PSA Vault: How It Works and Is It Worth It?
Short answer: the PSA Vault is PSA's storage facility for graded cards. As of oct 30, 2026, PSA says storing cards there is free; you pay when you take cards out (insured shipping from $19.99 per U.S. shipment, plus $4.99 per item within 90 days of vaulting) or sell them on eBay through PSA (a single consignment fee from 13% + $3 down to 5%). It suits cards you plan to sell, less so cards you want to hold in your hand.
Not affiliated with PSA. Every fee and rule on this page is from PSA's own pages, read on Oct 30, 2026 (see Sources). PSA changed its Vault shipping fees on Oct 29, 2026, so check PSA's Vault page before you withdraw or sell.
What the PSA Vault is
PSA describes the Vault as a storage facility in New Castle, Delaware, for keeping and trading collectibles. PSA says vaulted items are protected 24/7 by security professionals and stored in a climate-controlled environment behind Class 3 UL-rated doors.
- What it accepts: trading cards encapsulated and authenticated by PSA, SGC, BGS or CGC. PSA says raw (ungraded) cards and cards in other holders aren't eligible.
- Your Vault ID: every PSA customer gets a unique PSA Vault ID and mailing address.
- Four ways in: mail graded cards to your Vault ID, route cards there from a PSA grading order, have cards you buy on eBay or other marketplaces shipped to your Vault ID, or vault them in person at select PSA events.
- Sales tax: PSA says shipping graded cards you buy online to your Vault address lets you stay tax-free at checkout. PSA doesn't say whether tax applies when you later withdraw those cards, so ask a tax professional.
PSA Vault page, as of Oct 30, 2026.
How to send graded cards straight from grading into the Vault
PSA says that from the time you create a grading order until the service is complete, you can route cards to your PSA Vault item by item. You assign and manage each card's destination in My Orders on psacard.com or in the PSA app. Our guide to shipping cards to PSA covers the submission itself.
- The grading fee and the order's shipping fees still apply: PSA says they're charged whether your cards come back to you, go to the Vault or are sold through PSA Partner Offers.
- PSA's Vault terms say that while a card moves straight from grading to the Vault, PSA's responsibility for it is covered by the grading terms until the Vault issues a receipt.
- To sell with Buy It Now right after grading, route the card to the Vault: PSA says listing directly to Buy It Now from grading isn't available.
PSA Vault page, PSA Partner Offers and PSA Vault Terms of Service, as of Oct 30, 2026.
PSA Vault storage, withdrawal and selling fees
Storage: free
PSA's help center says simply storing items in the PSA Vault is completely free, with no monthly or storage fees. PSA's pages don't list a fee for mailing graded cards into the Vault, but you pay for that shipment yourself (see insurance below).
Withdrawal: insured shipping plus an early fee
Starting Oct 29, 2026, PSA charges a Premium Insured Shipping rate on cards shipped out of the Vault, based on the total declared value of everything in the shipment. Shipments of more than 10 items pay $0.99 for each additional item.
| Total declared value of the shipment | Shipping fee |
|---|---|
| Under $500 | $19.99 |
| $500 to $4,999 | $24.99 |
| $5,000 to $24,999 | $42.99 |
| $25,000 to $74,999 | $57.99 |
| $75,000 to $299,999 | $139.99 |
| $300,000+ | Custom quote from PSA |
- International: the U.S. rate plus an international handling fee of $24.99 for Canada or $31.99 for other countries.
- Early withdrawal: $4.99 per item for withdrawals within 90 days of first vaulting the card.
- Standard withdrawal fee: unclear. PSA's help article (dated Oct 14, 2026) also lists $1.99 per item for items vaulted more than 90 days, next to the old $5.99 U.S. shipping fee that the Oct 29 rates replaced. PSA's Vault page lists only the $4.99 early fee. PSA doesn't say whether the $1.99 fee still applies, so check the total at checkout.
- Declared value at checkout: PSA prefills each card's value from its estimation tools, and you can adjust it before you ship. If a card is lost or damaged in transit, PSA says it compensates up to the value you entered, not more than the card's fair market value, so lowering a value also lowers your coverage.
Selling on eBay: one consignment fee
PSA charges a single fee based on the final eBay sale price, with no separate eBay fees. Buyers pay shipping.
| Sale price | Seller fee |
|---|---|
| Under $100 | 13% + $3 flat fee |
| $100 – $499 | 13% |
| $500 – $999 | 12% |
| $1,000 – $2,499 | 10% |
| $2,500 – $4,999 | 9% |
| $5,000 – $19,999 | 7% |
| $20,000+ | 5% (PSA shows its 7% rate struck through, with 5% as a limited-time offer) |
PSA's example: a $200 sale pays the 13% rate, a $26 fee, for a $174 payout. If a card doesn't sell, or the buyer doesn't pay, PSA charges no consignment fee. Non-USD payouts pay Stripe's 1% currency conversion fee.
