The USPS has announced that they are discontinuing Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes A and B effective January 22, 2023. These boxes will no longer be produced by the USPS and the current Priority Mail Regional Rate pricing will no longer apply. The discontinued boxes include:
- Priority Mail Regional Rate Box A1 – 10-1/8” x 7-1/8” x 5”
- Priority Mail Regional Rate Box A2 – 13-1/16” x 11-1/16” x 2-1/2”
- Priority Mail Regional Rate Box B1 – 12-1/4” x 10-1/2” x 5-1/2”
- Priority Mail Regional Rate Box B2 – 15” x 12” x 3”
The maximum weight for Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes A1 and A2 is 15 pounds for domestic shipping and 10 pounds for international shipping. The maximum weight for Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes B1 and B2 is 20 pounds for both domestic and international shipping.
This change is part of the USPS effort to simplify the Priority Mail products it offers. The USPS recommends the Priority Mail Cubic as an alternative. Priority Mail Cubic offers similar cost savings as Regional Rate boxes. Priority Mail Cubic has zone pricing with five price tiers up to 0.5 cubic feet.
When shipping Priority Mail Cubic, the commercial customer uses their own packaging. Priority Mail Cubic packages must measure 0.5 cubic feet or less, weigh 20 pounds or less, and the longest dimension may not exceed 18 inches. The pricing for Priority Mail Cubic is based on the outer dimensions of the package rather than weight.
Customers with these Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes in their inventory may still use them to ship, but they will be treated as weight and rate packages.
Also, during the holiday season, commercial shippers should be aware that the USPS has announced an adjustment to the postage refund policy for Priority Mail Express™ sent from December 22 until December 25. Postage will be refunded if the first delivery attempt or delivery occurs more than two delivery days after the Acceptance scan event.