U.S. Postal Service Proposes New Stamp Price Hike As Part Of Financial Overhaul
In a significant development that could affect millions of Americans, the U.S. Postal Service has officially proposed raising the cost of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp from 73 cents to 78 cents, effective July 13, 2025. This adjustment, announced in filings with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), is part of a broader pricing review that aims to stabilize USPS’s finances amid changing market dynamics.
This proposed 5-cent increase represents approximately a 7.4% uptick across mailing services, including domestic and international mail, metered letters, and postcards. According to USPS officials, if the commission approves the change, it will also lead to a slight rise in the additional-ounce charge on single-piece letters—rising from 28 cents to 29 cents—and adjustments in several Special Services products. Notably, postal insurance rates will actually decrease by 12%, providing some relief for customers mailing valuables.
These changes arrived less than a year after a similar price jump and illustrate ongoing struggles to achieve financial stability within a postal system that handles roughly $78 billion annually. Former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who resigned in March after nearly five years, previously cautioned the public that price hikes would be unavoidable during the agency’s 10-year Delivering for America transformation plan. Citing a “defective pricing model” that persisted for over a decade, DeJoy emphasized these adjustments were long overdue.
With DeJoy’s departure, Deputy Postmaster General Doug Tulino has stepped in as acting chief, guiding USPS through this transition. Meanwhile, political discussions have surfaced around a potential restructuring of the agency itself. Former President Donald Trump, who previously suggested privatizing the service, has floated another dramatic idea—transferring USPS under the Commerce Department’s oversight to halt mounting losses as mail volumes decline. Such proposals signal broader debates about the future structure and funding of America’s postal system amid the digital communication boom.
Though Americans may groan at a pricier First-Class stamp, USPS insists that its mail rates remain among the world’s most affordable. The Postal Service is also navigating regulatory directives from the PRC that required submitting alternate price schedules for certain services such as Marketing Mail and Package Services. Depending on regulatory approvals, only one of these schedules will become effective this summer, with detailed communication to follow.
In context, here’s a rundown of planned price changes:
Letters (1 ounce): 73 cents → 78 cents
Metered 1-ounce Letters: 69 cents → 74 cents
Domestic Postcards: 56 cents → 62 cents
International Postcards & Letters (1 ounce): $1.65 → $1.70
Additional ounce (domestic letters): 28 cents → 29 cents
Consumers can still purchase stamps and related products in person at post offices nationwide, online at usps.com/shopstamps, or via phone and mail order. Licensing partnerships, such as the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon, remain viable purchase options.
This latest proposal underscores both the relentless financial pressures squeezing USPS and a larger national debate on the evolving role of a public mail carrier in the digital era. Will stamp cost increases be accepted as the price of maintaining universal delivery? Or will they fuel further calls for fundamental reform—or even privatization—of the U.S. mail system?
What do you think about the rising cost of stamps? Are steady price increases justified, or do they burden everyday Americans? Share your thoughts in the comments below and join the conversation!
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