You mailed it when? USPS clarifies rule on postmarking

GREENE COUNTY―Sending a time-sensitive document through the mail? A new rule adopted by the U.S. Postal Service formally defines its postmarking policy, potentially impacting legal filings, bill payments, tax returns and voter ballots.

The rule took effect on December 24 and essentially states that mail may not receive a postmark on the day it is dropped off at a post office or in one of the big blue boxes.

According to the rule, “while the presence of a postmark(also known as a ‘cancellation’) on a mail piece confirms that the Postal Service was in possession of the mail piece on the date of the postmark's inscription, the postmark date does not inherently or necessarily align with the date on which the Postal Service first accepted possession of a mail piece.”

But the USPS also points out that it is simply clarifying its already existing way of doing business.

“The Postal Service’s postmarking procedures are unchanged. Postmarks and cancellations will continue to be applied to single-piece First Class Mail pieces, both letter-shaped and flat-shaped, in the same manner and to the same extent as before,” the agency stated.

For anyone mailing something with a deadline, the USPS suggests the following:

- Go to the retail counter and ask for a manual postmark showing the actual mailing date;

- Buy postage at the counter so the printed label, known as a Postage Validation Imprint, includes the actual acceptance date; or

- Send by Certified or Registered Mail which provide a receipt with the mailing date for proof.

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