It is very easy to send and receive money from one place to another in today’s world. There are many ways you can send money to people who may even be in another country. One of the easiest and safest ways to send money to someone is through a money order.

Many companies in the United States offer money order services. If you want to know if USPS does money orders, then you have come to the right place.

Does USPS Do Money Orders in 2024?

The United States Postal Service does offer money orders as of 2024. The minimum fee is $1.45 for a money order up to $500, and you can get a maximum amount of $1000.

Some of the USPS locations provide money order service; however, the list of post offices that can execute a USPS Money Order changes frequently and may vary depending on your location. So you can visit their website or call their helpline to know which branch is offering money order services.

If you need money orders after USPS business hours, you can go to places that offer money orders 24 hours.

Most grocery stores like Albertsons offer money order services as well. You can also get money orders from big retailers like Walmart and convenience stores like 7-Eleven.

How Does USPS Money Orders Work?

Availability

Money orders can be made from all post offices and branches in the US. These facilities are also available for members of the Armed Forces.

Rural route carriers and highway contract carriers accept money orders from their customers. The customer fills out Form 6387 and provides the payment to the carrier.

Restrictions

Multiple Money orders may be made at the same time, subject to certain restrictions.

No Money orders may be placed on any 1 day, except for the day when the total value of the order exceeds $10,000.

For customers with a daily total of $3,000 or more, they must complete Form 8105. They should also show the name, address, and photograph of the order recipient.

Purchase Method

Money orders can be made in various ways: US dollars, coins, and currency. They can also be used with established traveler’s checks.

With a debit or ATM card, the customer must enter their personal identification number before the order is processed.

Buyer

The buyer must complete the order and the customer’s receipt by filling in the addresses and names of the parties involved. The US Postal Service does not refund money orders that are stolen.

USPS Money Orders Fee

It costs $1.45 for money orders worth $0.01 to $500 and $1.95 for money orders worth $500.01 to $1000, and for money orders issued by the military facilities, it costs $0.50. USPS money orders never expire and maintain their value permanently.

Money Order Amount	Cost
Up to $500	$1.45
$500 to $1000	$1.95
Military Money Orders	$0.50

There is a fee for money orders that are made through USPS. These include both domestic and international money order services.

The fees will be deducted from the amount of your money order when it’s created, which means you need to make sure there is enough in your account to cover all fees before making an order.

USPS Money Order Limits

Yes, you can only send up to $1000 per USPS money order. This is why it’s vital that you know how much you can send before sending any payment via USPS Money Order.

If you want to send more than $1000, e.g., $2000, you can get two money orders of $1000 each.

How to Buy a Money Order at USPS

To buy a USPS money order, you must be at the location which provides this service. You can either visit their official website or contact them through phone to enquire if they provide such services and where exactly these services are provided.

The payment options vary depending on your location and what kind of post office it is (city, state, etc.). Usually, you have to pay through a credit card.

How to Fill Out a Money Order

The US Postal Service and many other banks and credit unions offer their own money orders. There are also two major types of money orders: MoneyGram and Western Union. Both are sold at various stores across the country.

You’ll be asked to provide three basic information when you order money: the name of the recipient, your address, and your signature. This field will allow the recipient to contact you if a problem occurs.

One of the required fields on money orders is the recipient’s signature. On most money orders, this field is the one that’s requested, while on the other hand, the blank is labeled “From.”

On Western Union transactions, the payment field is called “payment for/acct#,” while on the Postal Service, it’s called “memo.” Money orders from the US Postal Service include additional space for the recipient’s address.

Does USPS Cash Money Order?

Yes, USPS does cash money orders as long as there is no issue with the money order. You can cash them for free at a Post Office. Some banks also let you cash the money order. In addition to the post office and banks, some stores also allow you to cash USPS money orders.

Money orders are never dated and do not accrue interest. If you want to cash them, you can do it at a Post Office or some stores.

How to use the Post Office to Cash a Money Order:

1. Not not sign it
2. Bring an I.D. to a USPS location
3. Sign it when instructed by a staff

The USPS money order can be cashed for the same amount that they were made.

Validity and Value

Money orders are issued regardless of the time that has passed since their issue. The US Postal Service only pays the exact amount that’s imprinted on the order.

Redemption

Money orders can be deposited at any US bank or post office. They can also be cashed by rural carriers.

Identification

When a customer applies for a money order, they must first sign in the presence of a US Postal Service employee. The agency may refuse to pay the order if the customer’s identity is not confirmed.

Related: Does USPS have a Notary Service?

Does USPS Sell International Money Orders?

International money orders aren’t fully available with USPS anymore. However, you could buy international money orders from a Post Office, and it was the same process as buying domestic money orders.

The fee structure was slightly different for international USPS money orders. You could send international money orders for up to $700 to international locations. The amount may vary for some places like Guyana or El Salvador, where the maximum USPS money order amount allowed is $500.

The issuance fee of an international money order costs around $10.50, so you had to pay the face value of the money order in addition to the issuance fee of $10.50 plus the processing fee, which is different for different countries.

You can track your international money order through the respective receipt. The international money orders are only with the dollar amount, and all other fields are left blank.

One other thing of importance was that you could not pay for an intentional money order through a credit card. However, you could use a traveler’s check, a debit card, or the most common option, ‘cash.’

USPS Money Orders Replacement and Refund

If the customer is dissatisfied with the money order, the US Postal Service can replace it or refund the money order. In addition, if your money order has been stolen or you have lost it, that money order can be replaced.

Stolen or Lost Money Orders

• Payment cannot be stopped, but a lost money order can be replaced
• It takes up to 30 days to process for stolen or loss
• It takes up to 60 days to investigate misplaced or stolen
• $6.95 processing fee to replace a lost or stolen money order

The entire investigation for the money order being stolen or lost may take up to 2 months. Before the investigation, you might have to wait 30 days for the status of your money order to change from valid to stolen or lost.

How to Request a Refund

1. Any Post Office store will accept your money order receipt. Find a location
2. To begin a Money Order Inquiry, speak with a shop employee at the counter
3. You may monitor the status and the progress of your investigation by going to the Money Orders Application
4. To check the status or your money order, have Serial number, Post Office number, and Dollar amount ready
5. USPS will send you a replacement money order if your money order is proven lost or stolen

So the entire process can take up to 90 days. You will have to pay $6.95 to get the money order replaced in such a situation. When it comes to refunds, as mentioned earlier, USPS money orders cannot be refunded.

However, you can get it marked stolen or lost and then get the replacement money order in your own name. You can then encash it or get it deposited into your bank account.

Conclusion

USPS is still offering money orders as of 2024, and you can purchase them at any post office in your area. However, since 1st October 2021, USPS has stopped selling international postal money orders to other countries.

You can get international postal money orders encashed till 1st October 2022. So there is a little below one year left for that deadline as well. So if you have an international money order that you want to be encashed, then this is the time to do so.

So USPS still does domestic money orders; however, they have stopped doing international money orders and will stop cashing international money orders from 1st October 2022.