Postal Service changes postmark rules. What to know before mailing bills, taxes

US Postal Service adjustments for 2026, together with changes to the postmark processmay end up in late charges and penalties for anybody sending time-sensitive paperwork akin to tax returns or payments, in the event that they depend on the postmark to verify that the gadgets had been shipped on time.

For many years, the postmark — a mark utilized by the Postal Service that signifies the place and when mail was accepted — was utilized in legislation as proof that somebody met a deadline, akin to submitting a poll earlier than Election Day.

A USPS postmark indicated the date the mail was dropped in a mailbox or submitted to the publish workplace counter.

Now, nonetheless, USPS is clarifying in a brand new rule that the postmark displays the date a chunk of mail is first processed by an automatic USPS sorting machine, probably days after it’s delivered – not the precise supply date except accomplished in particular person.

The Postal Service says it does not truly change how mail is stamped, but it surely does change the best way mail is transported.

“Whereas we aren’t altering our postmarking practices, we now have made changes to our transportation operations that may end in some mail gadgets not arriving at our unique processing services on the identical day they’re shipped,” the USPS stated. says on its website. “Which means the date on postmarks utilized in our processing services doesn’t essentially replicate the date the client’s mail merchandise was picked up by a mail service or delivered to a retail location.”

The adjustments are a part of the USPS’s Delivering For America initiative, which incorporates consolidating mail processing and modernizing infrastructure to match an period when the variety of paper letters is declining and the variety of packages is rising.

How does the brand new postmark rule have an effect on your mail?

For a very long time, Individuals have assumed that mail is postmarked on the day it’s despatched. Many individuals will not be keen to have in mind the additional days the mail might wait on the processing middle earlier than being stamped below the brand new guidelines.

Tax funds, charitable contributions, authorized filings, lease funds and different payments or gadgets that rely on postmark dates for deadlines could also be affected by later postmarks and danger late charges, fines or delinquencies.

Many states additionally settle for ballots postmarked by Election Day, making certain ballots are delivered on Election Day and voiding the ready days to be postmarked.

Nonetheless, the postal firm experiences this postmark was never intended for use that method, even when individuals relied on it as such.

“Prospects have used the postmark for their very own functions, however the postmark is just not a service supplied to the general public by the Postal Service for such functions. The postmark has primarily at all times existed to carry out features (together with postage cancellation) inside to the Postal Service’s operations,” the USPS says on its web site.

“A postmark date doesn’t essentially point out the primary day the Postal Service took possession of the mail merchandise. Fairly, it confirms that the Postal Service accepted custody of a mail merchandise and that the mail merchandise was within the Postal Service’s possession on the recognized date,” the USPS added.

Is there a method to make sure that the mail is delivered pay as you go?

Time-sensitive mail needs to be despatched a number of days earlier than the deadline.

Individuals may also go to their native publish workplace and ask for a hand-stamped copy “manual postmark” on the date, or use licensed mail.

“As earlier than, a buyer can make sure that his or her piece of mail is postmarked and that the date on the postmark matches the date of mailing by visiting a Postal Service retailer location and requesting a guide (native) postmark on the retailer counter when presenting his or her piece of mail. Handbook postmarks shall be utilized at no cost,” the USPS says.

Will postal charges enhance? How way more will it value?

Whereas the price of a First Class Mail stamp, at present 78 cents, won’t enhance, transport charges for Precedence Mail, Precedence Mail Specific, USPS Floor Benefit and Parcel Choose charges all go up within the new yr.

The rise of USPS Shipping Rates takes impact on January 18. Costs are based mostly on the load of the bundle and the gap it’s shipped.

• Pricing for Precedence Mail begins at $10.45 per bundle and $11.90 for a hard and fast Precedence Mail envelope. These are anticipated to rise by 6.6%.
• Precedence Mail Specific packages begin at $32.50 and flat price envelopes begin at $33.40. These are anticipated to rise by 5.1%.
• USPS Floor Benefit begins at $7.20 and is predicted to rise 7.8%.
• Parcel Choose is predicted to rise by 6%.

The usual letter price for firstclass mail from a stamp is 78 cents for the primary ounce and will increase by 29 cents per further ounce. This worth has been in impact since July 2025 and isn’t anticipated to extend in January. The following doable worth change is predicted in mid-2026.

Urge to modernize

Modernization of the post office can also be on its strategy to the brand new yr.

USPS has introduced that redesigned lobbies with cutting-edge expertise are coming to retail places throughout the nation in a wave of modernization that officers say will make publish workplace visits sooner, simpler and extra handy for purchasers to ship and decide up mail.

“Modernizing our retail areas is about assembly clients the place they’re,” stated Tracy Raymond, director of U.S. retail operations press release. “Individuals count on pace, readability and technology-driven comfort – and that is what our new lobbies ship, whereas nonetheless offering the trusted, customized consideration that defines the Postal Service.”

The upgraded publish workplace lobbies will function 24/7 sensible lockers, enhanced self-service kiosks, Fast Drop cellular app, digital info shows and streamlined layouts. They may even supply extra choices for presidency providers, akin to passports, fingerprints and ID.

Is the postal service a enterprise or a public service?

According to the Office of the Inspector General the postal service is a singular establishment that features as each a enterprise and a public service.

Initially, taxpayer {dollars} funded its operations, as did different federal companies. Because the Nineteen Seventies, nonetheless, the postal service has relied virtually completely on buyer gross sales to maintain the lights on.