USPS August 2021 Rate Change Guide

On Sunday August 29th, 2021, the USPS will implement a mid-year rate postal change. Below are some details of the upcoming rate increase. Current customers will see software updates in the coming weeks.

The complete list of changes can be found on the United States Postal Service’s website below. Though all official pricing information is available via USPS, we’d like to give a brief overview of common products that will see a price increase.

USPS August Rate Change Details

It is important to note that this will not affect parcel services such as Priority Mail® or First-Class Package Service®. This update affects mailing prices for letters, flats, and postcards.

ProductCurrent Prices (January 2021)New Prices (August 2021)
Letters (1 oz.)$0.55$0.58
Letters additional ounce(s)$0.20$0.20 (Unchanged)
Letters (metered 1 oz.)$0.51$0.53
Domestic Postcards$0.36$0.40
Outbound International Letters (1 oz.)$1.20$1.30
Flats (1 oz.)$1.00$1.16
Flats additional ounce(s)$0.20$0.20 (Unchanged)
Certified Mail®$3.60$3.75
Signature Confirmation – Print$3.20$3.45
Signature Confirmation – Electronic$2.70$2.90
Return Receipt – Print$2.85$3.05
Return Receipt – Electronic$1.75$1.85
Media Mail® (1 lb.)$2.89$3.19
Library Mail$2.75$3.03

About the Rate Change

Why the August rate change? The PRC or Postal Regulatory Commission, who sets the rules and guidelines for the United States Postal Service, made the decision to approve an early update to increase financial stability for the USPS’ future.  This rate increase was proposed by the USPS and has undergone a series of reviews by the PRC before it was eventually approved on the 19th of July. Typically, a change is announced in October and then is finalized in January – however, this change may set precedence for future rate updates.

How it May Affect You

Products such as flats and letters will increase in initial price, however the additional per ounce price will not be changing. Other various USPS products like Media Mail®, Library Mail, or Certified Mail® will see slight increases across the board.

Due to these changes, you can now even save an additional amount over traditional Certified Mail with Electronic Certified Mail programs. Eii offers EZ-Confirm, perfect for those who are familiar with presort mailing. The rate change will also affect our subsidiary, ConfirmDelivery, which is a Certified Mail program ideal for sending legal documents, insurance information, or other official notices such as tax info.

For any additional questions or concerns, please consult the official and final prices given by the USPS.