Services and Prices
A single tariff applies to every item posted within the Velocity Interoperability Network, whether it is handed in at a post office or counter or placed in a post box. The tariff is set by the Postal Service of the Velocity Interoperability Network and reviewed annually; at least one month's notice of any change is given in the Newsroom. All prices are in credits and include the cost of collection, sorting and delivery.
The tariff applies from Monday 7 September 2026
Rates. Every format is available at two rates.
- The ordinary rate
- Letters are delivered within two working days and parcels within three working days, anywhere in the Network. The ordinary rate is intended for correspondence and goods that are not urgent. Items are collected and sorted with priority mail but are delivered on the later rounds.
- The priority rate
- Letters and parcels posted before the last collection are delivered on the next working day, anywhere in the Network. Priority parcels include tracking without additional charge. The priority rate is intended for urgent correspondence, official documents and goods required the next day.
- Weight and size
- An item is charged at the rate for the first format whose weight and size limits it does not exceed. An item that is within the weight limit of a format but exceeds one of its dimensions is charged at the next format. Items over 20 kilograms or 100 centimetres are not accepted; the business counter at Central Exchange can advise on the carriage of larger consignments.
Letters. Letters are priced by format. A standard letter is an ordinary envelope containing a few sheets of paper; a large letter holds a document, a magazine or a thin flat item.
| Format | Limits | Ordinary rate | Priority rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard letter | Up to 100 g; no side longer than 24 cm; no thicker than 5 mm | 1.20 | 1.80 |
| Large letter | Up to 250 g; no side longer than 35 cm; no thicker than 25 mm | 2.10 | 3.00 |
| Large letter | Up to 500 g; no side longer than 35 cm; no thicker than 25 mm | 2.80 | 4.00 |
Parcels. Parcels are priced in three weight bands. The price is the same whichever post office or counter accepts the item and wherever in the Network it is delivered.
| Format | Limits | Ordinary rate | Priority rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small parcel | Up to 2 kg; no side longer than 45 cm | 4.50 | 6.50 |
| Medium parcel | Up to 10 kg; no side longer than 61 cm | 7.80 | 11.20 |
| Large parcel | Up to 20 kg; no side longer than 100 cm | 12.40 | 17.60 |
Additional services. The services below may be added to an item at any post office or counter when it is handed in. They are not available for items placed in a post box. Each is charged in addition to the postage for the item.
| Service | What it provides | Price | Available for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signed for | A signature is taken on delivery and a record of it kept for one year | 1.50 | Any item |
| Tracked | The item is scanned at acceptance, sorting and delivery; included with priority parcels | 1.00 | Any item |
| Insured to 500 credits | Compensation for loss or damage up to 500 credits | 3.00 | Any item; includes tracked and signed for |
| Insured to 2,500 credits | Compensation for loss or damage up to 2,500 credits | 7.50 | Parcels; includes tracked and signed for |
| Registered | Proof of posting, secure handling and proof of delivery, for official and legal correspondence | 4.00 | Letters and large letters |
| Recorded proof of posting | A dated receipt bearing the address of the item | 0.40 | Any item |
| Redelivery on a chosen day | A held item delivered again on a working day of the recipient's choice | No charge | Held items |
Compensation for the loss of or damage to an item sent without insurance is limited to the postage paid and, for tracked or signed-for items, to 20 credits. Claims are made by writing to the Service within three months of posting. The Service does not compensate for consequential loss or for items that were not accepted for posting under the conditions set out on the Sending Mail page.
Other prices. The prices of post office boxes, redirection and holding, and of the packaging and prepaid envelopes sold at counters, are set out below.
| Service | Description | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Post office box | Annual rental at any of the six full post offices | 60.00 a year, or 18.00 a quarter |
| Redirection | Mail forwarded to a new address within the Network | 12.00 for one month, 28.00 for three months, 80.00 for twelve months |
| Holding | Mail held at a post office while the recipient is away | 5.00 a week, up to eight weeks |
| Prepaid envelopes | Pack of ten standard letter envelopes with ordinary postage printed | 11.00 |
| Packaging | Small, medium and large parcel boxes sold at the counter | 1.20, 2.40 and 3.60 |
Paying for postage. Postage is sold at every post office and counter, where it is printed on the item or supplied as an adhesive label. Prepaid envelopes may be posted in any post box. Member organisations posting in volume may pay monthly through an account and frank their own items; see Business Services.
The delivery periods for each rate, and the collection times that determine the day of posting, are set out on the Delivery Standards and Tracking page. Enquiries about the tariff may be sent to contact@postal.gov.vin; for answers to common questions, see the frequently asked questions.