12/31/2025
Public Service Announcement:
New rules around postmarks
For those who pay tax bills and/or water via USPS:
The U.S. Postal Service has changed how postmarks are applied, a move that could result in your mail arriving "late" in 2026.
Under the new rule, which took effect December 24, a USPS postmark no longer reflects the date a letter is dropped into a mailbox or handed over the counter. Instead, the postmark now shows the date the envelope is first processed by an automated sorting machine, which can be days later and may occur at a regional facility far from where the mail was sent.
That delay means mail that was dropped off before a deadline could still receive a postmark dated after it, potentially triggering late fees or penalties for people sending time-sensitive mail such as tax returns, bill payments, rent checks, or legal documents. The USPS advises customers to mail important documents several days in advance or visit a post office and request a hand-stamped postmark on the day of mailing.
FMI:
Dates on mail now reflect when it’s processed, not when it’s dropped off
