The cost to mail a letter is going up – again. Here's what you need to know.
The cost to mail a letter, greeting card or bill payment in 2023 is going up – again.
Less than three months after raising the cost of a Forever stamp to 63 cents, the U.S. Postal Service announced this month that it plans to raise the price of the stamp to 66 cents in July.
The 5.4 percent increase, approved by the Governors of the U.S. Postal Service, must be approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission. The proposed increase is necessary to offset the rise in inflation, USPS said in a news release.
A year ago, when the price of the stamp was just 58 cents, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said he expected the Postal Service to continue to raise prices "at an uncomfortable rate" until the agency becomes self-sufficient.
New Forever stamp: Late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg honored with new stamp
From 2021: St. Augustine's Castillo de San Marcos immortalized on new U.S. Postal Service stamp
Did you know? Postmaster General: U.S. Postal Service takes photos of all mail
How much does it cost to mail a letter in 2023?
The price of a First-Class Mail Forever stamp will increase to 66 cents from 63 cents.
When does the postage increase take place?
The price hike is scheduled to go into effect on Sunday, July 9, 2023.
Are Forever stamps still good for postage?
Yes. As its name implies, you can use a Forever stamp regardless of what price you paid for it or when you bought it.
Why is the U.S. Postal Service increasing postage rates?
The increase in First-Class Mail postage is needed to offset the rise in inflation, the postal service said in April when it announced the price hikes. “As operating expenses fueled by inflation continue to rise and the effects of a previously defective pricing model are still being felt, these price adjustments are needed to provide the Postal Service with much needed revenue to achieve the financial stability sought by its Delivering for America 10-year plan. The prices of the U.S. Postal Service remain among the most affordable in the world.”
What about postcards and metered letters?
Other planned postage rate increases include:
Letters (1 ounce): 66 cents, up from 63 cents
Letters (metered, 1 ounce): 63 cents, up from 60 cents
Domestic postcards: 51 cents, up from 48 cents
International postcards: $1.50, up from $1.45
International letter: $1.50, up from $1.45
When did the USPS start using Forever Stamps?
The first Forever stamp, featuring an image of the Liberty Bell, went on sale in April 2007, according to the USPS, at a cost of 41 cents.
How much have Forever stamps increased?
According to the website postageonlinenow.com, the cost of Forever stamps has increased by more than 20 cents since they were first introduced. Here is a breakdown of pricing since 2007:
April 12, 2007: 41 cents
May 12, 2008: 42 cents
May 11, 2009: 44 cents
Jan. 22, 2012: 45 cents
Jan. 27, 2013: 46 cents
Jan. 26, 2014: 49 cents
April 10, 2016: 47 cents
Jan. 22, 2017: 49 cents
Jan. 23, 2018: 50 cents
Jan. 30, 2019: 55 cents
Jan. 29, 2020: 55 cents
Aug. 29, 2021: 58 cents
July 10, 2022: 60 cents
Jan. 22, 2023: 63 cents
July 9, 2023: 66 cents (proposed)
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Forever stamp: USPS raising cost of first-class stamp in 2023
