PSA Card Grading 2026: Costs, Tiers & Turnaround Times
The 2026 guide to PSA card grading: every open service level and its price as of October 2026, what you pay on top of the fee, and how to decide which cards are worth grading.
PSA grades more cards than any other company (GemRate's figures, reported by SI), and its service menu changed repeatedly in 2026: its four cheapest tiers have been paused since June 2, and a new $59.99 Standard level opened on September 14. This hub covers what PSA does, what each open level costs as of October 2026, what you pay on top of the fee, and how to decide whether a card is worth sending. The guides listed below go deeper on each step. Every fee and turnaround below is from PSA's price page as it stood on October 8, 2026, and every policy from PSA's FAQ as of September 30, 2026.
What PSA Actually Does
Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) authenticates a card, grades its condition on a 1–10 scale, and seals it in a tamper-evident holder with a unique certification number. Anyone can check that number in PSA's cert lookup, which is what lets a buyer trust a graded card they have never handled. PSA says at least two graders review each item and must agree on the grade (FAQ).
PSA's Service Levels (October 2026)
| Level | Per card | Estimated turnaround | Max insured value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $59.99 | 90–100 business days | $1,000 |
| Priority | $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 | $599 | 7–10 business days | $10,000 |
| Premium 1 to 10 | $999 to $9,999+ | 5–7 business days | over $10,000 |
| Value Bulk, Value, Value Plus, Value Max | Paused since June 2, 2026 | ||
PSA states that an estimate does not begin until the order has been entered into its grading system, and that estimates are not guaranteed (price page and FAQ). The level you choose is set by the card's max insured value, your own estimate of what it will be worth once graded; if PSA decides that figure was understated, it can require you to pay for the correct level before it finishes the order (FAQ). The full price history and the worked costs are in our PSA grading cost guide, and every estimate is in PSA turnaround times.
What You Pay on Top of the Fee
Shipping both ways. You pay to send the cards and to have them returned. PSA sets the return fee by the submission's card count and declared value, as one fixed fee per submission, and charges you when the order is complete and ready to ship (FAQ).
Supplies, packed PSA's way. Sleeves, semi-rigid holders and a sturdy box; our supplies guide prices a typical submission. PSA's terms let it charge processing fees for packaging that doesn't follow its shipping guide, such as cards in rigid toploaders, pull tabs or stickers left on, or cards packed in a different order from the form (PSA's terms, section 5).
Membership, if you want it. You do not have to join PSA's Collectors Club to submit (FAQ). Membership costs $149 a year, or $199 for Premium, and its bulk grading access and member specials are paused along with the Value tiers (PSA's Collectors Club page, archived September 30, 2026). Details in our Collectors Club guide.
Reviews. If you disagree with a grade, PSA's Review service is paid at the full grading fee plus shipping; a mislabelled card is corrected free (FAQ).
Should You Even Grade That Card?
Only when the graded price, less the fee, shipping and selling costs, clearly beats what the card sells for raw. Take a card that sells for $40 raw and $60 in PSA 9: Standard grading alone is $59.99, so even the 9 leaves you behind before shipping. The cards that clear the bar are the ones whose top grades sell for multiples of the raw price, and the ones where authentication itself moves the price. Our break-even guide works through the arithmetic with a real card.
PSA vs. The Other Graders
PSA is not the fastest or cheapest option in 2026: CGC's Standard level costs a few dollars less and comes back in a fraction of the time, $55 and 10 working days on its services page on October 8, 2026, against $59.99 and 90–100 business days at PSA. What PSA usually offers in return is the resale premium; our PSA vs. BGS vs. CGC guide has the figures.
What's in This Pillar
The cluster pages below dive deep on every part of the PSA process. Start with the cost guide if you're trying to decide which tier to use; jump to the worth-it guide if you're not sure whether to grade at all; or check turnaround if your submission is sitting in PSA's queue and you want to know how much longer it'll be.
Quick FAQ
Does PSA grade Pokémon? Yes, along with sports and other trading card games. Our fees by card type guide covers what changes for oversized, thick and autographed cards.
How do I submit? Fill in a submission form in PSA's Online Submission Center and mail the cards with it; PSA also takes submissions at its booth at some trade shows (FAQ). Many card shops submit on customers' behalf; see PSA grading near me.
What grade will my card get? PSA's population report shows how every card has graded so far, which is the best guide to the odds for that card.
Can I crack a slab and resubmit? Yes, but the old grade is gone once the slab is opened, and a new submission is a new fee.
Are PSA grades final? You can send a card back for Review, at the full grading fee and shipping, and PSA corrects mislabelled cards free (FAQ). See our crossover and regrade guide.
Find a card shop that submits to PSA
Many local card shops accept PSA submissions on your behalf — saving you the inbound shipping cost and packaging hassle. Find one near you in our directory.