The Postal Service has 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. 26. In a news release, the governors said these new rates will keep the Postal Service competitive while providing the agency with needed revenue.
The changes, if favorably reviewed by the PRC, do not include an increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp, which will remain 55 cents.
The changes include adjustments to other Mailing Services products, as well as Shipping Services products.
Here are examples of current and proposed prices:
- First-Class Mail letters (1 ounce): 55 cents (no change from current price)
- First-Class Mail letters (additional ounces): 15 cents (no change)
- First-Class Mail letters (metered 1 ounce): 50 cents (no change)
- First-Class Mail outbound international letters (1 ounce): $1.15 (current), $1.20 (proposed)
- First-Class Mail domestic postcard stamps: 35 cents (no change)
- Priority Mail small flat-rate box: $7.90 (current), $8.30 (proposed)
- Priority Mail medium flat-rate box: $14.35 (current), $15.05 (proposed)
- Priority Mail large flat-rate box: $19.95 (current), $21.10 (proposed)
- Priority Mail Army/Air Post Office and Fleet Post Office large flat-rate box: $18.45 (current), $19.60 (proposed)
- Priority Mail regular flat-rate envelope: $7.35 (current), $7.75 (proposed)
- Priority Mail legal flat-rate envelope: $7.65 (current), $8.05 (proposed)
- Priority Mail padded flat-rate envelope: $8 (current), $8.40 (proposed)
Overall, the proposed prices would raise Mailing Services product prices by approximately 1.9 percent.
Shipping Services price increases vary by product. For example, Priority Mail Express prices will increase 3.5 percent, while Priority Mail prices will increase 4.1 percent, on average.
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. 9.
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.