The cost of first-class postage stamps is going up by 3 cents — but only until the Postal Service makes up losses that it has estimated it accumulated during the recession. The increase — to 49 cents from 46 cents — will go into effect on Jan. 26.

The Postal Regulatory Commission announced the increase on Tuesday, but it stressed that it would “last just long enough to recover the loss.” The commission determined that loss to be $2.8 billion, caused by a substantial drop in mail volume, totaling about 25.3 billion pieces, between 2008 and 2011.

The commission also ordered the Postal Service to provide quarterly reports on how much money was coming in from the rate increase and to provide a plan to phase out the increase in less than two years.

The increase was approved in a 2-to-1 vote.

The post office asked that the price increase be permanent, but the commission said no. In a statement, the commissioners said that “the Postal Service conflated losses that are a result of Internet diversion with losses that were a result of the Great Recession.”