How to avoid Royal Mail surcharge payments

To avoid Royal Mail surcharges, always frank the correct postage for the size and weight of your item. The two simplest safeguards are to measure every item with a Royal Mail size guide ruler and to weigh it on your franking machine’s integrated scale, so you never underpay and trigger a surcharge.

Why surcharges happen

It is not unheard of for businesses to receive a surcharge from Royal Mail, which almost always results in a surcharge payment. The amount you pay for a mail item depends on its size and weight, so if those are miscalculated and you underpay, a surcharge will follow. You can eliminate that risk with a few simple checks.

Use a Royal Mail size guide ruler

First, always check your mail item with a Royal Mail size guide ruler. At Mailcoms we have our own size guide ruler to help you decide how to frank and send your mail. If you are ever unsure, use the ruler to see exactly which format your item falls into and help avoid surcharge payments.

Weigh your mail on your franking machine

Most franking machines include an integrated weighing scale as standard, which calculates the correct postage accurately every time. Using the scale alongside a size guide ruler all but eliminates the risk of a surcharge. If you do not have a franking machine, view our range of franking machines.

Royal Mail size and weight guide

Use the table below as guidance when measuring and weighing your mail to avoid surcharge payments.

Please note: the maximum weight for Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm items is 20kg, and for Special Delivery Guaranteed by 9am items is 2kg.

FAQs

Why did I get a Royal Mail surcharge? Surcharges are issued when the postage franked does not match the item’s size and weight, usually because it was under-measured or underweighed.

How do I avoid franking surcharges? Measure every item with a Royal Mail size guide ruler and weigh it on your franking machine’s scale before franking, so you always pay the correct amount.

What are the Royal Mail mail formats? Letter, Large Letter, Small Parcel and Medium Parcel, each with its own maximum weight and dimensions.