Rules and Regulations. Notice

Agency: Postal Regulatory Commission
Action: Notice
Citation: FR Doc. 2026-07204 · Docket No. R2026-1; Order No. 9512

Summary

The Commission is recognizing a recently filed Postal Service notice of inflation-based rate adjustments affecting market dominant domestic and international products and services, along with proposed classification changes. This notice informs the public of the filing, invites public comment, and takes other administrative steps.

Dates

Comments are due: May 11, 2026.

Supplementary Information

Table of Contents I. Introduction II. Overview of the Postal Service's Filing III. Initial Administrative Actions IV. Ordering Paragraphs I. Introduction On April 9, 2026, the Postal Service filed a notice of price adjustments affecting Market Dominant domestic and international products and services, along with proposed classification changes to the Mail Classification Schedule (MCS). 1 The intended effective date for the planned price adjustments is July 12, 2026. Notice at 1, 10. The Notice, which was filed pursuant to 39 CFR part 3030, triggers a notice-and-comment proceeding. 39 CFR 3030.125. 1 United States Postal Service Notice of Market-Dominant Price Change, April 9, 2026 (Notice). II. Overview of the Postal Service's Filing The Postal Service's filing consists of the Notice, which the Postal Service represents addresses data and information required under 39 CFR 3030.122 and 39 CFR 3030.123; two attachments (Attachments A and B) to the Notice; and six public library references and two non-public library references. Attachment A presents the planned price and related product description changes to the MCS. Notice, Attachment A. Attachment B presents the price cap calculation. Id. Attachment B. The first five public library references provide supporting documentation for the five classes of mail, and the sixth public library reference shows the banked rate adjustment authority for each class of mail over the last 5 years. 2 The Postal Service also filed two library references under seal and applied for non-public treatment of those materials. 3 The first non-public library reference pertains to the two international mail products within First-Class Mail (Outbound Single-Piece First-Class Mail International and Inbound Letter Post); and the second non-public library reference pertains to mailer-specific volume and revenue information relating to the Mail Growth Incentives supporting the First-Class Mail and USPS Marketing Mail price cap calculations. See Notice of Non-Public Library References at 1, Attachment 1 at 4. 2 USPS Notice of Filing Public Library References, April 9, 2026, at 1. 3 United States Postal Service Notice of Filing Non-Public Library References and Application for Non-Public Treatment, April 9, 2026, at 1-2, Attachment 1 (Notice of Non-Public Library References). The Postal Service's planned percentage changes by class are, on average, as follows: Market dominant class Planned price adjustment (%) First-Class Mail 4.803 USPS Marketing Mail 4.803 Periodicals 6.803 Package Services 4.803 Special Services 4.803 Notice at 5. Price adjustments for products within classes vary from the average. See, e.g., id. at 6, 9 (Table 4 showing range for First-Class Mail products and Table 8 showing range for USPS Marketing Mail products). The Postal Service identifies the effect of its proposed price and classification changes on the MCS in Attachment A. Id. at 49; id. Attachment A. The Postal Service also seeks approval for the following seven promotions for the indicated periods: • Informed Delivery Add-On/Upgrade Promotion (January 1-December 31, 2027); • Sustainability Add-On/Upgrade Promotion (January 1-December 31, 2027); • Tactile, Sensory, and Interactive Base/Primary Promotion (January 1-June 30, 2027); 4 4 The Notice states that this promotion period is from January 1-June 31, 2027. Notice at 42. • Integrated Technology Base/Primary Promotion (mailers will select a start date for a six-month promotion period within calendar year 2027); • First-Class Mail Advertising Base/Primary Promotion (April 1-December 31, 2027); • Impact Messaging Base/Primary Promotion (May 1-September 30, 2027); • Direct Mail Discovery for Marketing Mail Base/Primary Promotion (April 1-September 30, 2027) Id. at 41-45. III. Initial Administrative Actions Pursuant to 39 CFR 3030.124(a), the Commission establishes Docket No. R2026-1 to consider the planned price adjustments for Market Dominant postal products and services, as well as the related classification changes, identified in the Notice. The Commission invites comments from interested persons on whether the Postal Service's planned price adjustments are consistent with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. 39 CFR 3030.125. The applicable statutory and regulatory requirements the Commission considers in its review are the requirements of 39 CFR part 3030, Commission directives and orders, and 39 U.S.C. 3626, 3627, and 3629. 39 CFR 3030.126(b). Comments are due no later than May 11, 2026. 39 CFR 3030.124(f). The Commission will not accept late-filed comments as it is not practicable due to the expedited timeline for this proceeding. See 39 CFR 3030.126(b). The Commission notes that its review in this proceeding is limited to ensuring that the proposed prices comply with the requirements of 39 CFR part 3030, Commission directives and orders, and 39 U.S.C. 3626, 3627, and 3629. The Commission has an ongoing proceeding in which it is reviewing the broader aspects of the Market Dominant ratemaking system. 5 5 See Docket Nos. RM2024-4, et al., Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Statutory Review of the System for Regulating Rates and Classes for Market Dominant Products, April 5, 2024 (Order No. 7032); Docket Nos. RM2024-4, et al., Order Presenting Findings on the Statutory Review of the System for Regulating Rates and Classes for Market Dominant Products (Phase 1 Completion), June 9, 2025 (Order No. 8891); Docket Nos. RM2024-4, et al., Procedural Order on Phased Rulemaking, June 9, 2025 (Order No. 8892); Docket Nos. RM2024-4, et al., Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Statutory Review of the System for Regulating Rates and Classes for Market Dominant Products (Phase 2A Initiation), June 9, 2025 (Order No. 8893); Docket Nos. RM2024-4, et al., Order Adopting Rules Limiting Frequency of Rate Increases Above the De Minimis Threshold and Adding Criteria for Workshare Discounts for Market Dominant Products (Phase 2A Completion), January 13, 2026 (Order No. 9426); Docket Nos. RM2024-4, et al., Procedural Order on 39 CFR 3010.201(B) Proposals, January 13, 2026 (Order No. 9427); Docket Nos. RM2024-4, et al., Order Granting Temporary Conditional Waiver Regarding Required Minimum Remittance, April 9, 2026 (Order No. 9504). The public portions of the Postal Service's filing are available for review on the Commission's website ( http://www.prc.gov ). Comments and other material filed in this proceeding will be available for review on the Commission's website, unless the information contained therein is subject to an application for non-public treatment. The Commission's rules on non-public materials (including access to documents filed under seal) appear in 39 CFR part 3011. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, the Commission appoints Mallory L. Smith to represent the interests of the general public (Public Representative) in this proceeding. The Public Representative does not represent any individual person, entity or particular point of view, and, when Commission attorneys are appointed, no attorney-client relationship is established. IV. Ordering Paragraphs It is ordered: 1. The Commission establishes Docket No. R2026-1 to consider the planned price adjustments for Market Dominant postal products and services, as well as the related classification changes, identified in the Postal Service's April 9, 2026 Notice. 2. Comments on the planned price adjustments and related classification changes are due no later than May 11, 2026. 3. Pursuant to 39 U.S.C. 505, Mallory L. Smith is appointed to serve as an officer of the Commission to represent the interests of the general public (Public Representative) in this proceeding. 4. The order, or abstract thereof, shall be published in the Federal Register . By the Commission. Ashley Demchak, Alternate Federal Register Liaison. [FR Doc. 2026-07204 Filed 4-13-26; 8:45 am]