Pokémon Grading Wait Times: What They Don’t Tell You (Until Your Cards Vanish Into the Void)
The first time you send cards off for grading, it feels a little like dropping your kid off at summer camp. You do the paperwork, you wave goodbye, you pretend you’re fine… and then you spend the next many weeks refreshing a tracking page like it’s going to magically speed things up.
Because here’s the rude little secret: the “turnaround time” PSA/CGC/BGS lists is not the same thing as the time you’ll actually be without your cards. Not even close. Their posted times usually cover the grading portion (or the time once your order is officially in their system), not the “your package is sitting in a receiving pile” era, not the shipping there, not the shipping back, not the random delay because someone needs to double check something.
So if you’re planning around a show, a sale, a birthday gift, or just your own impatience (hi, same), let’s talk about what the timeline really looks like.
The Four Phases of “Where Are My Cards???”
Think of a grading submission like a home renovation timeline. The contractor says “two weeks,” but that’s just the part where they’re actually holding a tool. It does not include “waiting for the tile to arrive” or “Steve is out sick” or “surprise, your wall is made of sadness.”
Your real wait time usually includes:
- Shipping to the grader: about 3-5 business days
- Receiving + check in: often 10-15 business days (and PSA can be slower)
- Grading: anywhere from fast-ish to ancient, depending on tier
- Return shipping: another 3-5 business days
And the sneaky part is this: posted turnaround times generally start when your order is checked in, not when your box hits their front door.
So when someone says, “PSA Regular is 65 business days,” what they often experience is more like:
shipping + receiving + 65 business days + shipping back = surprise, it’s basically a whole season of your life.
If you do the math, a “65 business day” grading window can easily turn into 17-18 calendar weeks from the moment you drop it off. (Yes, weeks. Go ahead and blink slowly.)
PSA vs CGC vs BGS: Who’s Fast, Who’s Fancy, Who’s… Beckett
I’m not here to declare a universal winner, because it depends on what you’re grading and what you care about (money? speed? subgrades? bragging rights?). But here’s the vibe:
PSA: the resale king… with the longest line at the club
PSA tends to bring the highest resale prices, especially for big name cards and vintage. But it also tends to test your patience like it’s a spiritual journey.
- Bulk (25+ cards): around 95 business days at $18-20/card
- Regular: around 65 business days at $28/card
- Express: 10-14 business days at about $150/card
- Walk Through: around 3 business days (very expensive, and value caps apply)
Also: PSA has done some updates to make posted estimates more realistic, but “more realistic” can still mean “long enough to make you forget what you even sent.”
CGC: often faster, usually cheaper, slightly less resale hype
CGC is the friend who actually shows up on time. They’re often quicker at lower price points, which is why people who submit a lot of modern cards end up here.
- Bulk: roughly ~21-30 business days at about $12/card
- Standard: 10-30 days at about $35/card
- Express: around 5 days at about $70/card
If you’re not obsessed with squeezing every last dollar out of resale value, CGC can be a really practical move.
BGS (Beckett): solid middle ground + subgrades people love
BGS sits somewhere in the middle on speed, and a lot of collectors like them because subgrades (centering/surface/corners/edges) can be included at certain tiers. If you’re a details person who enjoys spreadsheets (no judgment), this is your lane.
- Base: often 45+ business days at about $15-18/card
- Standard (often with subgrades): about 20-25 business days at around $35/card
- Faster tiers exist, but pricing climbs quickly
If you like the idea of “Here’s exactly why this card isn’t a 10,” BGS can scratch that itch.
The Mistakes That Add Weeks (AKA How to Not Trip at the Finish Line)
You can pick the perfect company and still accidentally sabotage your own timeline. I’ve seen people do this the same way people buy gorgeous paint and then slap it on without patching the wall first. (And yes, I’ve also done that. We don’t talk about that hallway.)
1) Declared value chaos
Your declared value matters way more than most people think.
- Under declaring can trigger a review or force a tier upgrade (and billing changes).
- Over declaring can push you into a more expensive tier you didn’t need.
