USPS Postage Rate Increase Starts January 27, 2019

January 17, 2019 by Melissa Hedge

The USPS will be implementing new postage rates on Sunday, January 27, 2019. Listed below are the highlights of the 2019 USPS rate increase for customers buying postage online:

First Class Mail Letters

The First Class Mail letter (1 oz.) rate for postage purchased at the Post Office is increasing by five cents to $0.55 from $0.50.
Each additional ounce for a First Class Mail letter will cost an extra $0.15 (a decrease from $0.21 in 2018).
First Class Mail Flats/Large Envelope rates are not increasing in 2019, remaining at $1.00 (1 oz.), with additional ounces costing $0.15.
Postcard rates are also not increasing in 2019, remaining at $0.35.
Customers who print postage online (via Stamps.com), the Metered Mail rate will now be a 5 cent discount compared to the Post Office price with rates increasing to $0.50 in 2019 from $0.47 currently.
Each additional ounce will cost an extra $0.15 in 2019, a decrease from $0.21 currently.
The five cent discount for online postage on a one-ounce First Class Mail letter represents a savings of 9% for consumers and small business owners.

Priority Mail Express (Commercial Base Pricing)

Priority Mail Express will see an average increase of 3.9%.
A 1 lb. package going to Zone 8 using Priority Mail Express will cost $36.52 in 2019 compared to $35.04 currently.
The USPS is adjusting the DIM Divisor for Priority Mail Express packages over 1 cubic foot (1728 cubic inches) from 194 to 166.
Commercial Plus Pricing has been eliminated.

Priority Mail Express Flat Rate (Commercial Base Pricing)

Priority Mail Express Flat Rate Envelopes will also see a rate increase ranging from $0.70 to $0.72 depending on the envelope used.

Priority Mail (Commercial Base Pricing)

Priority Mail will see an average increase of 5.9%.
A 1 lb. package going to Zone 8 using Priority Mail will cost $8.25 in 2019 compared to $7.76 currently.
Heavier weights for Priority Mail are seeing a rate decrease. For packages weighing between 11 lbs. and 70 lbs., all shipping zones are seeing lower rates compared to 2018. Cost savings range from $0.11 (11 lbs. Zone 1/2 = $10.67) to $1.37 savings (70 lbs. Zone 8 = $184.51) compared to 2018.
Medium weight packages (4 lbs. to 10 lbs.), traveling to Zone 5 and higher are seeing a decrease in rates compared to 2018, with costs being reduced by $0.17 (7 lbs. Zone 5 = $15.43) to $0.63 (5 lbs. Zone 8 = $20.40)
NOTE: The Dimensional Weight (DIM) divisor for Priority Mail packages will not take place until June 23, 2019. After that, Priority Mail packages over 1 cubic foot (1728 cubic inches) is being adjusted from 194 to 166.
NOTE: After June 23, 2019 Priority Mail parcels in ALL shipping zones will receive DIM pricing for packages over 1 cubic foot. Previously, only Priority Mail parcels being delivered to Zones 5-9 received DIM pricing.
Commercial Plus Pricing has been eliminated.

Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes & Envelopes (Commercial Base Pricing)

Priority Mail Medium Flat Rate Box is decreasing by five cents to $12.80 in 2019 from $12.85 currently.
Priority Mail Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box is decreasing by five cents to $17.60 in 2019 from $17.65 currently.
Priority Mail Padded Flat Rate Envelope, a popular option for e-commerce sellers, is increasing by $0.45 to $7.55 in 2019 from $7.10 currently.

Priority Mail Regional Rate (Commercial Base Pricing)

Regional Rate Box A

Closer shipping zones (Zones 1/2 through Zone 5) are seeing bigger rate increases from $0.55 (Zone 1/2 = $7.65) to $0.61 (Zone 5 = $8.76).
Packages traveling to farther shipping zones are seeing a smaller rate increase – going up by $0.26 (Zone 7 = $10.55) and to $0.40 (Zone 8 = $11.20)

Regional Rate Box B

Other than Zone 1/2 where the rate increase is $0.64, the increase is relatively small at $0.08 (Zone 3 = $8.50), $0.03 (Zone 4 = $9.40) and no rate increase for farther Zones 5-8.

First Class Package Service (Commercial Base Pricing)

Overall rates for First Class Package Service will increase by 11.9%.
Zone-based pricing is being added to First Class Package Service in 2019.
Any package going across the country (Zone 8) is seeing a significant rate increase going up from $0.43 (Zone 8 – 1 ounce = $3.09) to $1.43 (Zone 8 – 13 ounces = $5.53)
13 ounce packages in particular are rising across all zones, increasing $0.84 (Zone 1/2 = $4.94) to $1.43 (Zone 8 = $5.53)
Heavier items weighing 15 ounces to 15.999 ounces are seeing a smaller increase, going from no increase at all (Zone 1/2 = $4.94) to $0.59 (Zone 8 = $5.53)

Parcel Select Ground (Commercial Base Pricing)

Shipping rates for Parcel Select Ground will decrease by an average of 1.3% in 2019.
For parcels weighing between 3 lbs. and 18 lbs. and traveling to farther zones (Zone 5-9), every cell is seeing a rate decrease in 2019.
Parcel Select Group is also seeing a rate decrease for all zones for parcels weighing between 21 to 70 pounds
The Dimensional Weight (DIM) divisor for Parcel Select Ground packages over 1 cubic foot (1728 cubic inches) is being adjusted from 193 to 166.

Media Mail

Media Mail rates will increase by 2.95% in 2019.
A 1 lb. package traveling to Zone 8 will cost $2.75 in 2019 compared to $2.66 currently.