The United States Postal Service (USPS) has revealed that the price of First-Class postage, currently set at 73 cents, is slated to rise five times by 2027, according to a comprehensive filing submitted to the Postal Regulatory Commission this week.
The first of these increases is scheduled for July 2025, with subsequent hikes expected to occur every January and July until the end of 2027. Specific details regarding the exact price increments have not yet been disclosed, as all changes must receive approval from the Postal Regulatory Commission.
In a notable announcement, the USPS stated it would not implement any price increases in January 2025, marking a temporary pause despite the newly established schedule for biannual hikes. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy commented, “Our strategies are working and projected inflation is declining. Therefore, we will wait until at least July before proposing any increases for market-dominant services.”
The USPS reiterated its commitment to cost-saving measures while aiming to keep its products and services affordable, highlighting that “only a handful” of countries charge less for postage stamps.
Historically, the price of a First-Class stamp has seen significant increases. It was just 10 cents in 1974, shortly before the service’s 200th anniversary, and only 34 cents in 2002—less than half the current rate.
As online communication becomes more prevalent, First-Class mail represents a diminishing portion of the Postal Service’s overall business, with the annual volume of letters sent declining by approximately 50% over the past decade.
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