November 2025

PSA Grading Process 2025: Step-By-Step Guide

You pulled a monster, now what? If you want it protected, verified, and market-ready, you need to run it through PSA the right way. In this PSA grading process 2025 step-by-step guide, you'll learn precisely how to choose the right cards, prep them like a pro, submit them with confidence, and interpret the grades when they come back. At CardChasers, we help collectors every day, from live breaks to final slabs, and we've packed this guide with the exact moves we use ourselves.

What PSA Grading Is And Why It Matters

When a card gets graded by PSA, you're getting two things: authentication that it's real, and a standardized condition grade that the market trusts. That trust is the reason PSA slabs usually sell faster, with tighter pricing, and less drama over condition.

The 10-Point Scale And Half-Point Grades

PSA grades on a 1–10 scale where PSA 10 is Gem Mint. Since PSA uses half-point increments (e.g., 8.5, 9.5 in some categories where applicable), a small improvement in surface, corners, or centering can swing real value. Here's the gist:

10 (Gem Mint): Sharp corners, virtually flawless surface, top-tier centering.
9 (Mint): Minor touch on corners or print, still crisp.
8 (NM-MT): Light wear visible under inspection, often great for vintage.
7 and below: Progressive wear, miscuts, creases, or print issues.

Qualifiers (like OC for off-center) can appear on grades when a single issue significantly affects eye appeal. We'll break those down later so you know what you're looking at the moment you see your label.

Authentication vs. Grading vs. Autograph Grades

Authentication confirms the item is genuine. For older or high-risk cards, this alone is huge.
Grading evaluates the card's physical condition. That's the number you're chasing.
Autograph grades score the signature quality (typically 1–10) and can be paired with card grading or done as "authentic auto" only. Modern on-card autos often benefit from dual grades: sticker autos or streaky signatures sometimes do better with "authentic autograph" depending on eye appeal.

Decide What To Submit

Not every card needs to be graded, and not every sub has to be a moonshot. You're balancing cost, turnaround, and potential value. If you rip with us on TikTok or Whatnot and hit something big, we'll tell you straight up whether it's a good grading candidate.

Pre-Screening For Condition And Value

Start with a bright, even light and a microfiber cloth. Check corners (front and back), edges (especially foil chipping), surface (print lines, dimples, roller lines), and centering. If your card looks like a strong 9 or 10 candidate, and the value in a slab exceeds fees, it's a submit. If it's borderline, weigh the upside against the cost. For bulk modern base, sub only the stars, parallels, low serials, and on-card autos.

Research Pop Reports And Market Demand

Open PSA's Pop Report for your card and compare:

How many PSA 10s exist relative to total graded.
Recent sale comps between raw vs. PSA 9 vs. PSA 10.
Seasonal demand (e.g., playoff spikes for key rookies, set registry demand for vintage).

If pop is low and demand is steady, grading can be a cheat code. But if a card floods the market in PSA 10, you need a truly clean copy to stand out.

Prepare Your Cards For Submission

Your prep determines your ceiling. A tiny scratch you miss now can be the half-grade that costs you.

Supplies You Need

Semi-rigid holders (Card Saver I is the PSA standard)
Penny sleeves (thin, snug, no scratches)
Pull tabs (low-tack blue painter's tape) for easy removal
Microfiber cloth and compressed air (short bursts)
Clean mat, lint-free workspace, and soft gloves (optional but helpful)

You can grab premium holders, sleeves, and storage from our store collection. If you need a quick consultation before you buy, swing by our shop in Laval or hit us live.

Safe Handling And Quick Cleaning Tips

Sleeve the card carefully: avoid corner "dings" by opening sleeves slightly.
Never dig at stains or roller marks. If debris is loose, a light air burst helps.
Use a microfiber with almost no pressure to lift dust, not rub it in.
Avoid liquid cleaners. If you're tempted, don't be: residue gets you hammered.

We've seen more 9s saved from 8.5 territory just by not over-cleaning than the other way around. Less is more.

Measure Centering And Inspect Flaws

Use a centering tool or digital overlay. Modern cards often target 55/45 or better to sniff a 10.
Check edges for whitening under raking light. Turn the card slowly: flaws pop under angle.
Look for dimples on chromium stock and light scratches on holo.
Don't forget the back. PSA grades both sides equally, and many strong-looking fronts hide back-edge nicks.

Set Up Your PSA Submission

PSA's platform is straightforward once you've done it once. A few choices up front will save you time and money.

