PSA is making two significant changes for collectors in September 2026: a reworked grading service menu in the U.S. and the opening of a new submission facility in Frankfurt, Germany. The changes arrive as the company says its active backlog has dropped below 10 million cards, reaching approximately 9.9 million.
The updated grading structure begins September 14, 2026, with a new Standard service tier, revised names for several existing levels, and updated pricing in key spots. One day later, on September 15, PSA will begin accepting direct submissions in Frankfurt, a move designed to give European collectors local access to grading and authentication services without the same international shipping burden.
PSA launches a new Standard service tier
The headline addition is the new Standard Service Tier, which opens on September 14. PSA lists the service at $59.99 per card with an estimated turnaround time of 90 to 100 business days. The maximum insured value for cards submitted under this level is $1,000.
For collectors who have been waiting for a lower-cost path back into PSA's grading pipeline, Standard becomes an important middle-ground option. It gives submitters a service below the company’s higher-priced tiers while PSA continues to keep its Value levels on pause.
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That point matters. Standard is not a replacement for the Value tiers. PSA has indicated that Value services will remain paused for now, and Standard submissions will be processed after existing Value and Bulk orders already in the system. In practice, that means the new tier helps reopen access without fully returning to the lowest-cost structure that many collectors were used to before the slowdown.
How PSA's service level names and pricing are changing
Along with adding Standard, PSA is reorganizing several service names and adjusting the structure from lower-cost express options up through premium handling. Some turnaround ranges stay the same, while other changes are tied to pricing and branding.
Here is the new lineup based on the announced updates:
- Standard: $59.99, 90 to 100 business days, maximum insured value of $1,000
- Priority: the new name for the former Regular service, $79, 70 to 80 business days, maximum insured value of $1,500
- Express: $199, 20 to 30 business days
- Super Express: unchanged
- Premier: the new name for the former Walk-Through service, $599, 7 to 10 business days, maximum insured value of $10,000
- Premium levels: starting at $999, 5 to 7 business days
One of the biggest changes in the middle of the menu is the shift from Regular to Priority. The name changes, but the core details stay familiar: $79 per card, an estimated 70 to 80 business-day turnaround, and a maximum insured value of $1,500.
Express remains in place as the next step up in speed, but its cost rises to $199. The estimated turnaround of 20 to 30 business days remains the same. PSA tied that increase to higher demand at that level while lower service options remain limited.
At the faster end, Walk-Through is being renamed Premier. That service will cost $599 per card and carry a projected turnaround time of 7 to 10 business days, with a maximum insured value of $10,000. Premium service levels continue above that, starting at $999 with a 5 to 7 business-day estimate.
Why the Value tiers are still paused
Even with the new Standard option, PSA is not reopening its Value tiers yet. The company is taking a phased approach as it works through demand and tries to avoid another wave of submissions that could create fresh bottlenecks.
The stated benchmark for reopening Value service is a backlog of 5 million cards. PSA currently says the active backlog stands at roughly 9.9 million, which is a notable improvement but still well above that target.
That threshold helps explain the current strategy. Rather than fully reopen the least expensive channels all at once, PSA is using Standard as a measured step. It expands access, tests demand, and keeps pricing and service times in a range the company believes it can support while it continues reducing the number of cards already in queue.
For collectors deciding whether to submit now or wait, the practical takeaway is straightforward: the lower-cost Value path is still not back, and there is no immediate date attached to its return. Anyone needing a PSA submission option in the near term will be looking at Standard or one of the faster, more expensive tiers.
Frankfurt facility opens direct submissions for Europe
The second major development is geographic rather than pricing-related. PSA is opening its new facility in Frankfurt, Germany, with submissions starting September 15, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. Central European Time.
This gives collectors in Europe a local route for grading and authentication submissions. Instead of routing items through longer international shipping workflows, customers will be able to submit directly within Europe through the Frankfurt operation.
The facility is expected to offer all globally available service levels across several categories, including:
- Cards
- Autographed cards
- Tickets
- Packs
For European collectors, the value of this expansion goes beyond convenience. International submissions often bring added cost, customs complexity, longer transit times, and more friction around logistics. A Frankfurt-based option should reduce much of that pressure while giving submitters access to the same core PSA services available in other regions.
What the Frankfurt opening could mean for turnaround and costs
Local intake in Germany should improve more than just access. It could also make submission planning more predictable for hobby businesses, group submitters, and individual collectors across Europe.
Shipping cards internationally can introduce delays before grading even begins. Transit windows, customs clearance, insurance planning, and return shipping timelines all add uncertainty. A regional facility can trim several of those steps, which may help shorten the total door-to-door experience even when the grading turnaround itself stays tied to the selected service level.
Cost could also improve in practical terms. Lower shipping expenses, reduced reliance on international forwarding, and fewer border-related complications can matter, especially for medium-sized submissions where logistics costs become a meaningful part of the total bill.
The Frankfurt launch follows PSA’s broader infrastructure expansion efforts and comes after the opening of a Texas facility. Together, those additions point to a strategy centered on throughput, regional capacity, and more controlled scaling as demand remains high.
PSA links the changes to its infrastructure investment
These updates are part of a larger capacity push. PSA has tied the service-level reorganization and the European facility opening to a previously announced $200 million infrastructure investment.
That investment appears to be aimed at multiple pressure points: handling volume more efficiently, improving customer experience, expanding submission access, and keeping turnaround times from slipping further when demand rises.
For collectors, the most important question is whether those investments translate into a steadier submission environment. The backlog number moving under 10 million is one sign of progress, but the company’s decision to keep Value tiers paused shows it is still trying to manage growth carefully rather than reopen everything at once.
The company has also signaled that additional service levels may return in phases. That means this September reset may be only the first step in a broader restoration of the submission menu.
What collectors should watch next
There are three immediate points collectors should monitor after these changes take effect. First is how quickly Standard gains traction at $59.99. If demand is heavy, that tier could become the default choice for many submitters who want a PSA label without paying Priority pricing or higher.
Second is whether the revised naming structure helps clarify the service ladder. Priority and Premier create a new look for the menu, but collectors will likely need some time to adjust from long-familiar terms like Regular and Walk-Through.
Third is backlog movement. The most important number for many hobby participants remains the path from 9.9 million cards down to 5 million, because that is the threshold PSA has attached to reopening Value tiers. As long as the queue remains well above that line, the lowest-cost options are likely to stay out of reach.
In Europe, the Frankfurt rollout will be watched closely for a different reason: execution. If local submissions move smoothly across cards, autographed cards, tickets, and packs, the facility could become one of the most collector-friendly international expansions in PSA’s recent history.
Key dates and service details
- September 14, 2026: PSA introduces the new Standard service tier and reorganizes service level names and pricing
- September 15, 2026: PSA opens submissions at its Frankfurt, Germany facility at 12:01 a.m. Central European Time
- Current active backlog: approximately 9.9 million cards
- Value tier reopening target: 5 million card backlog
- Standard tier: $59.99, 90 to 100 business days, $1,000 maximum insured value
- Priority tier: $79, 70 to 80 business days, $1,500 maximum insured value
- Express tier: $199, 20 to 30 business days
- Premier tier: $599, 7 to 10 business days, $10,000 maximum insured value
- Premium tiers: starting at $999, 5 to 7 business days
Collectors deciding on submissions this month will have a clearer menu than before, a new mid-level option in Standard, and for Europe, a direct route into PSA through Frankfurt starting September 15.
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