U.S. postage rates holding steady in 2010

For the first time since 2005, annual postage rate adjustments are not affecting the price of a first-class U.S. postage stamp.

The USPS announced last week that the domestic letter rate in 2010 will remain at 44¢ for the first ounce and 17¢ for each additional ounce. The base rate had increased each of the last four years.

International letter rates will also remain the same: 75¢ to Canada, 79¢ to Mexico, and 98¢ everywhere else.

If you use Express Mail flat rate envelopes, the news isn’t good, with prices going from $17.50 to $18.30. Priority Mail flat rate envelopes, however, will actually become 5¢ less expensive to mail, with that rate dropping from $4.95 to $4.90.

There’s no official word yet, but I would expect to see new Express and Priority Mail stamps. The current $4.95 Priority Mail stamp might stick around, too, however, since it will continue to cover the cost of mailing a small Priority Mail flat rate box.

You can download a full list of new rates [PDF] from the USPS Postal Explorer Web site.

Are you surprised by any of rate changes, or that the regular letter rate is staying the same?

Published 2009-11-08