PANAMA POSTAL RATES

In effect, january 8th 1963

From researches ofMr. Federico Brid and his book

“The Stamps of Panama 1878-2007: Vital Statistics

A handbook of Copaphil ( The Colombia / Panama Philatelic Study Group )

http://copaphil.org/

From the Memoria del Secretario de Gobierno y Justicia of 1948

§As of the 1st of April, 1947 1st class air mail to the US, for each 5 grams: 5 cents

From decree number 350 of 10 October 1953

Special local services:

§Acknowledgment of receipt (A.R.): 5 cents

§Special delivery: 5 cents

§Registration: 10 cents

§Storage service for postal packages or registered mail after the 16th day of the issuance of the notice: ½ cents daily

§Return to sender notice after the 8th day of the issuance of the notice: ½ cents daily

§Official inquires on status if correspondence not delivered: 5 cents

Local surface mail service

 

Description
Weight 
Rates
Postal tax rate
1stclass: correspondence (open or close)
20 grams
0.02
0.01
2ndclass: serial publications without advertisement

500 grams

0.01

0.01

2nd class: serial publications with up to 20% advertisement

500 grams

0.02

0.01

2nd class: serial publications with 20 to 50% advertisement

500 grams

0.03

0.01

2nd class: serial publications with 50 to 60% advertisement

500 grams

0.04

0.01

2nd class: serial publications with more than 60% advertisement

500 grams

0.05

0.01

3rd class: books edited in Panama
500 grams
0.02
0.01
3rd class: book catalogues and price lists of books

500 grams

0.02

0.01

3rd class: various types of printed matter and business papers
500 grams

Minimum rate

½ cent 

0.01

0.01

3rd class: catalogues and commercial advertisement

500 grams

0.02

0.01

4th class: samples not for sale

Each piece or for each 50 grams

½ cent

0.01

5th class: postal packages

Each piece or for each kilo

For each additional 500 grams 

0.20

0.05

0.01

Bundled objects (4th and 5th class)
Each 50 grams
½ cent
0.01

Local air mail service

 
Description
Weight 
Rates
Postal tax rate

1stclass: correspondence (open or close)

1st10 grams

2nd 10 grams

for each additional 5 grams 

0.05

0.05

0.03

0.01

International surface mail service

 
Description
Weight
UPAE rates
UPU rates

1st class:letters and all sealed correspondence

First 20 grams

Each additional 20 grams

0.03

0.02

0.07

0.04

Post cards
0.02
0.04
2ndclass: serial publications without advertisement

500 grams

0.02

2nd class: serial publications with up to 20% advertisement

500 grams

0.03

2nd class: serial publications with 20 to 50% advertisement

500 grams

0.04

2nd class: serial publications with 50 to 60% advertisement

500 grams

0.05

3rd class: books edited in Panama
500 grams
0.03

3rd class: business papers, commercial advertisement, open envelopes, pamphlets, catalogues, photographs, maps, blue prints, etc.

