The U.S. Postal Service has announced new postage rates to be implemented on Sunday, January 9, 2022. Listed below are the highlights of the proposed 2022 USPS postage rate increase for customers buying postage online for DOMESTIC services.
Since there was a postage rate increase in August 2021, the USPS will NOT be increasing First Class Mail letter prices in January 2022. However, starting in July 2022, the USPS will be increasing First Class Mail letter prices two times per year.
2022 First Class Mail Letter Rate Increase Highlights:
- There is NO rate increase for First Class Mail letters, large envelopes or postcards in January 2022.
- The next First Class Mail postage rate increase is scheduled for July 2022.
- The Metered Mail rate discount for online postage will continue to be $0.05 cents.
- NEW: Starting in January 2023, Mailing Services will have scheduled postage rate increase occurring two times per year – in January and in July.
Overall, prices for Priority Mail Express will increase by 4.3% (Commercial Base). A 1 lb. package going to Zone 8 using Priority Mail Express will increase $2.30, costing $42.15 in 2022 compared to $39.85 (does not include holiday surcharge) in 2021.
2022 Priority Mail Express Rate Increase Highlights:
- Rate increases for Zone 8 are increasing significantly. A 1 lb. package traveling to Zone 8 is increasing by $2.30 (5.8%), and a 10 lb. package traveling to Zone 8 is increasing by $5.45 (5.8%).
- Rates for packages weighing 5 lbs. or more traveling to Zone 5 or higher are increasing by at least $2.55 (4.9%).
- The maximum discount for Commercial Base based pricing compared to Post Office (Retail) prices is 16% (same as 2021).
- NEW – STARTING APRIL 2022: There will be a $1.50 fee for packages that are greater than one cubic foot or have a box length greater than 22 inches if the customer did not provide dimensions or provided inaccurate dimensions inside the online postage provider (e.g. Stamps.com).
- NEW – STARTING APRIL 2022: There will be a new “nonstandard fee” for packages that must be sorted manually by the USPS when the dimensions of the package exceed sortation requirements. Rates will be adjusted based on box dimensions. Packages with length over 22 inches will have a $4.00 surcharge, packages with length over 30 inches will have $15.00 surcharge and packages over 2 cubic feet will have a $15.00 surcharge.
Shipping rates for Priority Mail Express Flat Rate products will increase in 2022.
2022 Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Increase Highlights:
- Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Envelope will increase $0.75 to $23.50 from $22.50.
- Priority Mail Express Legal Flat Rate Envelope will increase $0.80 to $23.75 from $22.95.
- Priority Mail Express Padded Flat Rate Envelope will increase $0.70 to $23.95 from $23.25.
Priority Mail will see an average increase of 2.7% (Commercial Base). A 1 lb. package going to Zone 8 using Priority Mail will increase $0.88 cents, costing $9.68 in 2022 compared to $8.80 (does not include holiday surcharge) in 2021.
2022 Priority Mail Rate Increase Highlights:
- Packages traveling to Zone 8 are increasing by at least $0.88 for all weights.
- Packages weighing 8 lbs. or more traveling to Zones 5 through 8 are decreasing significantly. As an example, a 20 lb. package traveling to Zone 8 is decreasing by $12.37 in 2022.
- Packages weighing 11 to 24 lbs. traveling to Zones 1&2 through 8 are decreasing between $0.40 (10 lbs., Zone 1&2) to $12.37 (20 lbs., Zone 8).
- Rate increases for Zone 9 (U.S. territories) are increasing by 15%.
- The maximum Priority Mail Commercial Base discount compared to Post Office (Retail) prices is 30% (down from 40% in 2021).
- NEW – STARTING APRIL 2022: There will be a $1.50 fee for packages that are greater than one cubic foot or have a box length greater than 22 inches if the customer did not provide dimensions or provided inaccurate dimensions inside the online postage provider (e.g. Stamps.com).
- NEW – STARTING APRIL 2022: There will be a new “nonstandard fee” for packages that must be sorted manually by the USPS when the dimensions of the package exceed sortation requirements. Rates will be adjusted based on box dimensions. Packages with length over 22 inches will have a $4.00 surcharge, packages with length over 30 inches will have $15.00 surcharge and packages over 2 cubic feet will have a $15.00 surcharge.
Shipping rates for Priority Mail Flat Rate products will increase in 2022. The Priority Mail Flat Rate Padded Envelope will increase $0.45 to $8.45 in 2022 compared to $8.00 (does not include holiday surcharge) in 2021. Rates for the Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Box will increase $0.50 to $14.25 from $13.75 currently. Rates for the Large Flat Rate Box will decrease by $0.10, to $19.20 from $19.30 (does not include holiday surcharge) in 2021.
