How to Measure Your Mail and Avoid Franking Surcharges

To avoid Royal Mail surcharges, measure and weigh every mail item before franking, because postage now depends on length, width and thickness as well as weight. Underpaying or overpaying triggers a surcharge that can be passed on to your customer, so accurate measuring, the right envelope size and a franking machine that weighs each item all help. This guide explains how to measure your mail and avoid surcharges.

Franking machine technology has changed the way UK businesses handle mail, and Mailmark technology has made both businesses and Royal Mail more efficient. A franking machine is one of the most common pieces of mailroom equipment and can handle mail volumes of all sizes. Franking is also more cost-effective, because each item can be weighed accurately and charged the correct postage, reducing the risk of overpaying.

Even with a franking machine, Royal Mail may still write to your business about under or overpaying for a mail item. These letters can be confusing, partly because of how many Royal Mail sends out about surcharge payments.

Franking used to be rated only by weight, which meant several items could be franked together without issue. That is no longer the case: postage now accounts for the length, width and thickness of an item as well as its weight.

Measure your mail

Not many franking machines can measure mail items accurately, so Royal Mail advises measuring any item when you are unsure of its size. A helpful chart of the different mail formats can be found online.

Underpaying or overpaying for an item results in a Royal Mail surcharge, so it is important to pay correctly for all outgoing mail. We advise measuring your items before franking them, just to be sure. To help, we can even supply our own Royal Mail Size Guide Ruler.

It also helps to choose the right envelope or box. There is no need to use a large letter envelope for an A4 document that can be folded in half into a C5 envelope. Provided the envelope is below the 5mm thickness limit, the item qualifies as a standard letter, which means a lower postage rate and accurate payment.

Do not let your customers pay the bill

One final thing to remember is that Royal Mail will still deliver your mail even if you have under or overpaid, which can leave your customer paying the surcharge and feeling unhappy. Keep underpaying and a letter will eventually come to your business requesting the shortfall too. The simplest way to avoid this is to weigh and measure your mail accurately using a franking machine and a Royal Mail Size Guide Ruler.

If you are interested in a franking machine, or upgrading to a Mailmark franking machine with the lowest postage rates available, view our franking machine page here or call us today on 01543 572 776.

We are a Royal Mail Authorised Independent Inspector & Maintainer of postal franking machines, and we have serviced and supplied over 40,000 customers, from small businesses to some of the largest organisations in the UK. We can also supply you with our own range of machines.

Frequently asked questions

Why am I getting Royal Mail surcharge letters?

Postage is now based on a mail item’s size (length, width and thickness) as well as its weight, so an item franked at the wrong size or weight is under or overpaid and triggers a surcharge.

How do I avoid franking surcharges?

Measure and weigh each item before franking, use the correct envelope size, and use a franking machine that weighs items accurately. Mailcoms can also supply a Royal Mail Size Guide Ruler.

What happens if I underpay postage on franked mail?

Royal Mail still delivers the item, but the surcharge can be charged to your customer, and repeated underpayment can lead to a surcharge letter to your business.