If you have been buying stamps for years, you have watched the price climb and probably stopped keeping track. Most people only look it up when they are standing at the counter with a letter in hand.
Here is every current USPS letter rate in one place, what each stamp actually covers, and how to combine stamps you already own so you are not overpaying by a few cents on every envelope.
Stamp Cost Calculator
See what any number of stamps, books or rolls costs at today’s Post Office prices, or how many stamps a budget buys.
What A First-Class Stamp Costs In 2026
The price of a First-Class Forever stamp is 82 cents. The 82 cent First-Class rate took effect on July 12, 2026, and the 82 cent First-Class rate covers a standard letter weighing up to one ounce sent anywhere within the United States. A standard letter is defined by the United States Postal Service as a rectangular envelope that is at least 3.5 inches by 5 inches and no larger than 6.125 inches by 11.5 inches, with a thickness between 0.007 inches and 0.25 inches.
An envelope that falls outside those dimensions is not charged at the 82 cent First-Class rate. An envelope that falls outside those dimensions is charged at a higher rate, and the additional charge applies even when the envelope weighs less than one ounce.
- First-Class letter, up to 1 ounce: 82 cents
- Postcard: 65 cents
- Each additional ounce on a letter: 29 cents
- International letter, up to 1 ounce: $1.75
- Book of 20 First-Class Forever stamps: $16.40
- Roll of 100 First-Class Forever stamps: $82.00
A Forever stamp bought at any earlier price is still worth the current First-Class rate. A Forever stamp bought in 2015 at 49 cents and a Forever stamp bought in 2026 at 82 cents both pay for one standard letter today. The price printed on the receipt does not limit what the Forever stamp is worth for postage.
How Much A Book Of Stamps Costs And How Much A Roll Of Stamps Costs
A book of First-Class Forever stamps costs $16.40. A standard book of First-Class Forever stamps contains 20 stamps, and 20 stamps priced at the 82 cent First-Class rate produce a total of $16.40. The per stamp price inside a book of First-Class Forever stamps is identical to the per stamp price of a single First-Class Forever stamp purchased at a Post Office window, because the United States Postal Service does not discount postage for the purchase of a book of First-Class Forever stamps rather than a single First-Class Forever stamp.
A roll of First-Class Forever stamps costs $82.00. A roll of First-Class Forever stamps, which the United States Postal Service also describes as a coil, contains 100 stamps, and 100 stamps priced at the 82 cent First-Class rate produce a total of $82.00. A roll of First-Class Forever stamps is intended for a household or a business that mails letters in volume, and a roll of First-Class Forever stamps carries no discount against the price of the same number of stamps purchased in books.
| Format | Stamps included | Price per stamp | Total price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Book of First-Class Forever stamps | 20 | 82 cents | $16.40 |
| Roll of First-Class Forever stamps | 100 | 82 cents | $82.00 |
| Book of postcard stamps | 20 | 65 cents | $13.00 |
| Book of additional ounce stamps | 20 | 29 cents | $5.80 |
| Book of Global Forever stamps | 10 | $1.75 | $17.50 |
A commemorative booklet is occasionally issued in a quantity other than 20 stamps. A commemorative booklet issued in a quantity of 12 stamps or a quantity of 16 stamps is priced at the current First-Class rate multiplied by the quantity printed on the commemorative booklet, rather than at the $16.40 price of a standard book of 20 stamps. The quantity is printed on the outside of the booklet, and the quantity printed on the outside of the booklet should be checked before the price of a commemorative booklet is compared against the price of a standard book of 20 stamps.
A book of First-Class Forever stamps is sold at the same price at a Post Office window, at a Post Office self service kiosk, on the United States Postal Service website, and at most grocery stores, pharmacies and office supply stores. The price of a book of First-Class Forever stamps does not vary by retailer, because the price of postage is set by the United States Postal Service rather than by the retailer. Retail selection is usually limited to the current flag design or a seasonal design, and a wider selection of stamp designs is available only at a Post Office window or on the United States Postal Service website.
The Postcard Rate And When It Applies
The postcard rate is 65 cents. The postcard rate applies only to a card that meets the postcard dimensions set by the United States Postal Service, which are a minimum of 3.5 inches by 5 inches and a maximum of 4.25 inches by 6 inches, with a thickness between 0.007 inches and 0.016 inches.
A card larger than the maximum postcard dimensions is not charged at the 65 cent postcard rate. A card larger than the maximum postcard dimensions is charged at the 82 cent First-Class letter rate instead, because the United States Postal Service treats an oversized card as a letter rather than as a postcard. Holiday cards and invitation cards frequently exceed the maximum postcard dimensions, and the 17 cent difference between the postcard rate and the letter rate is the most common reason a card is returned for insufficient postage.
