If it seems like everything is getting more expensive, you’re right. Thanks to inflation (up 3%), which has affected goods from food to gas (for which prices are up 4.1%), you can now add the post office to the the long list of places where you’ll have to pay more.
Here’s what to know.
What’s happening?
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is planning to increase the price of shipping. The good news is, the changes won’t affect your holiday packages and won’t raise the price of stamps. The changes go into effect next year on January 18, pending a review by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC).
How much will prices go up?
The move will raise prices approximately 6.6% for Priority Mail, 5.1% for Priority Mail Express, 7.8% for USPS Ground Advantage, and 6% for Parcel Select.
Although mail price increases are based on the consumer price index, shipping prices are primarily adjusted according to market conditions, USPS said in a news release.
Why is the post office raising prices?
The price hike is aimed at generating revenue for the ailing U.S. Postal Service. It’s part of its 10-year “modernization and transformation plan” to make the agency financially sustainable over the long term, and able to continue delivering mail and packages at least six days a week.
It comes as USPS posted a $9 billion loss for the 2025 fiscal year—which is actually a better financial outcome than last year, when it lost $9.5 billion.
One thing to note: USPS relies on revenue from its postage, products, and services to keep it afloat—not tax dollars.
How can I find out more about the new prices?
The complete USPS price filing, with prices for all products, can be found on the PRC’s website at prc.arkcase.com/portal/filings, or on USPS’s website at pe.usps.com/PriceChange/Index.