USPS plans 5¢ letter rate increase, other price hikes for July 14

By Linn’s Staff

The United States Postal Service announced April 9 that it will boost the price of a first-class forever stamp to 73¢, a 5¢ increase from the current 68¢ price.

If approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission, the change will be effective July 14, along with a series of other increases.

A number of other proposed increases were announced by the Postal Service.

Metered first-class letters will rise to 69¢ from 64¢.

The additional-ounce rate for first-class letters will jump 4¢, from 24¢ to 28¢.

Domestic postcards will go to 56¢ from 53¢, and international letters will rise to $1.65 from $1.55.

In an April 9 news release, the Postal Service indicated the proposed increases were approximately 7.8 percent on average.

The April 9 Postal Service press release included two exceptions to the pending higher rates.

“There will be no price increase for Post Office Box rental fees, and the Postal Service will apply a price reduction of 10 percent for postal insurance when mailing an item,” the USPS said.

The rate increases were defended by the USPS, which said they would help achieve Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s 10-year Delivering for America plan.

Connect with Linn’s Stamp News: 

    Sign up for our newsletter
    Like us on Facebook
    Follow us on Twitter