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By Aliss Higham
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The United States Postal Service (USPS) has announced that it will not be increasing stamp prices in January 2026, following several cost hikes in recent years.
Why It Matters
Since January 2023, there have been near-consistent increases in the price of a single First-Class stamp. The USPS decides around every six months, usually in January and July, whether to raise prices for consumers.
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What To Know
In a press release issued on September 24, the Postal Service confirmed that a recommendation by Postmaster General David Steiner not to raise prices in January 2026 for numerous products had been accepted by USPS governors.
"The price of a stamp to mail a 1-ounce single-piece First-Class letter will not increase in early 2026," the release reads. The current price is $0.78.
USPS does not set stamp prices entirely on its own. Instead, pricing is governed by law and overseen by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), an independent federal agency that reviews and approves rate changes.
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There have been numerous approvals in recent years. The price of a stamp has increased periodically since its introduction in 1863, and back then, a single stamp would cost 3 cents. In January 2014, a first-class stamp was $0.49, meaning the price increased by 29 cents in just over a decade. As recently as 2006, it stood at 39 cents, half of today's price.
"The Postal Service’s operational strategies are designed to maintain cost efficiency, boost service reliability and overall productivity," the release said. "The Postal Service also remains committed to continued cost-saving measures and keeping products and services affordable. We continue to take a very considered approach to pricing and note that only a handful of countries around the world offer a lower price for a domestic single-piece letter."
What People Are Saying
Postmaster General David Steiner said: “We continually strive to balance our pricing approach both to meet the revenue needs of the Postal Service and to deliver affordable offerings that reflect market conditions. We have therefore decided at this time to forgo a price change for First-Class Mail postage and other Market Dominant services until mid-year 2026.”
What Happens Next
Despite there being no increase this time around, there are likely to be more in the future. The USPS informed the Postal Regulatory Commission last year that it planned to raise prices again in January and July of both 2026 and 2027.
"Subject to the approval of the Governors, the Postal Service expects that in 2026 and 2027, it will change prices for all Market Dominant classes in both January and July, with filings occurring the preceding October and April, respectively," the filing reads.
Correction 09/30/25 5:10 a.m. ET: This article was updated to clarify that the USPS said there would be no stamp price rises in January 2026.
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