PSA Partner Offers: no fee
U.S. collectors 18 and older who grade or vault with PSA can get cash offers from buyers in PSA's partner network. PSA says there are no fees on Partner Offers ("the offer you see is the offer you get"), and payment arrives in 1 to 3 business days.
PSA help center: fees for the PSA Vault, PSA Vault page, PSA consignment rates and PSA Partner Offers, as of Oct 30, 2026.
Selling Vault cards on eBay
PSA creates and hosts the listing on its eBay storefront and says it handles the listing details, photos, packing, shipping and customer service. Sold cards ship directly from PSA, and buyers pay the shipping.
- Format: a 7-day auction or Buy It Now, and you choose the day the listing goes live.
- Buy It Now is Vault-only: PSA says it's available for vaulted cards. You can turn on offers from eBay buyers and accept or decline them, but you can't counter. Offers below 50% of your price are declined automatically, and you can set a higher floor.
- Changing the price: PSA says to cancel the listing and relist it at the new price.
- Payouts: through Stripe. PSA says that once a card sells and the buyer has paid, funds reach your Stripe account within a week and then your bank on normal processing times. If a card doesn't sell, it can be relisted.
- Rules: PSA strictly prohibits consignors from bidding on their own items. Consigning to eBay through PSA is only available in 16 countries PSA lists, including the US, Canada, the UK, Japan and Australia.
Before you list, check what the card actually sells for: see our card-by-card sold comps and the weekly market report.
PSA Vault page and PSA consignment page, as of Oct 30, 2026.
Is the PSA Vault insured?
PSA's Vault page says items are "100%-insured". Its Vault Terms of Service (last updated Oct 14, 2026) explain what that means:
- "Insured" means PSA compensates you, not an insurance policy. The terms say items stored at the facility are fully insured by PSA, meaning PSA compensates you if an item is lost or damaged in its custody, and that this doesn't create an insurance contract or make you an insured under any policy.
- How much: PSA decides compensation "in PSA's reasonable discretion" based on fair market value or repair or replacement cost, and its total liability is capped at the lower of the two. PSA may exclude naturally fragile cards from this.
- Missing items: if a card you sent doesn't show up in your account, you must tell PSA in writing within 30 days, counted from when the package is marked delivered to the Vault or another event set out in the terms, whichever comes first.
- Getting cards in: when you mail cards to the Vault, you pay for and insure the shipment. PSA isn't liable for loss or damage (even if it provided the shipping label) until the card is in its custody, shown by a receipt, and PSA has inspected and accepted it.
- Getting cards out: each item in a withdrawal has an insured value, which defaults to its Card Ladder value or PSA estimate. You can change it (not below $1 or above 10 times the estimate), and if you set it below the estimate, PSA's liability is capped at what you set.
PSA Vault page and PSA Vault Terms of Service, as of Oct 30, 2026.
PSA Vault vs keeping slabs at home: pros and cons
| PSA Vault | At home | |
|---|---|---|
| Storage cost | Free, per PSA | Free, plus whatever you spend on a safe or storage |
| Security | Climate-controlled facility with 24/7 security, per PSA | Up to you |
| Loss or damage | PSA compensates at its discretion, capped at fair market value | Only what your own insurance covers |
| Selling | PSA lists, ships and handles buyers for one fee; Buy It Now and Partner Offers available | You photograph, list, pack and ship, and pay the marketplace's fees |
| Getting the card back | From $19.99 per U.S. shipment, plus $4.99 per item within 90 days | Already in your hands |
| Fine print | PSA holds a security interest in vaulted items for unpaid charges; inactive accounts can be treated as abandoned property under state law (typically after three years, per PSA's terms) | None |
The Vault makes sense if
- You plan to sell the card soon and like PSA handling the listing, or want Buy It Now or Partner Offers.
- You're buying graded cards online to resell and want them to land in the Vault.
- You'd rather not keep valuable slabs at home.
Keep slabs at home if
- You want to display, show or hand-trade the card.
- You'd pull it out within 90 days anyway (the early fee) or move cards often (shipping each time).
- You want to sell somewhere other than PSA's eBay storefront, since the card would have to come out first.
Not sure the card is worth grading in the first place? Run it through the grading calculator, and see PSA grading cost and PSA turnaround times for the grading side, or compare graders in our cheapest grading company guide.
