Your Priority Mail Just Got 5-7% More Expensive, Thanks USPS
Published Date: 11/20/2025
Rule
Summary
Starting January 18, 2026, the Postal Service is raising prices on popular shipping options like Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail by about 5-7%. This affects anyone sending packages or using extra mailing services, with some flat rate envelopes and boxes getting pricier. No changes to mailing rules, just new prices to keep things running smoothly!
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 7 costs, 0 mixed.
Priority Mail Express price rise
Starting January 18, 2026, Priority Mail Express prices rise overall by 5.1 percent. Retail prices average a 5.0 percent increase and Commercial Base prices average a 5.9 percent increase; Flat Rate Envelope prices go to $33.25, Legal Flat Rate Envelope to $33.50, and Padded Flat Rate Envelope to $34.15.
Priority Mail price increases and new flat-rate prices
Effective January 18, 2026, Priority Mail prices increase overall by 6.6 percent. Retail prices rise about 6.3 percent on average and Commercial prices about 6.9 percent; Flat Rate Envelope increases to $11.95, Legal Flat Rate Envelope to $12.25, Padded Flat Rate Envelope to $12.95, Small Flat Rate Box to $12.65, Medium Flat Rate Box to $22.95, and Large Flat Rate Box to $31.50 (APO/FPO/DPO Large Flat Rate Box to $30.15).
USPS Ground Advantage price increases
On January 18, 2026, USPS Ground Advantage prices increase overall by 7.8 percent; Retail prices rise 5.9 percent while Commercial prices rise 9.6 percent. These changes apply to ground shipping rate schedules.
Extra and nonstandard service fee changes
Starting January 18, 2026, some extra and nonstandard fees change: Adult Signature Required and Adult Signature Restricted Delivery prices rise an average of 15.5 percent; USPS Label Delivery Service prices increase 6.5 percent; Nonstandard Fees increase an average of 17 percent; the Dimension Noncompliance Fee doubles from $1.50 to $3.00. Pickup on Demand and USPS Tracking Plus prices remain the same.
Parcel Select and USPS Connect price increases
Effective January 18, 2026, Parcel Select Destination Entry prices increase by an average of 6.0 percent and USPS Connect Local prices increase by 4.9 percent. These changes affect parcel entry and local connect services.
New USPS Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) service introduced
The Postal Service is introducing a USPS Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) fee and service in the DMM effective January 18, 2026. DDP lets mailers prepay customs duties, taxes, and fees for items mailed from certain U.S. possessions and territories to domestic U.S. locations; the new USPS fee covers facilitation only and does not include those taxes, duties, or non‑USPS fees.
Recipient services and PO Box price rises
Effective January 18, 2026, competitive Post Office Box service prices increase 2.9 percent, Premium Forwarding Service prices increase 6.8 percent, and the USPS Package Intercept fee increases 6.0 percent. Address Enhancement Service and the Package Quality Noncompliance Fee remain the same.
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Key Dates
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-16016, New Mailing Standards for Live Animals
The Postal Service proposes revising Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail (Pub 52), for various package requirements for live animals. This proposal will improve package integrity and container identification for all live animal shipments during processing and handling by prohibiting the reuse of fiberboard containers and requiring individual addressing and sequential numbering for multiple container shipments when bound together in a single shipment. Also, this proposal requires mailers to write the recipient's name and address directly on the packaging of Adult Bird shipments in the event the shipping label becomes detached from the packaging.
2026-15420, Duty Collection for Domestic Mail Arriving From Certain Insular Possessions and Territories
The Postal Service is revising Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM[supreg]), section 608, to provide instructions for customs clearance and the prepayment of applicable customs duties, taxes, and fees for certain goods mailed from American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands destined to the customs territory of the United States (CTUS), which is defined in 19 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 101.1 as the fifty States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
2026-14727, Product Change-Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, and USPS Ground Advantage Negotiated Service Agreements; Priority Mail, and USPS Ground Advantage Negotiated Service Agreements
The Postal Service is updating its special shipping deals for Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, and USPS Ground Advantage. These changes affect businesses using negotiated contracts and could mean new pricing or service options starting soon. The updates were officially filed in mid-July 2026 and aim to keep shipping smooth and competitive.
2026-14508, Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
The USPS plans to create a new system to handle records about mail-in and absentee ballots for federal elections, but only if a related rule change gets approved after ongoing court battles. This affects voters and USPS workers by aiming to keep ballot mail safe and private. If the rule passes, the new record system will kick in within about a month, with no extra costs announced yet.
2026-14191, Product Change-Priority Mail, and USPS Ground Advantage Negotiated Service Agreements; Priority Mail Express
The Postal Service is updating its Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, and Priority Mail Express services by adding new special shipping deals called Negotiated Service Agreements. These changes affect businesses using these shipping options and could mean new pricing or contract terms starting mid-July 2026. If you ship with USPS, keep an eye out for these updates—they might save you money or change how you send packages.
2026-13728, International Product Change-Priority Mail Express International, Priority Mail International & First-Class Package International Service Agreement
The Postal Service is adding a new international shipping deal for Priority Mail Express International, Priority Mail International, and First-Class Package International Service. This change affects customers who send packages overseas and aims to offer better pricing and service options. The update was filed on June 30, 2026, and could mean new shipping choices and costs soon.
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