The United States Postal Service (USPS) recently announced it will not be increasing stamp prices at the start of next year.
Following a recommendation put forth by Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to not raise prices for some of its products, including First-Class Mail, in January 2025 has been accepted by the Governors of the USPS. As a result, there will be no increase in the price of stamps for mailing single-piece First-Class letters weighing 1 ounce.
“Our strategies are working and projected inflation is declining,” DeJoy said in a statement. “Therefore, we will wait until at least July before proposing any increases for market dominant services.”
Stamp prices last rose in July this year, when there was a 5-cent increase in the price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp, up from 68 cents to 73 cents. Forever Stamps are always sold at the same price as a regular first-class Mail stamp.
Newsweek has reached out to the USPS via email for comment on Monday.
Current postage prices:
Letter stamps:
- Standard-sized, rectangular envelopes – starting at $0.73
- Square, Oversized, or Unusual Envelopes – starting at $1.19
Postcard stamps:
- Standard-sized, rectangular postcards – starting at $0.56
International stamps:
- Standard-sized, rectangular envelopes – starting at $1.65
The United States Postal Service (USPS) recently announced it will not be increasing stamp prices at the start of next year.
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The price of a stamp has increased periodically since they were first introduced in 1863. Ten years ago in January 2014, a first-class stamp was $0.49—meaning the price has increased by 24 cents in the last decade. As recently as 2002 it stood at 34 cents, around half of today’s price.
Despite the regular price of stamps not changing, the USPS announced earlier this month that it would be temporarily increasing prices for the holiday season, which includes Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year.
Subject to approval from the Postal Regulatory Commission, prices will be going up on some package delivery services, which the USPS says will “bring prices for the Postal Service’s commercial and retail customers in line with competitive practices.” Price changes range from 30 cents for smaller items to $16 for larger packages.
Changes would go into effect at midnight CT on October 6 and remain in place until midnight CT on January 19, 2025.
Also in time for the winter months, the postal service announced it is teaming up with Toys R Us for the 2024 holiday season for its annual Operation Santa tradition.
Every year, the USPS Operation Santa accepts letters addressed to Santa Claus from children and their families asking for help with their Christmas wish lists. These are then reviewed by USPS employees to identify anonymous gift-givers, known as “adopters,” who fulfill the wishes by purchasing and sending the gifts.