1st 50 grams

Each additional 50 grams

Minimum rate

1 ½ cents 

1 ½ cents 

0.02

0.03

1 ½ cents 

0.05

3rd class: printed matter including newspapers
50 grams
1 ½ cents
0.03

4th class: samples not for sale

1st 50 grams

Each additional 50 grams

1 ½ cents

1 ½ cents

0.03

1 ½ cents

1st class international air mail service

 
Destination
Weight 
Rates
Africa

§South Africa

§Algiers

§Egypt

§Spanish, French and British Morocco

5 grams

0.25

America

§Argentina

§Bolivia

§Brazil

§Chile

§Paraguay

§Uruguay

5 grams

0.01

0.06

0.08

0.07

0.11

0.10

§Antigua

§Bahamas

§Bermuda

§Canada

§Cuba

§French Guiana

§Suriname

First 10 grams

Each additional 5 grams

0.10

0.05

America

§Colombia

§Dominican Republic

§USA

§Guadalupe 

§British Guiana

§Haiti

§Santa Lucia

§Virgin Islands

§Martinique

§Mexico

§Peru

§Puerto Rico

§Trinidad

First 10 grams

Each additional 5 grams

0.06

0.03

America

§Costa Rica

§Curacao

§Salvador

§Guatemala

§Honduras

§Jamaica

§Nicaragua

§Venezuela

First 10 grams

Each additional 5 grams

0.05

0.03

Asia and Middle East

§China

§Malaysia

§Philippines

§India

§Iran

§Iraq

§Japan

§Lebanon

§Macao

§Palestine

§Syria

§etc

First 5 grams

Each additional 5 grams

0.30

0.21

Europe
Each 5 grams
0.21
Pacific
Each 5 grams
0.30

Rates for special international services

 
Description
UPAE rates
UPU rates
Acknowledgment of receipt (A.R.): requested upon mailing an object
0.05
0.10
Acknowledgment of receipt (A.R.): requested after the mailing
0.08
0.17
Delivery of small packages
0.05
0.12
Express mail
0.10
0.20
Claim for a lost object (except A.R. service)
0.05
0.10
Registration service
0.10
0.13
Additional special rates for international services:

§Storage service for postal packages after the 16th day of the issuance of the notice: 2 ½ cents daily

§Items returned from other countries to the sender after the 8th day of the issuance of the notice: 2 ½ cents daily

§Notice of arrival, to UPAE members: 3 cents; to UPU members: 2 cents

§Deliveries of postal packages to UPAE members: 5 cents; to UPU members: 12 cents

§Re-sending of postal packages to the interior of the Republic will be charged the regular parcel post rate; to foreign destinations it will be charged the same rate as it was charged by the originating postal authority. 

§Customs processing per postal package item to UPAE members: 15 cents; to UPU members: 25 cents 

From decree number 24 of 22 January 1957

As of the 22nd of January 1957 the following rates will be in effect

2nd class air mail service which includes the following: printed matter, merchandise samples, business papers, small packages, 

Braille printings, postal packages and diplomatic pouches.Rates are for each 50 grams

 
Destination
Rates
Destination
Rates
Argentina
0.21
Trinidad
0.09
Bolivia
0.14
Honduras
0.06
Brazil
0.23
Jamaica
0.06
Canada
0.10
Martinique
0.11
British Guiana
0.11
Mexico
0.11
Destination
Rates
Destination
Rates
Chile
0.18
Nicaragua
0.06
Colombia
0.06
Curacao
0.08
Costa Rica
0.06
Peru
0.11
Cuba
0.09
Paraguay
0.23
Dominican Republic
0.09
Puerto Rico
0.09
Ecuador
0.08
Virgin Islands
0.09
Salvador
0.08
Surinam
0.12
French Guiana
0.14
Uruguay
0.21
Guadalupe
0.11
Venezuela
0.08
Guatemala
0.08
USA
0.10
Haiti
0.08

From decree number 172 of 25 April 1958

§A postal tax of 1 cent is ordered on all correspondence mailed from the post offices of the Republic to assist in the rehabilitation of minors.

From decree number 268 of 30 June 1958

The following items may be sent via 2nd class air mail service:

§Printed matter, samples, business papers, small packages, items in Braille, and postal packages