Membership And Account Options

Create a PSA account to submit. The Collectors Club membership can unlock Value/Bulk tiers and periodic specials. If you're not sure the membership pencils out, ask us, we run submissions for clients and can advise on the best lane. You can also use our in-house help via the CardChasers grading page if you want white-glove handling.

Choose Service Level, Declared Value, And Turnaround

Declared value: Your best estimate of the card's value at the time of submission. It determines service level and insurance brackets, not the final sales price.
Service level: Value, Regular, Express, Super Express, Walk-Through, pricing and estimated turnaround vary and can change with demand. Faster tiers cost more but jump the queue.
Turnaround: PSA posts estimates, not guarantees. If you're timing a player run (hello, playoffs), pay for speed.

Special Cases: Bulk, Crossovers, Reviews, And Reholders

Bulk: Lower per-card cost, usually with a minimum count and maximum declared value per card. Great for modern sets with many likely 9/10s.
Crossovers: Slabs from other graders you want evaluated for a PSA crossover. You can set a minimum grade so PSA only cracks if it meets your target.
Reviews/Reconsiderations: Regrading a PSA-slabbed card. Reviews keep it sealed: reconsideration may allow for re-evaluation if condition merits.
Reholders: Same grade, fresh case. Useful if your slab's scratched or an older label needs an update.

Complete The Online Form And Package Correctly

Your goal: make the grader's job easy and avoid shipping damage. Small details matter.

Order Entry, Autograph/Dual Services, And Add-Ons

Enter exact set info, player, and card number. For parallels, note color/serial.
Select grading vs. authentication and, for autos, whether you want a separate autograph grade.
Consider imaging add-ons if available. PSA increasingly provides front/back images accessible via cert lookup, which helps when selling.
Choose declared value and service level honestly: it protects you on insurance and reduces upcharge risk.

How To Use Card Savers, Team Bags, And Separators

Penny sleeve the card, add a small pull tab, then into a semi-rigid (Card Saver I).
Don't use top loaders for PSA subs, they're more likely to shift in transit.
Stack cards facing the same direction. Use cardboard separators or graded card spacers between every 10–15 cards.
Place stacks in team bags to resist moisture, then bubble wrap. No rubber bands.

Shipping, Insurance, And Tracking Best Practices

Use a sturdy box with crush space. Double-box higher-value orders.
Ship via a trackable carrier with signature required. Insure for the declared value.
Keep your receipt, tracking number, and a photo of your packed order.
If submitting through CardChasers, we manage the packing and insurance for you, one less thing to stress about.

What Happens At PSA After Your Box Arrives

You'll see statuses change inside your PSA account as the order moves. Here's what's behind the curtain.

Intake, Verification, And Imaging

PSA logs your package, weighs and opens it under cameras, and reconciles contents with your order form. Barcodes get assigned to each card. Many modern tiers include front/back imaging tied to the cert number so you can reference exact condition later.

Authentication And Grading Workflow

Authenticators confirm real vs. fake first. Then grading generally follows a multi-examiner process: graders independently assess centering, corners, edges, and surface under different light and magnification. Serial numbers and parallels are verified against checklists. Disagreements trigger senior review to normalize outcomes.

Encapsulation, QA Checks, And Order Assembly

Once a grade's finalized, the card and label are sonically sealed in a PSA holder. Quality assurance verifies label accuracy, orientation, and seal integrity. Cards are sorted, re-counted, and prepared for return shipping.

Upcharges, Payment, And Return Shipping

If a card's newly graded value significantly exceeds your declared value bracket, PSA can apply an upcharge to align with the appropriate service level. You'll be notified to approve charges before return. After payment, PSA ships back using your selected method with tracking and insurance.

Tracking, Receiving, And Understanding Your Grades

The waiting is the hardest part. Use that time to plan your next moves, whether that's listing, PC framing, or vaulting.

Interpreting PSA Labels, Qualifiers, And Minimum Grades

Your label includes set name, player, variation/parallels, cert number, and grade. Watch for qualifiers:

OC (Off-Center), ST (Stain), MK (Marks), PD (Print Defect), MC (Miscut). A PSA 9(OC) often sells well below a straight PSA 9 because centering is a major eye-appeal factor.

If you used a minimum grade on a crossover and PSA didn't crack it, it returns in the original slab unchanged.

