Postal carrier Mark Jacques delivers mail in a neighborhood on March 19, 2026 in Miami, Florida.
Joe Raddle | getty images
US Postal Service Said on Wednesday it is seeking to impose a temporary 8% fuel surcharge for package and express mail delivery to deal with rising transportation costs, including higher oil prices as a result of the Iran war.
If approved by Postal Regulatory CommissionThe surcharge will take effect April 26 and will remain in place until January 17, 2027, the Postal Service said in a notice on its website.
An 8% surcharge will apply to postage on Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, and Parcel Select products. First class stamps and other mail services will not be affected.
Oil prices have increased by more than 40% since February 28, when the United States and Israel attacked Iran.
FedEx and UPS, two major package shippers, have imposed fuel surcharges on deliveries for years. Those surcharges have increased sharply since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, sending the price of oil up more than 40%.
“This temporary price adjustment will provide needed flexibility for the Postal Service, helping to ensure that the real cost of doing business is covered, as required by Congress,” the Postal Service said in its announcement.
“Transportation costs are increasing and our competitors have responded with multiple surcharges,” the notice said.
“We have consistently avoided surcharges and this fee is less than a third of what our competitors charge for fuel alone, so even with this change, the Postal Service continues to provide great value in shipping with the lowest rates in the industrialized world.”
CNBC has contacted the Postal Regulatory Commission for comment on the Postal Service’s request.