Stamp Prices Set to Rise Again: USPS to Raise Forever Stamp to 78 Cents on July 13th

By: Jerome Brookshire

In what has become a familiar development for American mailers, the United States Postal Service (USPS) is set to implement a sweeping series of price increases this weekend — with the cost of a first-class Forever stamp rising to 78 cents. As reported on Saturday by USA Today, the hike will take effect on Sunday, July 13, marking yet another step in the Postal Service’s ongoing strategy to stabilize its long-term finances.

“This weekend, the Postal Service’s Market Dominant and Competitive Services price increases take effect,” Marti Johnson, USPS Senior Public Relations Representative, confirmed in a statement issued Saturday, July 12. The confirmation follows months of deliberation by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), the independent federal agency tasked with overseeing the USPS. In May, the PRC formally approved the proposed 5-cent increase, bringing the current 73-cent Forever stamp to its new 78-cent price point.

The change comes amid continued efforts by USPS to implement its “Delivering for America” 10-year plan — a comprehensive blueprint aimed at securing the Postal Service’s financial sustainability while modernizing its operations. According to the information provided in the USA Today report, the USPS has described the pricing adjustment as both “rational” and “realistic,” stressing that even with the latest increases, U.S. postage rates remain lower than those of many international postal services.

In its April announcement outlining the proposed changes, USPS emphasized that the price adjustments were “needed to achieve the financial stability sought by the organization’s Delivering for America 10-year plan.” The Postal Service also noted that despite the upward trend, its mailing rates “remain among the most affordable in the world.”

As the USA Today report noted, the price increase will not only impact Forever stamps. Several other USPS products will also see rate hikes beginning Sunday:

Domestic postcards will rise from 56 cents to 62 cents

Letters (metered, 1 ounce) will go from 69 cents to 74 cents

Letters (stamped, 1 ounce) will match the new Forever stamp rate at 78 cents

Additional ounces for single-piece letters will increase from 28 cents to 29 cents

International postcards and letters (1 ounce) will jump from $1.65 to $1.70

The overall increase in mailing service product prices amounts to approximately 7.4%, according to USPS projections. That’s a notable bump for consumers and businesses alike, particularly small businesses that rely on physical mail for invoicing, marketing, and customer outreach.

While the Postal Service’s justification rests largely on long-term financial goals, many consumers are feeling the cumulative effect of repeated rate hikes. As the USA Today report pointed out, this is the latest in a series of stamp price increases that have occurred with growing frequency in recent years — a departure from the more sporadic adjustments of previous decades.

Forever stamps, introduced in 2007 to offer customers predictability amidst fluctuating rates, were initially sold for 41 cents. With this weekend’s increase to 78 cents, the cost of a Forever stamp will have nearly doubled in less than two decades. Still, as the USA Today report noted, Forever stamps purchased before July 13 will retain their full mailing value despite the price jump — making this Saturday the last chance to buy them at the current 73-cent rate.

“While these price changes may be frustrating for some customers, they are part of a broader strategy to maintain and modernize the Postal Service,” Johnson told USA Today. “We are committed to responsible fiscal management and long-term service improvement.”

USPS has been under sustained financial strain for years, grappling with declining first-class mail volumes, rising labor and logistics costs, and a growing burden from its congressionally mandated retiree health benefits obligations. The “Delivering for America” plan, first introduced in 2021, aims to close persistent deficits by streamlining operations, expanding package delivery services, and adjusting pricing to reflect actual costs more accurately.

According to the information contained in the USA Today report, the plan has already led to significant operational changes, including network realignment, investment in electric delivery vehicles, and the consolidation of mail processing centers. The pricing component — though controversial among consumers — remains a central pillar in USPS’s revenue stabilization efforts.

Public reaction to the latest price hike has been mixed. While many acknowledge the Postal Service’s need to modernize and remain financially viable, others argue that the continual increases disproportionately impact seniors, rural residents, and low-income households that rely on traditional mail.

As USA Today has noted in its coverage, USPS leadership has consistently defended its rate strategy as necessary and proportionate. The PRC, for its part, has indicated that it is closely monitoring the balance between financial sustainability and public accessibility.

In the meantime, customers are encouraged to stock up on Forever stamps before midnight on Saturday, July 12, when the current 73-cent price expires. Retailers and USPS locations are expected to experience a brief uptick in demand as consumers make last-minute purchases to lock in the lower rate.

For now, the upcoming increase serves as both a fiscal milestone for USPS and a broader indicator of the shifting economics of American communication. As USA Today succinctly put it, “Forever” might last in value — but it certainly doesn’t freeze the price.