Washington, DC – Today the Postal Regulatory Commission issued Orders 4875 and 4876 approving the Postal Service’s planned rate adjustments for both Market Dominant products and Competitive products respectively.
Rate increases for Market Dominant products must meet certain statutory and regulatory requirements, the most prominent of which is that such increases be no greater than the rate of inflation, as determined by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. Conversely, the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act requires, among other things, that rates for Competitive products must produce sufficient revenues to ensure they are not subsidized by Market Dominant products.
The Commission found that the rates for both classes of mail meet all statutory requirements and may take effect, January 27, 2019, as planned. The Commission also found that the planned classification changes, with the revisions set forth in Orders 4875 and 4876, are consistent with applicable law.
Select Market Dominant First-Class Mail rates will change as follows:
|
Product
|
Old Rate
|
New Rate
|
|
Forever Stamp
|
50 cents
|
55 cents
|
|
Metered Letter
|
47 cents
|
50 cents
|
|
Additional Ounce
|
21 cents
|
15 cents
|
Select Competitive Product rates affected by the rate adjustment include:
|
Product: Priority Mail
|
Old Rate
|
New Rate
|
|
Retail Small Flat Rate Box
|
$7.20
|
$7.90
|
|
Retail Medium Retail Flat Rate Box
|
$13.65
|
$14.35
|
|
Retail Large Flat Rate Box
|
$18.90
|
$19.95
|
|
Retail Large Flat Rate Box APO/FPO/DPO
|
$17.40
|
$18.45
|
|
Retail Regular Flat Rate Envelope
|
$6.70
|
$7.35
|
|
Retail Legal Size Flat Rate Envelopes
|
$7.00
|
$7.65
|
|
Retail Padded Flat Rate Envelopes
|
$7.25
|
$8.00
|
The Commission’s complete analyses of the Postal Service’s Market Dominant and Competitive rate adjustments for calendar year 2019 are located at www.prc.gov in Docket Nos. R2019-1 and CP2019-3, respectively.
