USPS Rate Change Effective July 13, 2025
Overview
USPS will implement updated rates and fees effective July 13, 2025, based on pre-release notes received on May 29, 2025. These changes include price updates for mailing and shipping services, a new nonstandard package characteristic fee, and reminders on how these fees apply.
Nonstandard fees do not apply to 'Oversized' parcels.
Download July 2025 Price File - Excel
Market Dominant Services (Price Changes Only)
| Product | Current Rate | New Rate |
|---|---|---|
| First-Class Mail Forever Stamp | $0.73 | $0.78 |
| Letters (metered, 1 oz) | $0.69 | $0.74 |
| Domestic postcards | $0.56 | $0.62 |
| Flats (1 oz) | $1.50 | $1.63 |
| International postcards/letters (1 oz) | $1.65 | $1.70 |
| International flats (2 oz, PG1) | $3.55 | $3.65 |
| Additional ounce (letters) | $0.28 | $0.29 |
Postal insurance rates will decrease by 12%.
Competitive Services (Structure & Price Changes)
- Priority Mail: Example ~$9.90 → ~$10.52
- Ground Advantage: Example ~$8.95 → ~$9.59
- Parcel Select: Example ~$7.85 → ~$8.44
- Priority Mail Express: No change
- International Ancillary Services and International Shipping Services: No change
- Media, Library, and Domestic Extra Services: Price increases included in July price files
Note: Exact rates vary by weight and zone. Refer to July price files for details.
New Nonstandard Package Characteristic Fee
A $4.00 fee per shipment will apply to packages that meet any one of four new nonstandard package characteristics identified by USPS to improve package integrity and machinability within their network. These characteristics include:
- Cylindrical tubes or rolls
- Cans, wood, or metal boxes
- Packages with >24 oz liquid in glass or >1 gallon in metal/plastic containers
- Insecurely wrapped/prepared parcels
Packages with these characteristics can cause issues in USPS automation and processing (rolling, leaking, equipment jams). Declaring them upfront helps avoid processing issues and potential post-shipment adjustments.
- Only one $4 fee applies per shipment, even if multiple conditions are met.
- The fee does not apply to flat rate or oversized parcels.
- Shippers can declare the applicable characteristic using
specialServiceIdin the Create Shipment API; otherwise, the carrier may assess the fee as an APV adjustment, and a dimensional noncompliance fee ($1.50) may also apply. - USPS or the carrier may reach out to shippers with frequent assessments to improve packaging practices.
Applies to: PME, PM, GA, USPS Connect Local, Parcel Select (excluding flat rate products).
Available specialServiceId values for declaration:
| specialServiceId | Branded Name (subject to change) | Characteristic |
|---|---|---|
NONSTD_TUBE_ROLL | Nonstandard Tube or Roll | Cylindrical tubes or rolls |
NONSTD_CAN_WOOD_METAL_BX | Nonstandard Can, Wood, or Metal Box | A can, or wood or metal box |
NONSTD_LIQUID | Nonstandard Liquid Container | A Parcel containing more than 24 ounces of liquid in glass containers, or 1 gallon or more of liquid in metal or plastic containers (see DMM 601.3.4) |
NONSTD_PKG_PREP | Nonstandard Package Preparation | An insecurely wrapped or prepared parcel as provided under DMM 601.3.0 and DMM 601.4.0 |
Only these four specialServiceId codes are used for declaration, and USPS has not published final branded names yet (subject to change)Existing Nonstandard Fees (Reminder)
The proposed fee values as of 5/14/2025 are shown below and are subject to PRC approval. These fees are already supported by USPS and GCS, and their rules are not changing with the July 13, 2025 update.
- Fees 1-5 are existing nonstandard fees automatically identified and added to the shipment by GCS based on package dimensions during shipment processing. These cannot be declared using
specialServiceId. - Fees 6 and 7 are the new nonstandard package characteristic fee and its allowed combination with nonstandard volume, respectively, and can be declared.
| Nonstandard Fees and Supported Combinations | Extra Service Code (ESC) used in Carrier and Partner ransaction reporting | Fee Value Ground Advantage | Fee Value Priority Mail & Priority Mail Express |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length > 22” | 881 | $4.00 | $4.00 |
| Length > 30” | 882 | $8.40 | $18.00 |
| Volume > 2 cu ft | 883 | $18.00 | $30.00 |
| Length > 22” + Volume > 2 cu ft | 884 | $22.00 | $34.00 |
| Length > 30” + Volume > 2 cu ft | 885 | $26.40 | $48.00 |
| New: Package Characteristic | 879 | $4.00 | $4.00 |
| New: Volume + Package Characteristic | 886 | $22.00 | $34.00 |
Rules:
- The new package characteristic fee (879) can only combine with the volume fee (883).
- If a package meets the length criteria (881/882) and also meets a package characteristic (879), only the higher fee applies.
- If fees are equal, USPS prefers the use of the package characteristic code.
- Oversized packages (length + girth >108” but <130”) are exempt from nonstandard fees and will instead be priced at the oversize rate.
- If the criteria for a nonstandard fee is met but not declared when applicable, USPS may assess the fee as an APV adjustment post-shipment.
Effective Date
These changes take effect on July 13, 2025.
For detailed USPS pricing and updates, refer to USPS resources.