Do perpetual stamps expire?
While the difference between shipping and mailing couldn’t be bigger, we all need to occasionally send First-Class Mail with our packages. When that time comes, you’ll be happy to know that you can get out that old roll of stamps that’s collecting dust in your desk drawer because they’re still great!
Permanent stamps never expire
As their name suggests, Forever Stamps for First-Class Mail using USPS never expire! They’ll last – you guessed it – forever, or as long as the USPS is around (we’d wager that’s a long, long time, considering it’s been in operation since 1775 and is going through some major reforms that will keep it going for decades or so). So if you own a roll of First-Class Forever stamps, you can always use them to send a mail to the USPS!
Having said all that, just because Forever stamps don’t expire doesn’t mean their prices never go up! In fact, the USPS recently raised the price of Forever stamps from 55 cents to 58 cents…and probably by a few cents over the next few years due to general price increases.
How many stamps do I need?
Here are a few things to keep in mind about Forever stamps…depending on the type of mail you send, you may need some extra postage! Technically, a Forever stamp covers 1 ounce of postage, so if your letter is heavier than 1 ounce, you’ll need to purchase the “extra ounce” postage provided by the USPS. These “extra ounce” stamps are less expensive than a single Forever Stamp, but if you feel the luxury, you can also affix a second Forever Stamp to the envelope and call it a day.
If you want to track every step of your mail, you’ll have to pay for other services besides Forever Stamps. This special mail tracking service is called USPS Certified Mail (recommended when sending sensitive documents, checks, etc.).
Where can I buy permanent stamps?
The main (and easiest) destination to buy Forever stamps is your local post office. Most post offices now offer kiosks where you can use these ATM-like machines to buy a roll of stamps without having to wait in line. You can also pick them up online at USPS.com, and USPS will mail them directly to your door.
Some shipping software solutions also sell Forever stamps, but not all. If you just want to get stamps for mailing a letter, then Stamps.com is a good choice. That said, Stamps.com doesn’t offer the best prices for buying package postage — far from it. If you need postage to send your package, you’re better off opting for a shipping software solution that offers bigger discounts. They are outside! All you need to do is watch.
help in shipping
Because Forever Stamps never expire, sending First-Class Mail is relatively simple. Shipping, on the other hand, can be tricky…and depending on the kind of item you’re sending, you may need to follow specific procedures when buying postage. If you’d like to learn more, we recommend checking out our archive on Shipping Basics, which lists just about every shipping scenario you’ll come across!
