New Postage Rates Start Sunday, May 31

After rejecting the U.S. Postal Service’s proposal to increase postage rates twice before, the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) has approved a rate increase for 2015. New postage rates will start on Sunday, May 31.

While rates are increasing in some mail classes, the U.S. Postal Service’s most popular products ARE NOT INCREASING. Rates for First Class Mail letters (one ounce), Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express will remain the same as in 2014.

Postage rates for “market domainant” classes were originally scheduled to go into effect on Sunday, April 26. But the USPS delayed the rate increase due to the PRC rejection of a rate proposal for two mail classes – Standard Mail and Periodicals. After the USPS made over 134 changes to the rate proposal for Standard Mail and Periodicals, the PRC approved the new rates on May 7.

Other notable changes starting on May 31, 2015:

• Priority Mail International will now include “zone pricing” for Canada, split up into 7 pricing zones.
• Parcel Select prices are decreasing in Zones 1 to 4 for packages weighing between 5 lbs. to 24 lbs.  The rates for packages traveling to Zones 1 to 4, weighing between 25 lbs. to 70 lbs. are NOT INCREASING.
• Media Mail will now include free package tracking

Get more info on the postage rate increase.