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.

The U.S. Postal Service announced that it will delay the postage rate increase and service classification changes that were scheduled to start on Sunday, April 26, 2015.

The decision to delay the 2015 rate increase was motivated by the fact the Postal Regulatory Commission had not approved all of the proposed 2015 rates changes submitted by the USPS.  In particular, some “market-dominant” mail classes such as Standard Mail and Periodicals had not been approved.  To avoid a staggered implementation of the new rates, the USPS felt it was better to delay the entire rate increase and classification change to a later date.

No new date has been announced. The USPS said it will resubmit a new pricing proposal to the Postal Regulatory Commission for approval.

Stamps.com will keep you updated with all the USPS postage rate increase changes once more info is available.