Additional Ounce Stamps And Heavier Letters
The additional ounce rate is 29 cents. The additional ounce rate is charged for each ounce beyond the first ounce on a First-Class letter, and the additional ounce rate is charged in whole ounces rather than in fractions of an ounce. A letter weighing 1.2 ounces is charged for two ounces, and a letter weighing 2.1 ounces is charged for three ounces.
An additional ounce stamp is a separate stamp printed without a denomination, and an additional ounce stamp is always worth the current additional ounce rate rather than the rate printed at the time of purchase. An additional ounce stamp cannot be used on its own to pay for a letter. An additional ounce stamp is applied alongside a First-Class stamp, because the additional ounce stamp covers only the weight beyond the first ounce.
A sheet of standard paper weighs approximately 0.16 ounces, and a standard business envelope weighs approximately 0.24 ounces. Four or five sheets of paper inside a standard business envelope will usually stay under one ounce, and six or more sheets of paper inside a standard business envelope will usually cross into the second ounce.
How To Work Out Postage For A Heavier Envelope
Postage for a heavier envelope is calculated by taking the First-Class rate for the first ounce and adding the additional ounce rate for every ounce after the first ounce. The calculation does not change based on the distance the letter travels, because First-Class letter pricing within the United States is not distance based.
A letter weighing three ounces is charged 82 cents for the first ounce, 29 cents for the second ounce and 29 cents for the third ounce, which produces a total of $1.40. A letter weighing two ounces is charged 82 cents for the first ounce and 29 cents for the second ounce, which produces a total of $1.11.
Stamps of different denominations may be combined freely to reach the required total. Older stamps printed with a denomination are worth the denomination printed on them, and older stamps printed with a denomination remain valid for postage indefinitely. A three ounce letter requiring $1.40 can be paid with one 82 cent Forever stamp and two 29 cent additional ounce stamps, or with any combination of older denominated stamps that totals $1.40 or more.
International Letters And The Global Forever Rate
The international letter rate is $1.75. The international letter rate covers a letter weighing up to one ounce sent from the United States to any other country, and the international letter rate is the same for every destination country rather than varying by region.
A Global Forever stamp is the stamp issued for the international letter rate, and a Global Forever stamp is always worth the current international letter rate regardless of when the Global Forever stamp was purchased. A standard First-Class Forever stamp is not sufficient on its own for an international letter, because a standard First-Class Forever stamp is worth 82 cents rather than $1.75. Three standard First-Class Forever stamps total $2.46, which covers the international letter rate with 71 cents of unnecessary postage.
What Happens To Stamps You Bought At An Older Price
Stamps purchased at an older price do not expire and do not lose postage value. A Forever stamp purchased at an older price is worth the current First-Class rate, and a denominated stamp purchased at an older price is worth the denomination printed on the denominated stamp. Neither type of stamp becomes invalid when the United States Postal Service raises its rates.
The practical consequence is that unused stamps held for years retain their full usefulness as postage. The practical limitation is that unused stamps held for years cannot be returned to the post office for a refund, because the United States Postal Service does not buy back stamps once the stamps have been sold.
Someone holding a large quantity of unused stamps has two realistic options. Using the unused stamps for ordinary mail over time is one option, and that option works well for a quantity of stamps small enough to be mailed within a few years. Selling the unused stamps for cash to a buyer who deals in postage is the other option, and that option suits a quantity of stamps larger than the holder of the stamps will ever mail.
Quick Answers
How much is a first-class stamp? $0.82 as of July 12, 2026.
How much is a book of stamps? $16.40 for a book of 20 Forever stamps.
Do old Forever stamps still work? Yes. A Forever stamp always covers the current one-ounce first-class rate.
How much postage does a 2-ounce letter need? $1.11 total: one Forever stamp plus one $0.29 additional-ounce stamp, or a single Two Ounce stamp.
Sitting On More Stamps Than You Will Ever Mail?
Plenty of people end up with far more postage than they need. An estate clearance, a closed business, a collection inherited from a relative, or just years of buying a book at a time and never quite using it up.
We buy unused postage for cash. You will find exactly what we pay on our rates page, and you can start a sale any time on our cash for stamps page. If your stamps are mostly modern Forever issues, our guide to exchanging stamps for cash explains what to expect.
Rates change, usually once or twice a year, and the full history of USPS rate changes shows how steadily. This page is kept current, so bookmark it rather than trusting a figure you half remember from the last time you mailed something.
