The Postal Service has just announced price changes to take effect next year.
The USPS governors approved the proposed changes, which will be reviewed by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) before they take effect Jan. 27. The governors believe these new rates will keep the Postal Service competitive while providing the agency with needed revenue.
The changes, if approved by the PRC, include a 5-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp from 50 cents to 55 cents.
The single-piece additional ounce price will be reduced to 15 cents, so a 2-ounce stamped letter, such as a typical wedding invitation, will cost less to mail, decreasing from 71 cents to 70 cents.
The changes include adjustments to other Mailing Services products, as well as Shipping Services products.
Here are the current and proposed prices:
- First-Class Mail letters (1 ounce): 50 cents (current), 55 cents (proposed)
- First-Class Mail letters (additional ounces): 21 cents (current), 15 cents (proposed)
- First-Class Mail letters (metered 1 ounce): 47 cents (current), 50 cents (proposed)
- First-Class Mail outbound international letters (1 ounce): $1.15 (no change from current price)
- First-Class Mail domestic postcard stamps: 35 cents (no change from current price)
- Priority Mail small flat-rate box: $7.20 (current), $7.90 (proposed)
- Priority Mail medium flat-rate box: $13.65 (current), $14.35 (proposed)
- Priority Mail large flat-rate box: $18.90 (current), $19.95 (proposed)
- Priority Mail Army/Air Post Office and Fleet Post Office large flat-rate box: $17.40 (current), $18.45 (proposed)
- Priority Mail regular flat-rate envelope: $6.70 (current), $7.35 (proposed)
- Priority Mail legal flat-rate envelope: $7 (current), $7.65 (proposed)
- Priority Mail padded flat-rate envelope: $7.25 (current), $8 (proposed)
Overall, the proposed prices would raise Mailing Services product prices by approximately 2.5 percent.
Shipping Services price increases vary by product. For example, Priority Mail Express prices will increase 3.9 percent, while Priority Mail prices will increase 5.9 percent.
Although Mailing Services price increases are based on the consumer price index, Shipping Services prices are primarily adjusted according to market conditions.
USPS filed the proposals with the PRC Oct. 10. The complete price filings are available on the PRC’s site under the Daily Listings section, and price change tables will be available on the Postal Explorer site.
The Postal Service’s news release has more information.
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