USPS makes major change that may impact your taxes, voting, payments
Big changes are coming to how the United States Postal Service defines postmarks — a move that could affect anyone relying on mailed deadlines.
From tax returns and bill payments to mail-in ballots, understanding the new guidance is important to ensure your mail is recognized as on time.
The rule, published in the Federal Register and effective Dec. 24, 2025, adds a new section to the Postal Service's Domestic Mail Manual titled "Postmarks and Postal Possession."
This section formally defines what a postmark is — the official mark stamped on mail showing USPS possession — and clarifies what information it conveys.
In short, a postmark confirms the date USPS took possession of a mail piece, which may not always match the day it was dropped off.
What's changed and why it matters
Postmarks are more than just stamps — they often determine whether mailed deadlines are considered met for things such as tax returns, payments and mail-in ballots.
Under the new rule, most machine-applied postmarks will show the date mail is processed at an automated USPS sorting facility rather than the date it was placed in a mailbox or handed in at the post office.
Mail can be transported overnight or across regions before being processed, posing a risk that a postmark may not be marked until several days after a sender dropped it off.
How to avoid late mail
To ensure mail is postmarked with the same date it was handed in, USPS recommends:
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Requesting a manual postmark at a retail counter when you hand in the mail piece.
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Using Certified Mail or Registered Mail , which provides postal receipts showing the actual mailing date.
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Paying for postage at a counter. The USPS gives you a postmarked receipt that shows the date your mail was presented to USPS.
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