Use recent sold comps (think last 2-3 months), not “one listing I saw for $900 that one time.” Hope is not a pricing strategy.
2) Getting flagged for “Research & ID”
Anything that looks off trimming suspicion, weird wear, counterfeit concerns can send your card into a slower lane. Modern fakes are good enough that tiny things (gloss, print clarity, odd texture) can raise eyebrows even if your card is legit.
If a card gets flagged, mentally prepare for 2-4 extra weeks.
3) Submitting during peak chaos
Grading companies get slammed in predictable waves:
- Q4 (Oct-Dec) tends to be brutal (holidays + big releases + everyone panicking).
- Early Q1 (Jan-Feb) often calms down a bit.
If your timeline is flexible, submitting in a slower season can shave time off without paying rush pricing.
My No Drama Pre-Submission Check (So You Don’t Waste a Month for Nothing)
Before you seal that box like it’s a time capsule, do a quick grading basics checklist. I like to use a flashlight and tilt the card around like I’m interrogating it. (Very normal behavior.)
Look for:
- Surface issues (scratches, print lines, weird scuffs)
- Whitening on edges/corners
- Centering that’s clearly off (especially if you’re dreaming of a 10)
And double check:
- Your declared value matches real sales
- Your declared value fits the tier cap (because tier caps are the bouncer at the door)
One more thing: if a card is wildly miscut/terribly centered, it may get kicked back early depending on company/policies. That’s not the end of the world, but it is a timeline reset button, and nobody wants that.
Picking a Tier Without Losing Your Mind (Or Your Wallet)
Here’s how I’d think about it if you were sitting at my kitchen table and I was sliding you a snack while you stress scroll grading options.
If you need it back in a week
You’re in Rush/Walk Through territory. It’s pricey. You’re paying for line cutting. Worth it sometimes (big event, hot market, high value card), but not because you’re bored.
If you’ve got 2-4 weeks
This is the sweet spot for Standard/Express tiers (depending on company). Faster, but not “I just paid rent with this grading fee” fast.
If you can wait 1-3 months
Go Economy/Base/Bulk. Especially for modern cards where the grading fee and shipping can eat your profit alive.
If timeline truly doesn’t matter
Bulk it up. Just make sure you meet minimum quantities (some bulk tiers require 25+ cards).
Two “Rules” That Save a Lot of Heartburn
1) Processing isn’t always first come, first served
PSA even says this out loud. Two orders in the same tier can move at different speeds. It’s maddening, but it’s real.
2) Tier caps can force upgrades
If your card’s value is above the tier limit, they can bump you up. That means higher cost and sometimes different processing behavior. Know the caps before you submit so you’re not shocked later.
Quick FAQ (Because You’re Going to Wonder This)
When should you worry something is wrong?
If PSA hasn’t acknowledged your order in their system about 20 business days after delivery, it’s reasonable to reach out. For CGC/BGS, I’d start side eyeing it around 10-14 business days.
Can you cancel after you submit?
Usually, no. Once they’ve started processing, you’re committed. Sometimes you can upgrade to a faster tier midstream (depending on the company), but don’t count on refunds or downgrades.
Business days vs calendar days why do they do this to us?
Business days don’t include weekends (or holidays), so 20 business days is basically about 4 calendar weeks once it’s actually in their system. And that’s before you add receiving delays and shipping.
The Bottom Line (Aka: Set Expectations, Save Your Sanity)
If you remember nothing else, remember this: the posted turnaround is only one slice of the pie. Your true timeline is shipping + check in + grading + return shipping, and the “check in” phase alone can be long enough to make you question reality.
Pick your company based on what matters most:
- PSA if resale value is your top priority (and you can handle the wait)
- CGC if you want speed/value, especially for higher volume modern submissions
- BGS if you love subgrades and want detail without always paying PSA pricing
Then do yourself a favor: price your cards realistically, choose the tier that actually fits the value caps, and submit when you’re not emotionally attached to seeing those cards again next week.
Because once they’re gone… they’re gone. And you’re going to be refreshing that status page anyway. (Welcome to the club.)
