An Post has announced changes to stamp prices from Tuesday 3 February 2026, citing falling letter volumes and rising costs as it moves to safeguard national postal services and maintain equal access to deliveries nationwide.
The price of a national stamp will rise by 20 cent, increasing from €1.65 to €1.85. An Post said the new rate remains below the EU14 plus Britain benchmark average of €2.04 for a domestic next day letter service and is in line with equivalent European postal rates.
New prices are also being introduced for international mail. A €3.50 stamp will apply to letters sent anywhere in Europe, including Britain, representing an increase of 85 cent. A new Rest of World rate of €3.95 is also being introduced. An Post said these changes are necessary to address significant losses in international mail, following a 38 per cent drop in international letter volumes over the past three years.
More than half of all outgoing international mail from Ireland is sent to Britain, Germany and France. An Post said this is why a specific Europe and Britain rate has been introduced, rather than applying the higher Rest of World rate. In the UK, the equivalent European stamp currently costs €3.90.
Rates for large envelopes, packets, over the counter parcels, Registered Post, meter mail and most bulk mail services will also increase from February. Prices for national and international digital stamps will rise as well. Despite the changes, An Post confirmed that nursing and care homes will continue to receive post free of charge.
The company said the price increases are designed to cover cost inflation, including wage increases in line with national pay agreements, higher operating costs and declining letter volumes. Letter volumes have fallen by seven per cent in the past 12 months and by more than 50 per cent since 2016, with a similar decline forecast for 2026.
An Post operates a fixed cost national network that provides next day delivery to every address in the State for a uniform price. While the number of homes in Ireland continues to grow by more than 30,000 each year, revenue from letters continues to decline, putting pressure on the sustainability of the service.
An Post is a self funded commercial business owned by the people of Ireland and said the pricing changes are consistent with its regulatory obligations around cost orientation, affordability and non discrimination.
The company said the new prices will also support continued investment in sustainability. By late 2025, An Post had achieved a 50 per cent reduction in carbon emissions ahead of schedule, as part of its goal to reach net zero by 2030. More than half of the delivery fleet is now electric, while the HGV fleet has switched from diesel to hydro treated vegetable oil, reducing emissions by more than 90 per cent. All deliveries and collections within Irish cities are now emission free.
Managing Director of An Post Mails and Parcels, Garrett Bridgeman, said the organisation remains committed to providing a next day national service to the door, at a time when many European countries have reduced delivery frequency or moved to central collection points. He confirmed that free postage to all nursing and care homes will continue throughout 2026.
All existing stamps marked N for national and W for worldwide, as well as stamps with euro denominations, will remain valid and fully usable after 3 February 2026.
Full details are available at: www.anpost.com/rates2026
