Quick answer
The latest USPS price increase took effect in July 2026, when the Forever stamp went from 78 cents to 82 cents and mailing prices rose approximately 4.8 percent on average. Shipping prices rose in January 2026, when Ground Advantage went up 7.8 percent and Priority Mail went up approximately 6.6 percent. A temporary holiday surcharge on Ground Advantage and Priority Mail parcels starts in October 2026 and ends in January 2027.
Nation, an AI store builder, publishes this page. It is pre-launch, with a waitlist on withnation.ai, and this page is about USPS prices, not Nation's. See where Nation fits.
USPS price changes in 2026, by effective date
Checked on 3 Oct 2026. USPS changes prices in two filings: mailing services such as stamps and large envelopes, and shipping services such as Ground Advantage and Priority Mail. Each filing goes to the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) under its own docket number, and the new prices are published in Notice 123, the USPS price list.
The most recent USPS price increase took effect on July 12, 2026. It raised the Forever stamp by 4 cents and changed how some shipping prices are set. The larger rise for parcel shippers came in January, when shipping prices went up by product. The table lists every 2026 change that matters to a small seller, in date order.
Dates in the table are the dates USPS gave in its own announcements. The holiday surcharge is time-limited and stays in place until 12 a.m. CT on Jan. 17, 2027.
The July 2026 USPS price change: stamps and letters
The July 2026 price change covered mailing services, the products a shop uses for thank-you cards, invoices, flat items and small paper goods. USPS put the average rise at approximately 4.8 percent. The table lists the retail prices for common letters, postcards and large envelopes from Notice 123.
Letters that meet the nonmachinable rules pay a surcharge on top of the stamp: USPS applies it to letters that meet one or more of the nonmachinable characteristics in DMM 101.1.2. Large envelopes have their own limit. Notice 123 says: Large envelope-sized pieces that are rigid, nonrectangular, or not uniformly thick pay parcel prices. If you mail stickers, prints or small jewelry flat, check that the packed envelope stays flexible and even, and weigh a packed sample before you set a shipping price, since large envelopes are priced by weight.
USPS rate change for parcels: Ground Advantage and Priority Mail
Parcel prices are the ones that move a shop's shipping costs. The January 2026 rate change raised Ground Advantage by 7.8 percent and Priority Mail by approximately 6.6 percent. The July shipping filing adjusted some prices and changed the rules behind several parcel prices, without an average percentage in the USPS release.
The table shows a few retail prices from Notice 123, the prices you pay at a Post Office counter. Notice 123 also lists lower commercial prices: the Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope is $11.12 at commercial prices, against $12.90 at retail.
- Dimensional weight: the divisor was aligned to industry standards for Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage and Parcel Select. If your boxes are large for their weight, compare your usual box with the dimensional weight rules before you set prices.
- Commercial Ground Advantage: the July filing announced the elimination of ounce-based rate differentiation for published Commercial USPS Ground Advantage prices. USPS said this change does not apply to customers that have negotiated commercial rates for USPS Ground Advantage.
- Hazardous materials: the filing added new hazardous materials handling fees for Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail, plus a noncompliance fee. USPS describes hazardous materials as substances that could injure people or cause damage if not handled properly, like chemicals or flammable items.
The 2026 holiday surcharge on parcels
USPS filed a temporary price change for the 2026 peak holiday season. It runs from 12 a.m. CT on Oct. 4 to 12 a.m. CT on Jan. 17, 2027 and applies to retail and commercial Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage and Parcel Select. Letters, stamps and large envelopes are not part of it. The USPS Postal Explorer price change page lists it as Time-Limited 2026 Price Change, starting October 4, 2026 through January 17, 2027 (status: Final).
The amount depends on the product, the zone and whether you pay retail or commercial prices. The table lists the increases for the lightest weight band, 0-3 lbs. Nearer zones are Zones 1-4 and farther zones are Zones 5-9.
Heavier packages have larger increases, listed in the USPS release for docket PRC Docket No. CP2026-10.
