PSA Turnaround Times Right Now (Updated October 2026)

By William Rowe, ShouldISlabIt · Updated Oct 29, 2026

Short answer: as of Oct 29, 2026, PSA estimates 90–100 business days for Value ($39.99), 70–80 business days for Standard ($59.99), 50–60 business days for Priority ($79.99), 20–30 for Express, 10–15 for Super Express, 7–10 for Premier and 5–7 for the Premium tiers. These are estimates, not guarantees, and they don't include shipping.

PSA turnaround estimates and prices as of Oct 29, 2026, for new US trading card submissions, read on psacard.com that day. Not affiliated with PSA. PSA changed its prices several times in 2026, so check its site before you submit.

PSA turnaround times by tier (official estimates)

PSA estimated turnaround, new US trading card submissions, as of Oct 29, 2026
TierPrice per cardEstimate nowBefore the changeIn weeks of weekdays
Value$39.9990–100 business daysReopened (paused since June 2)18–20 weeks
Standard$59.9970–80 business days90–100 business days14–16 weeks
Priority$79.9950–60 business days70–80 business days10–12 weeks
Express$19920–30 business daysUnchanged4–6 weeks
Super Express$34910–15 business daysUnchanged2–3 weeks
Premier$5997–10 business daysUnchanged1.4–2 weeks

Source: PSA's pricing page and PSA's Oct 28, 2026 announcement. The weeks column is our arithmetic (5 business days a week), before holidays, shipping and the days before PSA starts the clock. Value Bulk is still paused.

What changed, and do orders already sent get it?

PSA cut the Standard and Priority estimates by 20 business days each and reopened Value. PSA's announcement says the new Standard and Priority estimates apply to orders submitted from Oct 28, 2026 at 8 a.m. PT, while its submission-updates page says the changes apply to new submissions as of Oct 29. Either way, orders already created, in transit or at PSA keep the estimate they were submitted under, though PSA says they may still benefit from the extra speed.

Fastest vs cheapest: what each day saved costs

Moving upExtra fee per cardBusiness days saved (midpoints)Cost per day saved
Value → Standard$20about 20$1
Standard → Priority$20about 20$1
Priority → Express$119.01about 30$3.97
Express → Super Express$150about 12.5$12
Super Express → Premier$250about 4$62.50

Our arithmetic from PSA's estimates, using the middle of each range. A tier also has to cover your card's value after grading, so a valuable card may not be allowed in the cheaper tier at all. See our PSA grading cost guide.

Estimated vs real turnaround

Business days, not calendar days

PSA counts business days. 70–80 business days is about 14–16 weeks of weekdays, or roughly three to four months on the calendar, and holidays push it out further. Add shipping both ways.

When the clock starts: PSA gives two answers

PSA's own pages don't agree on this. A footnote on its pricing page says the estimate does not begin until the order has been entered into the grading system, while a disclaimer on the same page says it begins when the order is received and scanned into the PSA facility. PSA's support FAQ says the "Order Prep" scan starts the clock, and its terms say return times are based on when your package arrives. Our advice: plan around the later one, the day your order reaches Order Prep, not the day your package was delivered. PSA's FAQ asks you to allow 3 to 7 business days after delivery before contacting it about an order that hasn't shown up.

Why orders run past the estimate

PSA says too many orders are past their estimates. It says submissions in April and May 2026 were 2.5 times the same months in 2025, and over half of the late orders came in during five weeks that spring. PSA says its graded output is up nearly 50% in 2026 and that it now handles about 90,000 cards a day, against about 15,000 a day in 2021.

The PSA backlog and why cheap tiers are slow

PSA's backlog was 7.2 million items on Oct 20, 2026, down from a peak of 12.4 million on Jul 28. PSA has set a target of 5 million before fully reopening every tier; it reopened Value at 7.2 million as a step toward that.

PSA backlog, from PSA's backlog tracker
DateBacklog (items)
Jun 30, 2026about 12M
Jul 14, 202611M
Jul 28, 202612.4M
Aug 11, 202611.85M
Aug 25, 2026about 10.9M
Sept 8, 20269.9M
Sept 22, 2026about 9M
Oct 6, 20268.2M
Oct 20, 20267.2M

Queue order matters for Value. PSA says existing orders are prioritized ahead of new submissions, and that new Value orders are processed after the orders already at PSA. That is why Value's estimate is the longest, and why a Value order placed now waits behind the backlog.

Source: PSA backlog tracker (Oct 20, 2026 update and earlier) and Oct 28, 2026 announcement.

