© 2025 USPS
On January 13, 2026, in Kansas City, MO, the United States Postal Service® will issue the Love stamps (Forever® priced at the First-Class Mail® rate), in four designs, in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 20 stamps (Item 582100). These stamps will go on sale nationwide January 13, 2026, and must not be sold or canceled before the first-day-of-issue.
In four scenes, the 2026 Love stamps feature pairs of stylized birds in a colorful world in which hearts appear, like love itself, in sweet and surprising ways. Whether the bird couples on these stamps are exploring branches adorned with hearts, offering a heart-shaped flower as a token of affection, pecking at hearts that fall like spring petals, or nesting in peace under a heart-shaped moon, their behavior sends a universal message: that togetherness marked by small, thoughtful gestures is the essence of a true and loving bond. James Yang designed the stamps and created the original artwork that appears on them. Ethel Kessler served as art director.
Stamp Fulfillment Services will make an automatic push distribution to Post Offices of a quantity to cover approximately 30 days of sales. Distribution quantities for the automatic push distribution will be available by logging on to SFS Web at sfsweb.usps.gov. Post Offices may begin ordering stamps before the first-day-of-issue through SFS Web; offices must also check the amount they will receive on their automatic push distribution.
The first-day-of-issue postmark is a postmark notating the day a stamp is first authorized for use by the Postal Service. Customers have 120 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. All requests for first-day-of-issue postmarks (Traditional or Digital Color Postmark) should be sent to the following address with the choice of Traditional or Digital Color Postmark identified. All orders must be postmarked by May 13, 2026.
FDOI – Love Stamps
USPS Stamp Fulfillment Services
8300 NE Underground Drive, Suite 300
Kansas City, MO 64144-9900
Customers may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office™ or at The Postal Store® website at usps.com/shop. They must affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope and mail to the above address.
After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service™ will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark up to a quantity of 50. There is a 5-cent charge for each additional postmark over 50.
Customers can also submit collectable paper items or memorabilia of their choice for a black and white cancellation. The request should include packaging large enough to accommodate their cancelled items along with sufficient postage affixed for the return of their postmarked item.
If the cancelled item is not mailable by First-Class, and return packaging with postage is not provided, the order must include a way to contact the customer for payment to return cancelled items. Payment for quantities greater than 50 cancels and/or postage for shipping must be submitted by check, money order, or credit card.
Only select stamp issues offer a digital color postmark. Digital color postmarks can only be affixed to paper products. Customers may submit #6 or #10 envelopes constructed of paper rated as “laser safe.” The Postal Service™ recommends envelopes of 80-pound Accent Opaque, acid-free, 9/16-inch side seams with no glue on the flap. The maximum size of all digital color postmarks is 2 inches (vertically) by 4 inches (horizontally). Allow sufficient space on the envelope to accommodate the postmark. Do not use self-adhesive labels for addresses on the envelope. Two test envelopes must be included. There is a 50-cent charge per postmark at the time of servicing. Customers must submit a check, money order, or credit card for payment.
The Postal Service reserves the right to not accept hand-painted and other cachet envelopes that are not compatible with our digital color postmark equipment. The Postal Service also reserves the right to substitute traditional black rubber postmarks if use of non-specified envelopes results in poor image quality or damage to equipment.
Customers must affix the stamps to the envelopes and address them to themselves or others for return through the mail. Or they may include an additional self-addressed return envelope, large enough to accommodate their canceled items, with sufficient postage affixed for return of their postmarked items.
After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes to the customer by U.S. Mail®.
The Postal Service also offers first-day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the USA Philatelic catalog and online at store.usps.com/store/home. Customers may register to receive a free USA Philatelic catalog online at usps.com/philatelic.
Locally produced items are not authorized. Only merchandise that has been approved and assigned an item number by Headquarters Retail Marketing may be produced and sold.
Technical details will appear in a future edition of the Postal Bulletin.
Stamp Services,
Marketing, 12-25-25
