Attention Mailers: The USPS® Plans to Raise Postage Rates Beginning August 29

Late last week, the USPS applied for postage rate increases for first-class letters, postcards, newspapers, Certified Mail and a few other important services with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). If approved, the rate changes are scheduled to take effect on August 29, 2021. The PRC has 30 days to approve or deny the notice, so we can expect to have the final word in late June 2021.

Key Takeaways on the USPS Price Increases…

The U.S. Postal Service updates its pricing every year. This year it issued a second round of proposed rate changes, and some can have a big impact on your business. Let's start with First-Class Mail®. These rates will see an increase of more than 6 percent. Stamped letters will see a 3 cent increase, from 55 cents to 58 cents. The cost to send metered letters will also rise, but only a 2 cent increase per letter, from 51 cents to 53 cents. That’s good news for meter users! You’ll still be saving 5 cents per letter when you use a postage meter for your mailing. Certified Mail users will also be affected. The Certified Mail fee and cost of Return Receipt are both subject to substantial increases. Certified Mail is increasing 15 cents, from $3.60 to $3.75, while Return Receipt will increase 20 cents to $3.05.

Let’s Get Ahead of It. Here’s a Breakdown of All the Postal Services that will Be Affected by New Rates:
 

New Postage Rates! What's Next…? 

Our mail experts are digging into the proposed changes to uncover all the ways we can help businesses mitigate the price increases. For now, we’ll keep our Postal Rate Hub updated with the latest rates, so bookmark it and visit us often. Be sure to stay on our Newsletter mailing list for all the breaking news and insights on the new rates.

Resources for Mailers:

• USPS Newsroom Announcement (28 May 2021)