Money orders
USPS money order: fees, limits and how it works
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The finder opens on the Post Office for a $1,200 payment paid by debit card. Change the amount to see how many postal money orders it takes.
USPS (Post Office): 2 money orders
$6.40 in fees
You hand over $1,206.40 for $1,200 of money orders.
| Seller | Needed | Fees | Cap each | Debit card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USPS (Post Office) | 2 | $6.40 | $1,000 | yes |
| Kroger | 2 | $3 max | $1,000 | yes |
| Chaseaccount holders | 2 | $10 | $1,000 | yes |
| Wells Fargoaccount holders | 2 | $10 | $1,000 | yes |
| Regions | 2 | $4 | $1,000 | ask |
| Walmart | – | varies by location | – | yes |
| Publix | – | not published | – | yes |
| Western Union | – | varies by location | – | ask |
| MoneyGram | – | not published | – | ask |
| Citiaccount holders | – | not published | – | yes |
| U.S. Bankaccount holders | – | not published | – | yes |
| Truistaccount holders | – | not published | – | yes |
| TD Bankaccount holders | – | not published | – | yes |
| 7-Eleven | – | not published | – | no |
Store fees for Western Union and MoneyGram money orders are set by each location; the figure shown is the one published by the store or the issuer, read on the date at the bottom of the page.
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The Postal Service sells domestic money orders at every Post Office retail counter, up to $1,000 each. Since October 4, 2026, the fee is $2.65 for a face value of $0.01 to $500 and $3.75 from $500.01 to $1,000 (Domestic Mail Manual, Notice 123); postal military money orders sold at military facilities cost $0.85. You can pay in cash, with a debit card and its PIN, or with traveler’s checks if the purchase is at least half their value; credit cards are not accepted (USPS money orders). Buying $3,000 or more in one day requires a form with your ID, PS Form 8105-A. The payee can cash a postal money order free at any Post Office, deposit it in a bank, where a teller deposit must be available the next business day under Regulation CC, or cash it at many stores. Postal money orders never expire. Replacing a lost or stolen one costs $23, the inquiry fee, and takes up to 60 days.
Fees, limits and rules read by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
Fees in force since October 4, 2026
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Domestic money order, $0.01 to $500 | $2.65 |
| Domestic money order, $500.01 to $1,000 | $3.75 |
| Postal military money order | $0.85 |
| Money order inquiry, copy, or replacement of a lost or stolen one | $23 |
| Cashing a postal money order at a Post Office | free |
The fee applies per money order. For amounts above $1,000, buy several: $1,200 takes one of $1,000 and one of $200, $6.40 in fees, which the finder above computes for any amount.
Buying one at the counter
Postal money orders are sold at the retail counter, not at self-service kiosks. Tell the clerk the amount, pay, and receive the money order with its receipt stub. Fill in the payee’s name and your own details at once, at the counter if you can: a blank money order is as good as cash to whoever finds it. Keep the receipt, which carries the serial number needed for any inquiry. The Postal Service’s mail manual, section 509 sets the daily reporting rule: purchases totaling $3,000 or more on one day require PS Form 8105-A and an ID, and cashing more than $10,000 on one day requires the same form.
Cashing or depositing one
The payee can cash a postal money order at any Post Office for free, for the exact amount, by showing a photo ID and signing it at the counter. Rural carriers may cash one if they carry enough cash. Banks accept postal money orders as deposits, and many stores cash them. The cashing page compares the options for postal and store money orders.
Lost, stolen or damaged
A postal money order cannot be stopped like a check. If one is lost or stolen, take the receipt to any Post Office and file a money order inquiry, PS Form 6401, for each money order, with the $23 fee. The Postal Service may take up to 30 days to confirm the loss and up to 60 days for the investigation. A damaged one can be replaced with the receipt. The tool below compares the replacement fees of the three issuers.
What does replacing a lost money order cost?
Processing fee
$23
| You get back | $377 |
| Process | receipt to any Post Office to open a Money Order Inquiry |
USPS (Post Office): money order inquiry, also charged to replace a lost or stolen one.
International postal money orders
The Postal Service also issues international money orders for a limited list of countries. Their cap is lower: $700 per money order, and $500 for El Salvador and Guyana, according to the Postal Inspection Service flier. They are paid out by the post of the destination country, so check that the recipient can cash one before you buy it.
Spotting a counterfeit
Four designs are valid today, including red-blue-red and red and blue designs issued in 2025 that carry a QR code, according to the USPS money order page. The Postal Inspection Service flier adds simple checks: the amount printed twice and matching, no discoloration around the amount, and the watermark and thread on the older green and purple design. A domestic postal money order can never exceed $1,000: one for more is fake. If a stranger sends you a postal money order for more than you asked and wants the difference back, stop there and verify it before you deposit anything.