Do perpetual stamps expire? (all you must know)
Finding stamps can be a problem when you’re finally mailing something when it doesn’t need to be mailed for months (if not years). Suppose you find a Forever stamp in your desk drawer, but you know you bought it in 2011. Are they not bad?
Are you wondering: Do Forever stamps expire? It’s a fair question, especially when they’re ten years old or older. Are permanent stamps really permanent? Here’s what you need to know!
Will the perpetual stamp expire in 2022?
The Forever stamp lives up to its name and never expires. As long as the stamps are in good condition and have no stains, tears, or other severe wear in 2022, they can be mailed as First Class Postage in perpetuity. Permanent stamps can be identified by the word “forever” printed somewhere in the design. Through July 2022, Forever stamps are priced at 60 cents each.
Let’s take a deeper look at how to use old Forever stamps, how you can tell if the stamps are still good if they cost more today than in the past, and more. Keep going as I cover a lot of what you need to know!
Can you still use old Forever stamps?
If you’re rummaging through an old bin or drawer for old Forever stamps, your first question might be: Are these okay?
As long as they are in good condition – no stains or tears etc – no matter how long you bought them, if they say it’s on them forever, they really are for life.
That’s the beauty of Forever stamps; no matter when you bought them, no matter how little you paid for them, no matter what their current price – they last forever.
Bear with it, of course, that means “still available” as first-class postage.
If you’re sending a standard letter or birthday-card-sized envelope that weighs less than one ounce, your Forever stamp will deliver the item to its destination.
Think you remember your parents or grandparents using Forever stamps when they were kids in the 90s or 80s (or earlier)?
Think again. The Forever stamp debuted in April 2007 so that the USPS could “provide ease of use to consumers during price changes.”
As of 2011, all First Class One Ounce stamps are permanent stamps.
No more calculating postage for a birthday card from a few stamps, or going to the post office to buy a penny or two to meet current retail prices.
So yes – even a 2011 or 2012 Forever stamp can still be used as long as it’s in good condition.
Are perpetual stamps more expensive?
Forever stamps are priced independently of current First-Class postage rates, which unfortunately have been increasing since the introduction of Forever stamps.
Currently, in 2022, Forever stamps are priced at 58 cents before July 2022 or 60 cents after July 2022.
On July 10, 2022, USPS will increase prices for a number of different mail categories, including First Class.
When Forever stamps debuted in 2011, they were only 41 cents; prices saw the biggest jump in 2019, rising 5 cents, from 50 cents to 55 cents each.
They remained at 55 cents from 2019 until August 2021, when prices rose again to 58 cents.
How do you know if a stamp is still good?
PostageOnlineNow.com lists the criteria for “bad” stamps:
- torn or damaged border
- Price or value is obscured/smeared/covered/illegible
- Tape or glued stamps
Therefore, if your Forever stamp is torn or soiled to the point where you cannot see the word “Forever”, this will likely result in the letter being returned to you.
Permanent stamps are a good investment, but only if you take good care of them.
Now, that doesn’t mean there’s anything special or outrageous about saving them (like a stamp collector might have).
Instead, you might consider putting them in a desk drawer under some papers, so they’re less likely to spill coffee on them.
Or maybe put them in a folder so they stay flat and less likely to be torn.
Simply save them and you won’t need to buy new postage to mail letters or cards for a while!
Are Forever stamps available in Canada?
Permanent stamps are considered domestic postage; to send a letter to Canada, you need special First-Class International Forever postage.
These currently sell for $1.30 per stamp or $13 per 10 stamp.
You can buy them individually or individually at the post office. You can also buy them online at the Postal Store, but only in packs of 10.
If one does not cover all the required postage, you can use two Forever stamps.
For example, if you’ve put together a birthday card and put several different gift cards in the envelope, you’re probably weighing more than an ounce on your hands.
A First-Class letter Forever stamp can only cover up to one ounce of postage.
You can definitely use two Forever stamps as long as the postage required does not exceed the value of the extra 58 cents on the second stamp.
(Additional postage for first class letters costs 20 cents per ounce, so you can get an extra two ounces from another Forever stamp.)
Chances are, you’ll end up “overpaying” for letters and cards with two Forever stamps.
However, it’s definitely easier to just take a second shot than buying accurate postage.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on USPS 70 Cent Stamps, Purple Heart Forever Stamps, and USPS Stamps Expiring.
in conclusion
First introduced in 2007, Forever stamps never expire and can always be used to send First-Class letter mail regardless of current postage prices. They can also be used for extra postage on letters over the one-ounce limit, but can result in “overpayments.”
