Shipping packages with the U.S. Postal Service will be more expensive soon. The service just announced the proposed changes, but thankfully, they won’t affect any holiday shipping you plan on doing this year. Here’s what we know about the USPS raising rates.
Why Is the USPS Raising Prices?
The price increase proposal was released on the same day as the USPS’s 2025 financial report. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t pretty.
While operating revenue rose slightly from 2024, the service reported a $9 billion net loss for the year. (That’s actually a little better than last year’s loss, which was $9.5 billion. Hooray?)
The deficit is attributed to rising operational and labor costs, according to Newsweek. Transportation costs actually went down in 2025, but that wasn’t enough to make up for the other billions.
How Much Are Prices Increasing?
Shipping prices will increase as part of a 10-year “transformation plan for achieving financial sustainability and service excellence,” according to the USPS.
The proposed rate increases only affect shipping packages or letters via Priority Mail. The cost to mail letters and first-class stamps is not going to go up, thankfully.
Here’s how much USPS shipping services would increase.
- Priority Mail: 6.6% increase
- Priority Mail Express: 5.1% increase
- USPS Ground Advantage: 7.8% increase
- Parcel Select: 6% increase
Currently, the prices for Priority Mail services are based on the package’s weight and the distance it’s being shipped. Prices start at $10.45 for packages and $11.90 for a flat-rate Priority Mail envelope.
When Do the Increases Go Into Effect?
Right now, these increases are just a proposal. They will need to be reviewed by the Postal Regulatory Commission and approved before they can go into effect.
If they’re approved — and they will likely be — the increases will go into effect January 18, 2026. So if you’ve got something to ship before then, it’s best to do it sooner rather than later.
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