When the US Postal Service raises rates on January 19, 2025, it will introduce a brand new surcharge for certain USPS packages called the “Live Animal and Perishable Handling fee.” For Priority Mail Express and USPS Ground Advantage, the fee is set at $7.50. For Priority Mail, the fee is $15. The USPS said the fees will “cover the additional costs associated with handling and transporting these items.”
In addition, the USPS is doubling the $100 Overweight Item Charge it introduced in 2019, which read at the time: “The Postal Service will introduce a charge for items identified in the postal network that exceed the 70 pound weight limit for Postal Service products, and are therefore nonmailable.” Next month, the fee for deterring overweight/oversized items found in the system will be increased to $200.
