INDIANA — Sending a letter is about to get a bit more expensive. On Sunday, July 12, 2026, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will officially raise the price of a standard first-class Forever stamp from 78 cents to 82 cents—marking the latest in a rapid sequence of rate hikes designed to stem billions in ongoing financial losses.
The 5% price increase, originally proposed in April and approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) in May, reflects the aggressive rate adjustment strategy championed under Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s “Delivering for America” 10-year transformation plan.
A 41% Increase Over Five Years
The upcoming price jump represents the seventh stamp increase since 2021, when a first-class stamp cost just 58 cents. Over the past five years, the price to mail a standard one-ounce letter has surged more than 41%.
RECENT FOREVER STAMP RATE INCREASES
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• 2021: 58 cents
• July 2023: 66 cents
• July 2024: 73 cents
• January 2025: 78 cents
• July 12, 2026: 82 cents (NEW RATE)
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Along with single-piece letters, other mailing services will see proportional increases on Sunday:
- Metered Letters (1 oz): Increasing from 73 cents to 77 cents.
- Domestic Postcards: Increasing from 56 cents to 59 cents.
- International Letters (1 oz): Increasing from $1.65 to $1.70.
Despite the steady rise, postal officials maintain that American postage remains a bargain compared to foreign networks. “Notwithstanding the adjustment, the Postal Service’s mailing prices remain among the most affordable in the world,” a USPS spokesperson said in a statement.
The Financial Pressure Behind the Hike
The decision to continually raise rates comes as the independent agency struggles to stabilize its balance sheet amidst declining First-Class Mail volumes, persistent inflation, and fixed operating costs. In fiscal year 2025 alone, the USPS posted a net loss of $9 billion.
While digital communication has driven a decades-long decline in letter volume, oversight bodies point to long-standing legislative requirements as a major catalyst for the agency’s debt.
A report released by the USPS Office of the Inspector General highlighted the lasting financial impact of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA) of 2006. The law forced the Postal Service to pre-fund 75 years’ worth of retiree health benefits over a single decade—a mandate unique among federal agencies that severely crippled its cash reserves.
“Following 2006, the passage of PAEA fundamentally altered the Postal Service’s financial results by limiting revenue growth and adjusting retiree healthcare costs,” the agency watchdog noted. “The Postal Service recorded net losses each year.”
Although Congress passed the bipartisan Postal Service Reform Act in 2022 to repeal the onerous pre-funding mandate and clear roughly $107 billion in past-due liabilities, structural deficits persist.
While the Postal Regulatory Commission approved Sunday’s rate adjustment, commissioners voiced ongoing concerns regarding the agency’s fiscal outlook, delivery performance metrics, and the potential for higher prices to further accelerate the decline in mail volume.
Because Forever stamps retain their full face value regardless of future price hikes, any stamps purchased before Sunday at the 78-cent rate (or lower) will remain fully valid for standard one-ounce letters without requiring additional postage. Consumers planning to stock up have until the close of business on Saturday, July 11, to purchase stamps at the current 78-cent rate.