More guides
- Card Centering Checker: Free online photo tool that measures front centering on Pokémon and sports cards and shows the best PSA grade it allows.
- How PSA Grading Works: Step-by-Step Submission Guide: How a PSA submission works start to finish, what PSA looks for at every grade, centering limits and a pre-submission checklist.
- Is It Worth Grading Pokémon Cards?: When grading pays off, worked examples with real fee math, and when to sell raw instead.
- PSA vs BGS vs CGC vs SGC: Grading scales, top labels, current standard-tier pricing and which grader fits Pokémon or sports.
- Cheapest Card Grading Company: PSA vs CGC vs SGC vs BGS: 2026 fees, value caps and turnaround side by side, plus what each slab resells for in Pokémon.
- How to Send and Ship Cards to PSA: Step-by-step: online submission, packing, PSA's shipping address, labels, USPS vs UPS vs FedEx and declared value.
- PSA Grading Cost 2026: Every Tier and Upcharge: What PSA charges per card as of Oct 29, 2026, including the $39.99 Value tier, how upcharges work and why declared value matters.
- PSA Turnaround Times by Tier: PSA's current estimates by tier, when the clock starts, the backlog and what each day saved costs.
Ready to run your own numbers? Use the Pokémon grading calculator or the sports card calculator.
FAQ
Is PSA Vault storage free?
Yes. As of Oct 30, 2026, PSA's help center says storing items in the PSA Vault is completely free, with no monthly or storage fees. You pay when you withdraw cards or sell them through PSA.
How much does it cost to take cards out of the PSA Vault?
Since Oct 29, 2026, PSA charges Premium Insured Shipping by the total declared value of the shipment: $19.99 under $500, $24.99 from $500 to $4,999, up to $139.99 below $300,000, plus $0.99 per item over 10. Withdrawals within 90 days of vaulting add $4.99 per item. Canada adds $24.99 and other countries $31.99.
What does PSA charge to sell a Vault card on eBay?
One consignment fee based on the sale price and no eBay fees: 13% plus $3 under $100, 13% from $100 to $499, 12% from $500, 10% from $1,000, 9% from $2,500 and 7% from $5,000, with a limited-time 5% at $20,000 and up, as of Oct 30, 2026. Buyers pay shipping.
Can I send cards to the PSA Vault straight from grading?
Yes. PSA says you can route cards to your Vault item by item, from the time you create the order until the service is complete, in My Orders. Grading and the order's shipping fees still apply.
Are cards in the PSA Vault insured?
PSA says vaulted items are fully insured, but its Vault terms explain that this means PSA compensates you, at its reasonable discretion and capped at fair market value, if a card is lost or damaged in its custody. It is not an insurance policy in your name.
What cards does the PSA Vault accept?
Trading cards encapsulated and authenticated by PSA, SGC, BGS or CGC. PSA says raw cards and cards in other holders are not eligible.
Sources
- PSA, PSA Vault (New Castle, Delaware facility; accepted holders; Vault ID; four ways in; tax-free checkout; routing from grading; Premium Insured Shipping from Oct 29, 2026; $0.99 per extra item over 10; $24.99 / $31.99 international handling; $4.99 early withdrawal; eBay storefront, 7-day auction or Buy It Now, offers and the 50% auto-decline; $200 example; Stripe payouts; no fee if unsold; no self-bidding; 16 supported countries; Partner Offers paid in 1 to 3 business days with zero fees). Accessed Oct 30, 2026.
- PSA Help Center, What Fees Are Associated With My Use Of The PSA Vault? (Oct 14, 2026: free storage; $1.99 and $4.99 per-item withdrawal fees; $5.99 U.S. shipping before Oct 29; the Oct 29, 2026 Premium Insured Shipping rates). Accessed Oct 30, 2026.
- PSA, PSA Consignment (eBay rates by sale price, including the $20,000+ limited-time 5%; Stripe 1% conversion fee on non-USD payouts). Accessed Oct 30, 2026.
- PSA, PSA Partner Offers (U.S. collectors 18 and older; no fees; grading and shipping fees still apply). Accessed Oct 30, 2026.
- PSA, PSA Vault Terms of Service (last updated Oct 14, 2026: §2 inbound shipping at your cost and risk, grading-to-Vault transfers; §4 compensation, "insured" meaning and liability cap; §7(c) insured value for withdrawals; security interest; abandoned property). Accessed Oct 30, 2026.
- PSA, Submission Services Terms and Conditions (last updated Apr 22, 2026: Vault Terms apply when graded items are sent to the Vault). Accessed Oct 29, 2026.