standard abbreviations like ST, AVE, and APT and the two-letter state codes. You don’t need to memorize it for one postcard, but it explains why addresses look the way they do. For more detail on envelope addressing, PO Boxes, and “c/o” lines, see the linked guides below rather than repeating them here.
What does a correctly addressed postcard look like?
Here’s a fictional example. Dana Okafor is on vacation and writing to her friend Lee Chen, who lives in an apartment in Portland, Oregon. The names and addresses are made up.
Top left (return address): DANA OKAFOR / 88 BIRCH LN / MADISON WI 53703
Top right: a postcard stamp.
Left half (message): “Lee — The lake is freezing but the sunsets are unreal. Ate the best fish fry of my life last night. Saving you a seat for next summer. — Dana”
Right half (delivery address, one line each): LEE CHEN / 410 NW PINE ST APT 3B / PORTLAND OR 97209
Bottom strip: blank.
Notice what’s missing: no commas, no periods, and no “USA” on a domestic card. The apartment number fits on the street line, so it stays there.
Where does the stamp go on a postcard, and how much is it?
The stamp goes in the upper-right corner of the address side. Most printed postcards mark that spot with a small rectangle. USPS says to put the postcard stamp in the space provided near the delivery address.
A postcard stamp is $0.65 for a standard-size card mailed anywhere in the US (Notice 123, prices effective July 12, 2026 and unchanged in the October 4, 2026 Notice 123). A regular Forever stamp works too, but it costs $0.82, so you’d pay more than you need to. For where to buy stamps, how to combine them, and what happens with an oversized card, see our postcard stamp guide.
What size does a postcard have to be for the postcard price?
To mail at the postcard price, DMM 201.1.2 says a card must be rectangular, at least 3-1/2 inches high, 5 inches long, and 0.007 inch thick, and no more than 4-1/4 inches high, 6 inches long, and 0.016 inch thick. A 4 × 6 card fits. A larger card, such as 5 × 7 or 6 × 9, is still mailable, but it costs letter postage, not the postcard rate.
Orientation matters too. The DMM treats the side parallel to the address as the length, so a card addressed sideways can count as tall rather than wide. USPS notes that large or square postcards cost more than the standard postcard stamp. Our postcard sizes guide covers common sizes, aspect ratios, and what each one costs to mail.
What should you write on a postcard?
A postcard gives you only part of one side, so think of it as a few sentences, not a letter. USPS describes postcards as being “for short messages that you don’t need to put in an envelope.” A simple structure works almost every time:
Greeting: “Hi Lee,” or just the person’s name.
One vivid detail: something you saw, ate, or did, more specific than “having a great time.”
A personal line: why you thought of them, an inside joke, or a plan to meet.
Sign-off: “Love,” “See you soon,” or just your name.
Write small but legibly, and stop before you reach the address lines. If you need more room, send a letter in an envelope instead. Don’t write in the stamp box, the bottom barcode strip, or across the address.
What is postcard etiquette, and is it private?
A postcard isn’t private. There’s no envelope, so anyone who handles it along the way, or picks it up from the recipient’s mailbox, can read it. Good etiquette follows from that. Keep it friendly and light. Leave out anything you wouldn’t want a roommate, coworker, or mail carrier to see: money, health details, passwords, account numbers, travel dates for an empty house, or bad news.
A few other conventions help. Address the card to the person by name instead of “Resident.” Make sure you’re using their current address. Sign your name so the recipient knows who sent it. Send condolences, apologies, and anything confidential in a sealed letter.
How do you send a postcard to another country?
The layout is the same, but the address and postage change. USPS says it costs $1.75 to send a 1-ounce letter or postcard from the US to another country with a Global Forever stamp, and Notice 123 lists the international retail postcard price as $1.75 to Canada, to Mexico, and to all other countries.
Write the delivery address in English, using the destination country’s format, and put the country name in English on the last line. If the address is in another script, USPS says to add the English translation after each line. If you include a return address, end it with “USA.” USPS points senders to the Universal Postal Union’s Postal Addressing Systems listings for country-specific formats.
| Item | Domestic (US address) | International |
|---|---|---|
| Postage | $0.65 postcard stamp for a standard-size card | $1.75 (one Global Forever stamp) |
| Last address line | City, state, and ZIP Code | Destination country name in English |
| Return address | Optional; your US address | Optional; end with “USA” |
| Address language | English | English, or another language with the English translation after each line |
How do you send a postcard once it’s written?
After you’ve stamped and addressed it, drop the card in a USPS collection box or hand it in at a Post Office. You don’t need an envelope. If you want a postmark dated the day you mail it, USPS says a retail associate at the counter will hand-cancel it for free.
If you’d rather not handwrite cards or buy stamps, you can order a printed postcard online and have it mailed for you. For mailing timelines, see our delivery times page.
Sources & further reading
Product details checked against the IRIS API contract when this article was published. Platform references can change; consult the linked documentation when implementing.
- USPS: How to send a letter or postcard (domestic)
- USPS: How to send a letter or postcard (international)
- DMM 201: Physical standards for commercial letters, flats, and parcels
- DMM 202: Elements on the face of a mailpiece
- DMM 602: Addressing
- DMM 604: Postage payment methods
- USPS Notice 123: Price list
- USPS Publication 28: Postal Addressing Standards
Published by IRIS Postal Forms, operated by Great Lakes Computing Office LLC. Send a correction.