Using Cert Verification, Pop Report, And Set Registry

Run your cert number through PSA's verification to see images, population notes, and sometimes provenance. Then:

Pop Report: Check where your grade sits in the distribution. If you landed a top-pop, market it accordingly.
Set Registry: If you're a builder, add your slab to climb the rankings, demand for registry sets can drive premiums, especially in vintage and key modern inserts.

What To Do If You Disagree: Review And Reconsideration

If you believe a card was undergraded, consider a PSA Review or Reconsideration. Take fresh, high-res photos under raking light and note specific concerns (e.g., "surface dimple appears dust, not scratch"). Keep expectations realistic, PSA rarely swings big without clear cause. Sometimes a reholder with a cleaner inner well improves optics without changing the grade.

Maximizing Results And Avoiding Common Mistakes

We've helped collectors turn raw hits into grails. The edges of success are in the details.

Pre-Screen Strategies And Risk Management

Use a personal pre-screen: only submit cards you score 9+ in your own four-category checklist (centering, corners, edges, surface). If it's an 8 in any category, hold it unless the card's historically significant.
Batch by tier/value. Don't mix a $50 raw with a $5,000 RPA in the same plan, different service levels, different risk.
Photograph fronts/backs pre-ship for records. It helps with claims and later sales.
Time the market. For active players, submit before hype cycles: for legends, focus on set registry seasons.

When Not To Grade And Alternatives

If fees exceed your likely slabbed value, pass. Not every shiny parallel needs plastic.
If a card has a killer auto but borderline condition, consider "authentic auto" or an autograph-only submission.
For PC, a high-quality magnetic or pro display might do the trick. We also offer custom framing and can help you decide the best route at our grading services page.

If you're still hunting cards worth grading, jump into our daily live breaks on TikTok/Whatnot, we're live every day, and you can explore our Card Breaks hub to get in the mix. And if you prefer in-person help, we're open seven days a week in Laval: see hours and directions on our homepage.

Conclusion

Grading isn't luck: it's process. When you follow the PSA grading process 2025 step by step, tight pre-screen, careful prep, smart service selection, bulletproof packaging, and calm post-sub tracking, you stack the odds in your favor. If you want a partner who does this every day, CardChasers is here to help, from ripping fresh heat to managing submissions and making sure your grails come back looking the part. Ready to chase? Bring your next sub through our grading services, stock up on supplies, or hop into a live break and pull your next slab candidate today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PSA grading and why does it matter in the PSA grading process 2025?

PSA grading authenticates your card and assigns a trusted 1–10 condition grade, which drives market confidence, faster sales, and more predictable pricing. Qualifiers like OC or ST can impact eye appeal and value. In the PSA grading process 2025, authentication, condition, and optional autograph grades work together to maximize resale potential.

How do I pre-screen cards before submission to PSA?

Use bright, even lighting and inspect corners, edges, surface, and centering (aim ~55/45 or better for modern). Gently lift dust with microfiber; avoid liquids. Compare raw vs. PSA 9/10 comps and Pop Report. Submit stars, parallels, low serials, and clean autos when slab value exceeds fees; hold borderline copies.

What’s the step-by-step for packaging cards for PSA in 2025?

Penny sleeve each card, add a low-tack pull tab, then insert into a semi-rigid (Card Saver I). Stack cards uniformly, separate every 10–15 with cardboard, place stacks in team bags, bubble wrap, and use a sturdy box (double-box higher-value). Ship with tracking, signature, and insurance matching declared value.

What happens after PSA receives my order, and how do upcharges work?

PSA logs and images items, authenticates, then multiple graders assess centering, corners, edges, and surface. After encapsulation and QA, grades post. If the card’s market value exceeds your declared bracket, PSA may apply an upcharge to match service level. You’ll approve charges before insured return shipping.

How long does PSA grading take in 2025, and which service level should I choose?

Turnaround varies by tier and demand. Value/Bulk can run several weeks to a few months; Regular often lands in the low-weeks range; Express and higher tiers may return in days to a couple weeks. Time-sensitive plays favor faster tiers. Always check PSA’s current estimates and pick speed based on your timeline.

How much does PSA grading cost in 2025, and how should I budget?

Pricing changes with promotions and demand. As general guidance, Bulk/Value tiers can be in the teens–$30s per card (member/volume dependent), Regular often around $75–$100, Express roughly $150–$300+, with higher tiers above that. Add shipping/insurance and possible upcharges. Confirm current fees on PSA’s pricing page before submitting.