Community Chat

[Imaoldhippie]

I have seen 2 notices by the USPS that mail will no longer be postmarked the same day its received at the PO.  It will go to a distribution center and postmarked.

Looks as if USPS mail will be arriving a day later (or more.)

edited to add............please do not make this a political post.  I meant it to inform people.

Thank you.

[geezerette]

The USPS recently changed its postmark rule (effective Dec. 24, 2025), meaning machine-applied postmarks now show the date mail is first processed at a regional facility, not when dropped off, creating potential delays for time-sensitive items like tax returns, ballots, and payments. To ensure a correct date, users should request a free, manual postmark at a Post Office counter or mail items several days before the deadline. 

What's Changing

• Old System: Postmark usually reflected the date mail was placed in a box or given to a clerk.
• New Rule: The postmark shows the date it's first processed at an automated sorting center, which can be days later due to network consolidation. 

Why It Matters

• Deadlines: Agencies like the IRS use the postmark date for tax filings, and it's crucial for election deadlines.
• Penalties: A later postmark could mean late fees, penalties, or rejected filings, even if mailed on time by the sender. 

How to Ensure Your Date

• Go to the Counter: Request a free, manual, same-day postmark at the Post Office.
• Mail Early: Send time-sensitive items several days before the actual deadline.
• Proof of Mailing: Consider Certified Mail, Registered Mail, or a Certificate of Mailing for proof. 

[Caaareful Shopper]

Became effective Dec. 24, 2025.  

Major impacts:

Tax returns -- late filing penalties

Voting by Mail -- many states with strict postmark rules could result in voter disenfranchisement.  It's a state-by-state regulation.

Healthcare Changes/Denied Appeals

Bill payments -- late charges

I would've hoped the USPS would have done a much better job of alerting the public.  They announced stamp price increases far better than they announced this major postmark change. 

[Roscoe the Rascal]

I am unaware of this.  Good to know.  My bills are mostly on auto pay or I get an email when due and I go in and pay.  Eliminates any late fees for me.  

I mostly get junk mail any more. 

[millieshops]

@Imaoldhippie   Thank you for this thread.  @geezerette   So glad for all the details you gave us.

I pay bills online almost always, but recently I hit send on a property tax bill without noticing my credit union was sending a check (taking up to 10 days)  rather than paying the bill overnight like all the rest I entered at the same time.  

Before you jump all over the USPO, the reason seems to be my county in Florida doesn't accept electronically from outside sources.    Certainly hope I remember that next year. 

In the meantime, I know the check got there on time because that's when the $$$$ were no longer in my CU account.

I paid several credit cards at the same time, neither massive but both companies send an email acknowledgement. 

In addition to the county mystery, I also didn't get a response from my homeowners insurance company which does accept electronically. 

I will attempt to contact both early next week -  key word attempt.

[RescueLover]

This has not changed though ….


Packages that you request for USPS pick up are in the system as soon as your carrier picks them up.


They scan them which shows the date and time they were picked up from your home.

[nascarfan]

I still say the USPS is the best deal in town!  You can put a $0.78 stamp on an envelope and drop it in a mailbox in Baltimore and mail it to an address in Sacramento.  You can't get that bargain from any other carrier service.

[cjm61]

Sorry, I strongly disagree @nascarfan 

We have had many, over the last 10 years at least 30, items that went missing. Some were eventually found, others state "delivered" but they weren't delivered to us and there was nothing they say they could do.

Our mail carrier has left notes in our box stating a car was parked in his way and he couldn't deliver our mail. Well, first, the car was not ours, it was parked legally in our neighborhood, AND he actually took the time to write a note and walk it to our box but refused to deliver mail.

Once, another instance a car was parked near the curb, the same mail carrier saw my husband outside and told him he would not deliver our package because a car was parked. Now, our street is not one that has many cars, in fact, there may be 2 cars at most parked against the curb, perfectly legal. My husband got perturbed and told him he only had to take 2 steps to the mail box. The carrier stepped out then went to hand the package to my husband, when he reached for it the mail carrier intentionally dropped it.

One Christmas over 12 packages were either delivered to us that weren't ours, or, ours went somewhere else. 

When we place our mail on HOLD he never seems to get it right. If we state we will pick up the mail, he delivers it. When we ask to have it delivered he rarely delivers on that day. One time he saw me three days in a row and told me he was sorry he forgot our mail. THREE days in a row. 

So, no, I do not believe the USPS is the best deal in town. We can't trust them to the point we won't even put important envelopes in our mail box for pick up.

Yes, if your wondering, we have filed multiple complaints. And lastly, our mail carrier was on the news a couple years back as one of the worst in the county. Yet, he is still delivering mail and making many errors. 

[Kachina624]

I heard the same announcement on TV.   They said if you mail is post-mark sensitive, you're going to have to mail it several days early.  How many days, nobody knows.

That's our efficient government at work.

[chessylady]

I am not a conspiracy theory person but this new regulation allows for manipulation of elections and more late fees. Vote by mail is convenient and has a low fraud rate. This new postal procedure will allow your vote to be denied even if you mail it early, your word against theirs. Also if you mail your bills like I do, businesses can charge you a late fee even if you mailed it early. Thank you Geezerette for providing the procedure for getting a post mark at the post office. I think the goal is to eliminate the postal service which is important for small towns especially. The current administration doesn't care about the poor and middle class, they just care about billionaires, the stock market and big businesses.