2nd class air mail service

 
Destination
1st eight ounces
Each additional four ounces
AbyssiniaEthiopia and Eritrea
2.00
0.60
Afghanistan
No service available
No service available
South Africa
2.10
0.90
Albania
No service available
No service available
Germany
1.35
0.45
Saudi Arabia
2.25
0.60
Algiers
1.80
0.45
Australia
3.00
0.95
Austria
1.50
0.45
Belgium
1.30
0.40
Burma
3.15
0.95
Belarus
No service available
No service available
Bulgaria
2.00
0.35
Cambodia
3.25
0.90
Ceylon
2.85
0.80
BelgiumCongo
No service available
No service available
Korea
No service available
No service available
Czechoslovakia
1.45
0.45
China
No service available
No service available
Denmark
1.35
0.45
Egypt
1.80
0.55
Spain
2.05
0.40
Philippines
2.00
0.75
France
1.40
0.40
Finland
1.50
0.50
England
1.10
0.45
Greece
1.55
0.55
Gibraltar
1.70
0.45
French Guiana
0.85
0.25
Hong Kong
1.85
0.75
Hungary
1.50
0.45
India
2.45
0.85
Indonesia
No service available
No service available
Iraq
1.90
0.55
Persia
1.90
0.55
Ireland
1.00
0.40
Iceland
No service available
No service available
Israel
1.80
0.60
Italy
1.70
0.45
Japan
2.25
0.90
Jordan
1.85
0.55
Laos
3.40
0.85
Lebanon
1.85
0.50
Liberia
No service available
No service available
Libya
1.50
0.45
Destination
1st eight ounces
Each additional four ounces
Luxemburg
1.25
0.45
Macao
No service available
No service available
Morocco
No service available
No service available
Monaco
1.40
0.40
Nepal
3.10
0.95
Norway
1.55
0.45
New Zealand
2.25
0.90
Pakistan
2.50
0.90
Holland
1.20
0.40
Poland
No service available
No service available
Portugal and Portuguese colonies
1.25
0.35
Rumania
No service available
No service available
Russia
No service available
No service available
Syria
1.80
0.50
Sudan
2.25
0.60
Sweden
1.40
0.45
Switzerland
1.20
0.45
Italian Samoa
No service available
No service available
Thailand
3.10
0.80
Tunisia
1.50
0.40
Turkey
2.00
0.40
Ukraine
No service available
No service available
Vatican City
1.70
0.45
Vietnam
3.00
0.90
Yemen
No service available
No service available
Yugoslavia
1.45
0.45

From decree number 372 of 17 October 1961

As of the 17 of November, 1961 the following rates will be in effect: 

Surface mail service for Panama, the Americas and Spain

 
Type of correspondence
Weight in grams
Rates
1st class mail
Each 20 grams
0.04
Single post cards
0.02
2nd class mail that includes business papers and invoices, bulletins, circulars, open letters, contracts, etc.

Each 100 grams

0.02

Printed matter which includes newspapers, catalogues, pamphlets, calling cards, printing proofs, photographs, blueprints, maps, calendars, almanacs and magazines 

Each 100 grams

0.01

Type of correspondence
Weight in grams
Rates
Samples which includes business samples, printing cliché’s, keys, flowers, pills, vaccinations and stuffed animals

Each 50 grams

0.01

Postal packages, and dry goods only for Panama
Each kilo
0.15

Surface mail service for UPU countries

 
Type of correspondence
Weight in grams
Rates
1st class mail
Each 20 grams
0.05
Single post cards
0.04
2nd class mail that includes business papers and invoices, bulletins, circulars, open letters, contracts, etc.

Each 50 grams

0.1½ 

Printed matter which includes newspapers, catalogues, pamphlets, calling cards, printing proofs, photographs, blueprints, maps, calendars, almanacs and magazines 

Each 50 grams

0.1½

Samples which includes business samples, printing cliché’s, keys, flowers, pills, vaccinations and stuffed animals

Each 50 grams

0.1½

From decree number 94 of 25 April 1963

From the 25th of May 1963 the following rates will apply:

Surface mail service to Panama, the Americas and Spain

 
Type
Weight
Rates
Letters and all sealed correspondence
20 grams
0.04
Post cards
0.02
Business papers, invoices, bulletins, circulars, open letters, contracts, etc.
100 grams
0.02
Printed matter, books, newspapers, catalogues, pamphlets, calling cards, printing proofs, photographs, drawings, blueprints, maps, calendars etc. 

100 grams

0.01