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Yes. Stamps that show a denomination are good for their printed face value forever, and Forever stamps (and Canada's PERMANENT stamps) never expire no matter how many rate changes pass. If the current rate is higher than your old stamps' value, just add a small makeup stamp or a second old stamp to cover the difference.
| Stamp type | Still valid? | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| US Forever stamps | Yes, always | Use as-is; each covers the current first-class letter rate |
| Canada PERMANENT stamps | Yes, always | Use as-is; each covers the current domestic letter rate |
| Denominated stamps (any year) | Yes, for face value | Combine or add a makeup stamp to reach the current rate |
| Used or cancelled stamps | No | Do not reuse; already-cancelled postage is invalid |
| Damaged stamps | Usually no | Torn or stained stamps may be rejected |
Say you have a sheet of stamps bought when the rate was lower. Each one is still worth exactly what its denomination says. To mail a letter today, add up the face values on the envelope and make sure the total reaches the current rate. Post offices sell small-denomination "makeup" stamps designed for exactly this: one tiny stamp bridges the gap between an old rate and the new one. You can also just stick on two old stamps whose values add up. There is no rule against using several stamps on one envelope.
Anything already cancelled is dead: a postmark means the postage was spent, and reusing it is postage fraud. Stamps torn through the denomination, heavily stained, or stuck to something they cannot be cleanly removed from will likely be rejected. Postage meter strips are a separate case: metered postage carries a mailing date and is meant to go out promptly, so an old meter strip is not the same as an old adhesive stamp. When in doubt, the test is simple: clean, uncancelled, legible denomination.
Generally, no. Post offices do not buy back stamps at face value, even pristine ones. If you have a large stash you will never use, your realistic options are using them up, giving them away, or selling to a stamp dealer or collector, usually at a discount to face value. One exception to check before you spend them: genuinely old mint stamps can be worth more to collectors than their face value. A quick look at a stamp catalogue before you stick a 1930s commemorative on a utility bill is worth the minute.
The same principles apply. Canada Post's PERMANENT stamp, introduced in 2006, works exactly like a US Forever stamp: it covers the domestic letter rate whenever you use it. Older Canadian denominated stamps keep their face value and can be combined to make up current rates. And as in the US, used or damaged stamps are not valid postage.
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