USPS® Files Notice to Increase the Price of Flat Rate® Shipping

Following the request to increase the prices of First-Class Mail® stamps, the U.S. Postal Service® has filed another notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). In a notice dated Wednesday, October 19, 2016, the Postal Service® has requested approval to raise shipping prices after the holiday mailing season. If approved, it will cost customers a bit more to send a package with USPS’s Flat Rate shipping, effective January 22, 2017. However, the notice did not include a request to increase the prices for First-Class Package International Service, Priority Mail Express® International or Priority Mail® International. 

The financial vulnerability of the post office™ has been cited as the reason for requesting the increase. The operating expenses of the Postal Service are not supported by tax dollars; instead the agency relies on the sale of postage, products and services.

If approved, the new prices would represent a modest avearage increase in Priority Mail by 3.9% and an average increase of 3.3% in Priority Mail Express prices. When compared to the recent 4.9% general rate increase announcements by FedEx® and UPS®, the USPS® remains the most affordable package shipping option.

Here are the current and proposed prices for Priority Mail Flat Rate Box and Priority Mail Flat Rate Envelope prices:

                                                                                   Current                                 Proposed                

Small flat-rate box                                                       $6.80                                   $7.15

Medium flat-rate box                                                   $13.45                                  $13.60

Large flat-rate box                                                       $18.75                                  $18.85

Large APO/FPO flat-rate box                                       $16.75                                  $17.35

Regular flat-rate envelope                                           $6.45                                    $6.65

Legal flat-rate envelope                                               $6.45                                    $6.95

Padded flat-rate envelope                                            $6.80                                    $7.20

(Photo Courtesy of the USPS)

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