PSA order stages explained

These are the order-status steps PSA describes in its support FAQ:

  1. Order Arrived: PSA has received your package.
  2. Order Prep: PSA scans your submission barcode. PSA says this starts its responsibility for your cards and the clock on the estimated turnaround.
  3. Research and ID: PSA identifies each card. When this finishes, PSA emails you to review your order.
  4. Grading: Cards are graded (PSA has folded its first quality check into this step). PSA asks for payment when grading is done, and shows grades after you pay.
  5. QA Checks: Final quality checks (formerly called QA2).
  6. Complete: The order is done and gets shipped back to you.

From PSA's support FAQ, Oct 29, 2026. PSA doesn't publish how long each step takes.

Will an upcharge or a faster tier change my wait?

PSA's tiers are priced by the card's value after grading. If PSA decides a card is worth more than your tier covers, it charges the higher tier's fee (up to $500 in total without asking first). If you refuse, the card comes back ungraded and you still pay the original fee. Picking the right tier at the start avoids that. The cost side is in our PSA grading cost guide.

How PSA's wait compares with CGC

CGC's official fee page lists Bulk at 150 working days, Economy at 90, Standard at 10 and Express at 5. So PSA Value (90–100 business days) is in the same range as CGC Economy, while CGC's $55 Standard is far faster than PSA's $59.99 Standard. For SGC and Beckett, see our cheapest grading company guide and PSA vs BGS vs CGC vs SGC.

Is the wait worth it for your card?

Prices for new sets and rookie cards can move a lot in three to five months. If you're grading to sell a card that's hot right now, price in the chance it's worth less when the slab is back, or pay for a faster tier. Run your card through the Pokémon calculator or sports card calculator, and check the weekly market report and 30th Celebration chase cards for recent price moves. Packing and shipping steps are in how to ship cards to PSA.

More guides

Ready to run your own numbers? Use the Pokémon grading calculator or the sports card calculator.

FAQ

How long does PSA grading take right now?

As of Oct 29, 2026, PSA estimates 90–100 business days for Value, 70–80 business days for Standard, 50–60 business days for Priority, 20–30 business days for Express, 10–15 business days for Super Express and 7–10 business days for Premier, not counting shipping.

What is PSA's fastest service and how long does it take?

PSA's Premium tiers, for cards worth more than $10,000, are estimated at 5 to 7 business days. For cards worth up to $10,000, Premier ($599) is fastest at an estimated 7–10 business days.

How long does the PSA Value tier take?

PSA estimates 90–100 business days for Value, which reopened on Oct 29, 2026 at $39.99. PSA says new Value orders are processed after the orders it already has, so it is the slowest tier.

Are PSA turnaround times in business days or calendar days?

Business days. 70–80 business days is about 14–16 weeks of weekdays, before holidays and shipping.

When does PSA's turnaround clock start?

PSA gives two answers. Its pricing page says the estimate does not begin until the order has been entered into the grading system, and also that it begins when the order is received and scanned into the PSA facility. Its FAQ says the Order Prep scan starts the clock. Plan on the later date.

Why is my PSA order taking longer than the estimated turnaround?

PSA says a spring 2026 surge, with April and May submissions 2.5 times the year before, left many orders past their estimates. Estimates also start only once your order is logged in, and they are in business days. PSA asks you to allow 3 to 7 business days after delivery before contacting it about an order that hasn't appeared.

How big is the PSA backlog right now?

PSA's backlog tracker put it at 7.2 million items on Oct 20, 2026, down from 12.4 million on Jul 28. PSA's target before fully reopening is 5 million.

Does upgrading my PSA tier make my order faster?

A faster tier has a shorter estimate. If PSA upcharges a card to a higher tier because it's worth more than your tier covers, you pay that tier's fee. Ask PSA support how an upgrade affects an order that's already in progress.

Is PSA faster than CGC, TAG or SGC?

At the cheap end, PSA and CGC are similar: PSA Value is estimated at 90–100 business days and CGC Economy at 90 working days. CGC's $55 Standard tier is estimated at 10 working days, much faster than PSA Standard. Check each company's site for current estimates.

Do orders I already sent get PSA's new faster estimates?

No. PSA says orders already created, in transit or at PSA keep the estimate they were submitted under, though they may still benefit from the extra speed. The new Standard and Priority estimates apply to orders submitted from Oct 28, 2026 at 8 a.m. PT per PSA's announcement, or Oct 29 per its submission-updates page.

Sources