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1h ago

USPS Finalizes Rule: Postmark Date Is When Mail Is First Machine‑Processed

Time‑sensitive filings may be judged late unless customers obtain a manual counter postmark.

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Left: Woman looking into the camera wearing red glasses, text overlay reads "USPS changed what a postmark means. That's a problem." Right: Two USPS mailboxes at curbside.
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Overview

  • A final rule adding DMM 608.11 took effect Dec. 24, 2025, defining machine-applied postmarks as the date of the first automated processing at a USPS facility.
  • Centralized processing under Regional Transportation Optimization and leg-based standards means postmarks may appear days after drop-off at a local box or post office.
  • USPS says a postmark confirms postal possession on that date, not the handover date, and advises requesting a free manual local postmark at the retail counter.
  • To prove timely mailing, customers can buy postage at the counter for a Postage Validation Imprint, request a manual postmark, or obtain a Certificate of Mailing, Certified Mail, or Registered Mail.
  • The shift affects deadlines tied to postmarks for tax returns under IRC §7502, ballots, bill payments, donations, and legal filings, with local officials already urging earlier mailings and warning that kiosk, Click‑N‑Ship, and meter labels do not prove acceptance.