A Forever stamp is the one with no number on it. That is the whole idea: you buy it at today’s price and it still mails a letter years from now, whatever the rate has climbed to by then. It sounds like a loophole and it isn’t. Here is exactly how it works and what it does and does not cover.
What a Forever stamp is
A Forever stamp is a First-Class Mail stamp that carries no printed denomination and is valid for the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate at the time the Forever stamp is used. The Postal Service describes a stamp of this kind as non-denominated, which means that no fixed cash amount appears on the face of the Forever stamp.
The absence of a printed denomination is what distinguishes a Forever stamp from a denominated stamp. A denominated stamp is worth the amount printed on the denominated stamp and no more, regardless of how the First-Class rate changes afterward. A Forever stamp is worth the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate on the day the Forever stamp is presented for mailing, regardless of the price that was paid for the Forever stamp.
What a Forever stamp is worth today
The current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate is 82 cents, which took effect on July 12, 2026 and replaced the previous rate of 78 cents. A Forever stamp is therefore worth 82 cents in postage at present, including a Forever stamp that was purchased at 78 cents or at any earlier and lower rate.
| Mail piece | Current price |
|---|---|
| First-Class Mail letter, one ounce (Forever stamp) | $0.82 |
| First-Class Mail letter, two ounces | $1.11 |
| Each additional ounce | $0.29 |
| Nonmachinable surcharge | $0.49 |
| Domestic postcard | $0.65 |
| International letter (Global Forever stamp) | $1.75 |
How a Forever stamp behaves when the rate rises
A Forever stamp already held by a mailer rises in postage value automatically whenever the First-Class Mail one-ounce rate rises. No action is required by the holder of the Forever stamp, no additional postage is required alongside the Forever stamp, and no exchange at a Post Office is required in order for the Forever stamp to remain valid.
A mailer who purchased Forever stamps at 78 cents before July 12, 2026 now holds stamps worth 82 cents each in postage. The gain applies to every Forever stamp held at the moment the rate changed, which is the reason many mailers buy Forever stamps in quantity ahead of an announced rate increase.
The gain is limited to postage value and does not convert into cash. A Forever stamp that rose from 78 cents to 82 cents in postage value cannot be redeemed for 82 cents at a Post Office, because the Postal Service does not repurchase stamps for cash.
Forever stamps compared with denominated stamps
A denominated stamp, sometimes described as a regular stamp, carries a printed cash value and is worth that printed value permanently. A denominated stamp issued when the First-Class rate was 55 cents is worth 55 cents in postage today, which is 27 cents short of the current 82 cent rate, and additional postage must be added to a denominated stamp of that kind in order to mail a letter.
A Forever stamp requires no such calculation. A Forever stamp covers a one-ounce First-Class letter on its own at any point after purchase, and the holder of a Forever stamp never needs to check whether the Forever stamp has fallen behind the current rate.
Stamps described as permanent stamps operate on the same principle as Forever stamps. The term permanent stamp is used by some postal administrations outside the United States for a non-denominated stamp valid at the current domestic letter rate, which is the same mechanism the Postal Service calls a Forever stamp.
The types of Forever stamp
- First-Class Forever stamp. Valid for a one-ounce First-Class Mail letter at the current rate of 82 cents.
- Global Forever stamp. Valid for a one-ounce international letter to any destination country at the current rate of $1.75.
- Two Ounce Forever stamp. Valid for a two-ounce First-Class Mail letter at the current rate of $1.11, commonly used for wedding invitations and other heavier stationery.
- Three Ounce Forever stamp. Valid for a three-ounce First-Class Mail letter at the current rate, which is the two-ounce rate plus one additional ounce.
- Postcard stamp. Issued in non-denominated form and valid for a domestic postcard at the current rate of 65 cents.
Each type listed above is non-denominated and each type tracks the rate for the specific mailing service the type covers. A Global Forever stamp tracks the international letter rate rather than the domestic letter rate, and the two rates change independently of one another.
Common questions about Forever stamps
Do Forever stamps expire
Forever stamps carry no expiration date and remain valid for postage indefinitely. Further detail is available in the explanation of whether Forever stamps are still good.
Can a Forever stamp be used on an international letter
A domestic First-Class Forever stamp is worth 82 cents toward the $1.75 international letter rate, and a domestic Forever stamp used alone does not cover an international letter. A Global Forever stamp covers a one-ounce international letter on its own.
How much is a book of Forever stamps
A book of Forever stamps contains 20 Forever stamps and carries a postage value of $16.40 at the current rate of 82 cents. The current cash value of unused Forever stamps is set out on the Forever stamp values page.
Have Forever stamps you will never use
If you bought ahead of a rate rise and ended up with more than you need, or you’ve inherited a drawer full of them, we’ll buy them. We pay 50 percent of face value on every type of Forever stamp listed above, and you’ll see your offer before you post anything. Start on the sell Forever stamps page, or read the full rate table on what we pay.
We’ve been buying unused postage since 2016 and we’ve paid out over $7.4 million to more than 3,200 customers.