# What are the current classes and privileges of US mail these days?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-current-classes-and-privileges-of-us-mail-these-days/354493
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [April 27, 2006, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-current-classes-and-privileges-of-us-mail-these-days/354493 "2006-04-27T18:55:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Iris\_Rings](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iris_Rings)
#### Post date: [April 27, 2006, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-current-classes-and-privileges-of-us-mail-these-days/354493/1 "2006-04-27T18:55:03Z")
At one time there were 4 classes of mail, first was sealed and forwarded, second was unsealed and unforwarded, third was newspapers and fourth was packages.
But now there’s terms like standard and sorted and some others I don’t recall, and I’m never sure what gets forwarded and what doesn’t.
---
### Author:  [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)
#### Post date: [April 27, 2006, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-current-classes-and-privileges-of-us-mail-these-days/354493/2 "2006-04-27T18:56:31Z")
Does this [Wiki article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USPS) help?
---
### Author:  [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)
#### Post date: [April 27, 2006, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-current-classes-and-privileges-of-us-mail-these-days/354493/3 "2006-04-27T18:59:08Z")
[U.S. Postal Service web site](http://www.usps.com/)
---
### Author:  [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)
#### Post date: [April 27, 2006, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-current-classes-and-privileges-of-us-mail-these-days/354493/4 "2006-04-27T20:14:43Z")
> [@Iris Rings](#):
>
> At one time there were 4 classes of mail, first was sealed and forwarded, second was unsealed and unforwarded, third was newspapers and fourth was packages.
>
> But now there’s terms like standard and sorted and some others I don’t recall, and I’m never sure what gets forwarded and what doesn’t.
Just to clear things up. It was second class that was newspapers and periodicals. You had to apply for a second class mailing permit you couldn’t just start using it, though.
Third class was “unsealed” but actually it could be selead, though the post office could break the seal and inspect it if it wished. (I don’t believe it needed even probable cause, but I’m not positive.) Postcards, of course, were unsealed, but otherwise handeld like first class.
Fourth class or parcel posts was packages over one pound in weight. Under that they were also third class.