2021 USPS® mid-year postage rate change summary
The USPS has approved a mid-year rate increase for letter mail, postcards and flats that will go into effect on August 29, 2021. With new rates, the discount for First-Class Metered Letters (SendPro rate) increases to 5¢ for every First-Class Letter you send. USPS Shipping rates on services such as Priority Mail are not increasing in the new rates.
USPS postage rate increases:
- Retail stamps and Forever® stamps are increasing 3¢ to $0.58.
- Metered Mail letters increase 2¢ to $0.53, improving the metered letter savings to 5¢ per letter when compared to stamps.
- Flats increase $0.16 to $1.16 for 1 oz.
- Postcards increase $0.04 to $0.40.
USPS postage rates not increasing:
- Additional ounce rate for First-Class Letters and Flats would remain $0.20.
- Package pricing such as Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, and First-Class Packages are not increasing in the new rate change.
Why is the USPS changing rates in the middle of the year?
The Postal Regulatory Commission recently completed a review of the rules that determine how much the USPS can raise rates in a year. The regulator determined that to restore financial stability to the postal service, the postal service should have the ability to raise prices above the rate of inflation. Rather than waiting until the traditional October announcement and January implementation date, the USPS decided to move up the rate change to help expedite their ability to generate new revenues.
Will there be another rate change in January?
We do not expect a January rate change for market dominant products like letters, postcards and flats. Although we have not received an official announcement on the timing of the next rate change, most observers believe that under the new pricing rules, the USPS will shift annual rate announcements to the late spring for implementation in the late summer. Rate changes for packages (services like Priority Mail) will likely take place on a different annual cycle.
Do we expect rates to change before the holiday season?
The new rates take effect on August 29, 2021. We do not anticipate further pricing changes for letter mail until next year. The USPS has indicated that there will likely be another peak surcharge for packages this holiday season.
No matter how small, every USPS postage rate increase impacts your bottom line.
USPS First-Class Mail
August 2021 rates vs. January 2021 rates
First Class-Mail postage rate change overview
- Stamps and Forever stamps increase to $0.58.
- First-Class Mail Metered Letters will increase to $0.53 (1 oz.).
- Online postage and meter users will automatically save 5¢ on every First-Class Letter with the Metered Mail rate.
- Rates for First-Class Mail Flats/Large Envelopes increase $0.16 to $1.16 (1 oz.)
- The additional ounce cost for First-Class Mail Letters (Metered and stamps) and Flats remains $0.20.
- Retail Postcards will increase to $0.40.
- Certified Mail increases $0.15 to $3.75. There are two ways to get a signature for Certified Mail.
- Return Receipt – retail (traditional green card), where you complete and receive a physical signature card, increases $0.20 to $3.05.
- Return Receipt - electronic replaces the manual forms with a digital copy of the signature. Electronic return receipt only increases $0.10 to $1.85. You can save $1.20 on every Certified Mail piece by switching to electronic Return Receipt from the more expensive green card.
- First-Class Mail International Letters increase from $1.20 to $1.30.
First-Class Mail single piece prices
Save on First-Class® Mail with metered mail
Postage meters and scales like the ones included with SendPro sending solutions make it possible for you to purchase postage in advance and print it directly on an envelope. Metered mail gives your business access to discounted postal rates from USPS, saving you up to 5¢ on every First-Class letter sent.
The below USPS shipping prices, effective January 24, 2021, are not increasing in the new August postal change
USPS Priority Mail postage rate changes
Priority Mail postage rate change overview
- Priority Mail Retail rates will increase by 3% on average, and Commercial Base rates will increase 3.6% on average.
- Priority Mail senders will save between 0.5% and 1.5% for packages weighing less than 6 lbs. being sent to Zones 1 to 4.
- Priority Mail increases vary by zone and weight with larger increases affecting packages weighing 7 lbs. or more and packages being sent to Zone 6 or further. (For example, a 1 lb. Priority Mail piece going to zone 3 will only increase by 1.5%, but a 12 lb. package sent to Zone 6 increases by 10%).
- On average, Commercial Base prices reflect a 14.4% discount off Retail prices.
- New for 2021, a $100 fee will be assessed on any packages that exceed the maximum mailable size limit (combined length and girth greater than 130 inches).
Save up to 40.3%
on Priority Mail
Commercial Rates
with SendPro®
Save more on Priority Mail with SendPro
On average, the Priority Mail bulk postage rates offered by Commercial Base reflect a 14.4% discount off Retail prices. You can automatically access Commercial Base discounts of up to 40.3% by printing a trackable (IMpb) label using SendPro Online, or the shipping app on a SendPro C or SendPro P-series device.
There are no volume requirements with SendPro, so you save whether you send one Priority Mail piece a month or multiple pieces a day.
USPS Priority Mail Express
Save on average 14.1% on Priority Mail Express Commercial Rates with SendPro®
Priority Mail Express postage rate change overview
- Priority Mail Express Retail rates will increase by 1.0%.
- Priority Mail Express Commercial Base rates will increase on average 2.5%.
- Priority Mail Express price increases vary by zone and weight.
- On average, Commercial Base prices reflect a 14.1% discount off Retail prices.
- New for 2021, a $100 fee will be assessed on any packages that exceed the maximum mailable size limit (combined length and girth greater than 130 inches).
Save on average
14.1% on Priority
Mail Express
Commercial Rates
with SendPro®
Save more on Priority Mail Express with SendPro
On average, the Priority Mail Express bulk postage rates offered by Commercial Base reflect a 14.1% discount off Retail prices. You can automatically access Commercial Base discounts by printing a trackable (IMpb) label using SendPro Online, or the shipping app on a SendPro C or SendPro P-series device.
With SendPro you can take advantage of Commercial Base discounts regardless of your shipping volumes.