Mailing a letter will cost more starting Sunday, when the U.S. Postal Service's latest round of postage rate increases take effect, raising the price of a first-class Forever stamp from 78 cents to 82 cents.
The 4-cent increase will apply to other mail services, including metered one-ounce letters, which will rise from 74 cents to 78 cents, and domestic postcards, which will go up from 61 cents to 65 cents.
Additional-ounce rates for single-piece letters will remain unchanged at 29 cents. However, as of July 12, international postcards and one-ounce international letters will both climb from $1.70 to $1.75.
The rate changes also include adjustments for other Postal Service products, among them USPS Marketing Mail, Periodicals, Package Services, and select Special Services. The changes are expected to increase mailing services prices approximately 4.8 percent, the agency said, though individual prices may vary depending on the type of mail and weight, among other factors.
"The Postal Service is using all available tools, including available regulatory pricing authority, to ensure we can continue to fulfill our universal service obligation and serve the American public," USPS said. "The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. Notwithstanding the adjustment, the Postal Service’s mailing prices remain among the most affordable in the world."
The agency has also faced long-term declines in traditional mail volume as consumers and businesses increasingly turn to digital alternatives, including email, texting, and social media.
During that same period, First-Class mail volume dropped by 50 percent, decreasing from 92 billion pieces to 46 billion, while Marketing Mail fell by 40 percent, dwindling from 99 billion pieces to 59 billion. Periodicals also declined by 65 percent, from nine billion pieces to three billion.