PSA Grading Cost 2026: Complete Fee Table for Every Tier
What PSA grading costs in October 2026: every open level from Standard at $59.99 to Premier at $599, the Value tiers paused since June 2, and the shipping and supplies on top.
PSA has changed its grading menu four times in 2026, and the cheapest way in, the four Value tiers, has been closed to new submissions since June 2. As of October 2026 the lowest open price is $59.99 a card. This page sets out what is open, what it costs and what is paused, then the shipping and other costs that sit on top of PSA's fee. Each PSA fee and turnaround figure comes from PSA's own price page, as archived on October 8, 2026 (psacard.com itself sits behind a browser check we cannot open), or from PSA's announcements as reported by Sports Illustrated's collectibles desk, with the date.
PSA service levels open now (October 2026)
| Service level | Per card | Estimated turnaround | Max insured value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard (opened September 14) | $59.99 | 90–100 business days | $1,000 |
| Priority (formerly Regular) | $79.99 | 70–80 business days | $1,500 |
| Express | $199 | 20–30 business days | $2,500 |
| Super Express | $349 | 10–15 business days | $5,000 |
| Premier (formerly Walk-Through) | $599 | 7–10 business days | $10,000 |
| Premium 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 | $999, $1,999, $2,999, $4,999, from $9,999 | 5–7 business days | $25,000, $50,000, $100,000, $250,000, above $250,000 |
Source: PSA's Pricing & Services page, archived October 8, 2026. PSA states that an estimated turnaround does not begin until the order has been entered into its grading system. In August, before the September changes, SI reported Super Express at $349.99 and Walk-Through at $599.99; PSA's page now shows $349.00 and $599.00.
Every level grades on the same 1–10 scale. The price buys a place in the queue and a higher insured value.
Paused since June 2: the Value tiers
Value Bulk, Value, Value Plus and Value Max stopped taking new submissions at 3 p.m. Pacific on June 2, 2026, per PSA's announcement, reported by SI on May 28. Orders already in were graded at the turnaround they were submitted under. Before the pause they cost $24.99, $32.99, $49.99 and $64.99 a card (Misprint, June 4). PSA's price page still lists Value Bulk and Value Max as "Currently Unavailable". PSA describes Standard as a first step, not a replacement for the Value tiers (SI, September 9), and SI reported in August that the Value tiers would return once the grading backlog fell to about 5 million cards (SI, August 21). The backlog stood at 9.9 million on September 8 (SI, September 9).
How PSA's prices and limits moved in 2026
- February 10. Value Bulk, Value, Value Plus, Value Max and Regular each rose $5 a card; Express and the levels above did not change (SI, February 10).
- May 14. Turnaround estimates became ranges, Value Bulk went from 95 to 140–160 business days, and Value Bulk orders needed at least 50 cards (SI, May 14).
- June 2. The four Value tiers paused and Regular's estimate was lengthened (SI, May 28).
- August 21. Regular's estimate went to 70–80 business days at $79.99, and Super Express's to 10–15 (SI, August 21).
- September 14. Standard opened at $59.99, Regular became Priority, Walk-Through became Premier, and Express rose from $149.99 to $199 (SI, September 9; Express's old price from SI, August 21).
Return Shipping Costs
PSA charges return shipping based on declared value, not weight or speed. These rates are approximate, and we have not been able to check them against PSA's current shipping table:
Under $499 declared: $20–$25
$500 – $1,999: $25–$35
$2,000 – $9,999: $35–$50
$10,000+: $50+ with FedEx priority and full insurance
Return shipping is per submission, not per card, so consolidating cards into one submission saves money.
Other Fees You'll Hit
These figures are approximate, and we have not been able to check them against PSA's current fee list.
Mechanical Error / Reholder: $20–$30 if PSA mis-labels a card or the case ships damaged. Free if PSA's fault and reported quickly.
Reconsideration: Disputing a grade you think is wrong. Pricing matches the original submission tier and effectively becomes a regrade.
Crossover Service: Sending in a slab from another grading company (BGS, CGC) and asking PSA to crack and re-slab if it grades the same or higher. Tier-priced like a regular submission, with the catch that PSA will reject if the cross would result in a lower grade.
Auto Authentication: To have both a signed card and its signature authenticated and graded, choose PSA's Card and Autograph Dual Service. As of June 25, 2026, PSA priced it in proportion to the grading level you choose (PSA's submission update page); check the submission form for the current price. Manufacturer-certified autographs dated 1998 or later can go in at any regular level, with only the card graded (PSA's FAQ, archived September 30, 2026).
Jumbo / Oversized: PSA takes oversized cards, including jumbo cards, but our sources give no current surcharge for them; check the submission form before you send one. Our PSA fees by card type guide covers the size rules.
Hidden Costs Beyond PSA's Invoice
Card Savers (semi-rigids). PSA requires cards to ship in semi-rigid holders. A 200-pack runs about $15. You're spending roughly $0.07 per card on holders.
Penny sleeves. Cards go inside a penny sleeve before going into the Card Saver. A pack of 1,000 sleeves costs about $7.
Submission packaging. A sturdy box, bubble wrap, and shipping label runs another $5–$10 per submission.
Inbound shipping with insurance. $15–$50 depending on declared value and carrier.
Total hidden costs on a 20-card submission, by the ranges above: roughly $40–$85, or $2–$4.25 per card on top of the per-card grading fee.
The All-In Cost: Real Examples
These add PSA's fee to the shipping and supply ranges above, so treat the totals as ranges, not quotes.
20 modern cards at Standard. $59.99 × 20 = $1,199.80 in grading, plus $20–$25 return shipping, $15–$50 inbound and $5–$10 in supplies: about $1,240–$1,285, or $62–$64 a card.
One card worth $2,000 at Express. $199 in grading, plus $35–$50 return shipping for that declared value, $15–$50 inbound with insurance and a couple of dollars in supplies: about $250–$300.
Five cards at Priority. $79.99 × 5 = $399.95, plus $20–$35 return, $15–$50 inbound and $5–$10 supplies: about $440–$495, or $88–$99 a card.
At Value Bulk's pre-pause price of $24.99, grading alone for 20 cards would have been $499.80, though from May 14 that tier took orders of 50 cards or more. That gap is why the pause matters most to anyone grading modern cards in volume.
How to Pay Less Without Going Up a Tier
Two legitimate ways to reduce per-card cost: bundle cards into a single submission to share return shipping, or use a card shop that offers authorized dealer pricing. While the Value tiers are paused, a Collectors Club membership ($149 a year, or $199 for Premium) buys less than it did: PSA's Collectors Club page, archived September 30, 2026, lists its bulk access and its member grading specials as temporarily paused.
What to Do With This Information
Don't grade cards just because you can. Read our break-even guide first — it'll save you from sending in cards that will never recoup the fee. Once you've identified what's worth grading, our prep guide walks through how to package and submit cards correctly so you don't lose grades to handling damage. And if you'd rather have a local shop handle the entire submission process, browse our directory for authorized dealers near you.
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