2022 Priority Mail Flat Rate Increase Highlights:
- Priority Mail Small Flat Rate boxes are increasing only $0.35 (3.0%).
- Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box is decreasing by $0.10 (-1.0%).
Rates for Priority Mail Regional Rate Boxes will be increasing for all shipping Zones for Box A in 2022. A 5 lb. package going to Zone 8 using the Regional Rate Box A will increase by $0.90 to $13.54 in 2022 compared to $12.64 (does not include holiday surcharge) in 2021. Regional Rate Box A is priced at a 2 lb. regular Priority Mail rate, yet can contain products that weigh up to 15 lbs.
2022 Priority Mail Regional Rate Increase Highlights:
- Regional Rate Box A is seeing price increases ranging from $0.54 to $3.00.
- Regional Rate Box B is seeing price increases ranging from a decrease of $0.89 to an increase of $1.04.
- Regional Rate Box A Zone 8 is increasing the highest value at $0.90 (7.1%).
- Zone 8 is seeing the highest increase at $0.90 (7.1%) for Regional Rate Box A.
- Rate increases in Zone 9 (U.S. territories) are increasing by $3.00 (12.8%) for Box A and $1.04 for Box B.
Overall rates for First Class Package Service will increase by 7.4%. A 15.999 ounce package for First Class Package Service traveling to Zone 8 will increase $0.30 to $6.28 in 2022 from $5.98 (does not include holiday surcharge) in 2021.
2022 First Class Package Service Rate Increase Highlights:
- First Class Package Service is seeing rate increases range from $0.37 (11.0%) to $0.30 (5.0%).
- First Class Package Service is seeing higher rate increases in lower weights – the increase is as high as $0.36 (12.0%) packages that weigh 1 to 4 ounces.
- The maximum First Class Package Service Commercial Base discount compared to Post Office (Retail) prices is 26% (down from 28% in 2021).
Overall rates for Parcel Select Ground will decrease by 12.1% in 2022. A 3 lb. package going to Zone 8 will decrease by $2.80 to $12.25 in 2022 from $15.05 in 2021.
2022 Parcel Select Ground Rate Increase Highlights:
- Parcel Select Ground 1 lb. prices are increasing between $0.21 (3.0%) in Zone 1&2 and $0.88 (10.8%) in Zone 8.
- Packages weighing between 3 lbs. and 25 lbs. in all Zones are seeing prices decrease in 2022, with the discounts ranging from $0.21 (10 lb. Zone 4) to $33.52 (20 lb. Zone 8).
- For packages weighing between 26 lbs. to 70 lbs. traveling to all eight shipping Zones, the rate increase is a flat 5%.
- NEW – STARTING APRIL 2022: There will be a $1.50 fee for packages that are greater than one cubic foot or have a box length greater than 22 inches if the customer did not provide dimensions or provided inaccurate dimensions inside the online postage provider (e.g. Stamps.com).
- NEW – STARTING APRIL 2022: There will be a new “nonstandard fee” for packages that must be sorted manually by the USPS when the dimensions of the package exceed sortation requirements. Rates will be adjusted based on box dimensions. Packages with length over 22 inches will have a $4.00 surcharge, packages with length over 30 inches will have $15.00 surcharge and packages over 2 cubic feet will have a $15.00 surcharge.
- NEW SERVICE: USPS Connect Local is a new delivery service being introduced under Parcel Select. The service will allow local small businesses to deliver products same-day or next-day if the address is served by their local delivery unit. Sunday delivery will be available for an additional fee. To use USPS Connect Local, you must have a valid customer agreement with the USPS.
Media Mail rates will increase by an average of 12.1% in 2022. A 1 lb. package traveling to Zone 8 will increase $0.30 cents to $3.19 in 2022 compared to $2.89 in 2021.
2022 Media Mail Rate Increase Highlights:
- Heavier packages are seeing higher rate increases. While 1 lb. rates are going up by $0.30 (10.4%), a 70 lb. package is increasing by $5.13 (12.4%) and a 70 lb. package is increasing by $5.13 (12.4%).
Stamps.com Will Automatically Update to the New USPS Rates on January 9, 2022
Stamps.com will automatically update all USPS rates inside the software and web-based version (Stamps.com Online) on Sunday, January 9, 2022. If you are a Stamps.com customer, no additional actions are needed and you will AUTOMATICALLY see the 2022 USPS rates in the platform.
