USPS plans to raise stamp prices 5 times through 2027
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The United States Postal Service has offered Forever stamps since 2007. Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
The United States Postal Service said it intends to hike the price of stamps five times through 2027 after punting on an increase that would've gone into effect in January.
Why it matters: A record price hike could be in play for July 2025 when stamp prices are next slated to increase.
- After the July 2025 hike, USPS outlined a plan for twice-yearly increases — January and July for both 2026 and 2027 — in a document submitted to the Postal Regulatory Commission this week.
- All increases are subject to the approval of the postal service's governors.
The big picture: Stamp inflation, also known as "stampflation," has been affecting stamp prices over the last couple of years as Americans continue to reduce what they send via snail mail.
- Stamp prices have climbed 36% since 2019 in a string of six increases, going up from 50 cents to 73 cents.
Stamp price increases over time
Zoom in: The July 2024 5-cent increase for First-Class stamps tied the record for the biggest hike ever and followed a 2-cent increase in January.
- Before that, postage prices rose in July 2023, January 2023 and July 2022.
- Between the 1970s and 2000, rates increased three to four times a decade, USPS data shows.
More USPS price hikes expected
What they're saying: "Our strategies are working and projected inflation is declining," Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said in a news release that announced no stamp prices in January. "Therefore, we will wait until at least July before proposing any increases for market dominant services."
- Kevin Yoder, executive director of the advocacy group Keep US Posted, told Axios that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy "caved to public pressure to skip January's planned rate increase."
What's next: New federal legislation dubbed the "USPS SERVES US Act" was introduced in Congress Wednesday by Rep. Jake LaTurner (R-Kansas) to limit "rampant stamp increases."
- Yoder, also a former Republican congressman from Kansas, called on Congress to pass the legislation and said if "we don't stop these destructive rate hikes, the price of a stamp could be $1.19 by 2030."
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