Which shop shipping settings to update after a USPS price change
A price change only reaches your margin if your shop still charges the old rate. These are the settings to check after each change.
Flat shipping prices
If you charge a fixed shipping price per order or per item, compare it with the new label cost for your usual package. A fixed price set last year now undercharges by the amount of the January rise, plus the holiday surcharge until it ends.
Free shipping thresholds
If you offer free shipping above an order value, the shipping cost you absorb went up. Work out the new label cost as a share of a typical order and decide whether the threshold or the product price should move.
Package sizes and weights
If your shop calculates shipping from a box size and weight saved on each product, an outdated box size can quote the wrong price after the dimensional weight change. Measure the box you actually use and update the saved profile.
Hazmat products
Mark any product that ships as hazardous material. Priority Mail now has a handling fee of $7.50 for these items, and USPS added a noncompliance fee for hazardous material items that are improperly prepared.
Holiday window
Between 12 a.m. CT on Oct. 4 and 12 a.m. CT on Jan. 17, 2027, parcels cost more. Either raise shipping prices for those weeks or treat the extra amount as a seasonal cost in your product prices.
When the next USPS price change is likely
USPS sets the two groups of prices in different ways: Mailing Services price increases are based on the consumer price index, while Shipping Services prices are primarily adjusted according to market conditions. Each change is filed with the PRC first, and USPS says The PRC will review the changes before they are scheduled to take effect, so new prices are public before they apply.
As of the date at the top of this page, the only upcoming change listed on the USPS Postal Explorer price change page is the Time-Limited 2026 Price Change, starting October 4, 2026 through January 17, 2027 (status: Final). This page is re-checked every January and July. The date at the top shows when it was last compared with Notice 123 and the USPS releases.
Where Nation fits
Nation
Category: an AI store builder
Nation says one description of what you make builds the store, then agents handle orders, customers and delivery and run ads, content and social posts, with you approving the work. This page is about USPS prices and does not compare Nation with anything.
Limits today
- Status: pre-launch, with a waitlist on withnation.ai.
- Pricing and fees: not announced yet.
- Shopper marketplace: no shopper marketplace has been announced.
- Track record: no independent reviews or public stores yet.
Nation publishes this page. It is a dated tracker of USPS prices, checked against USPS and PRC sources.
Describe what you makeQuestions about the USPS price increase
When was the last USPS price increase?
The last USPS price increase took effect on July 12, 2026. It raised mailing services by approximately 4.8 percent on average and moved the Forever stamp from 78 cents to 82 cents. A temporary holiday surcharge on parcels then runs from 12 a.m. CT on Oct. 4 to 12 a.m. CT on Jan. 17, 2027.
What is the USPS price increase in 2026?
The USPS price increase in 2026 came in two steps. On Jan. 18, 2026, Ground Advantage rose 7.8 percent and Priority Mail rose approximately 6.6 percent. In July 2026 stamps went to 82 cents and USPS changed dimensional weight, commercial Ground Advantage pricing and hazmat fees.
What changed in the USPS price increase in July 2026?
The USPS price increase in July 2026 raised the Forever stamp by 4 cents to 82 cents, postcards to 65 cents, up from 61 cents and metered letters to 78 cents, up from 74 cents. On the shipping side, USPS changed the dimensional weight divisor, added hazmat handling fees for Priority Mail and raised PO Box prices by 3 percent.
How much is a Forever stamp now?
A Forever stamp costs 82 cents since the USPS price change of July 12, 2026, up from 78 cents. Each additional ounce on a single-piece letter costs 29 cents (unchanged), and a domestic postcard costs 65 cents, up from 61 cents. There was no change to the First-Class Mail stamp in January 2026.
Is there a USPS holiday surcharge in 2026?
There is a USPS holiday surcharge in 2026. It runs from 12 a.m. CT on Oct. 4 to 12 a.m. CT on Jan. 17, 2027 and covers Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage and Parcel Select. For retail Ground Advantage and Priority Mail parcels in Zones 1-4 at 0-3 lbs. it adds $0.50, and the retail Large Flat Rate Box goes up $2.10.