The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) proposed revising its mailing standards to say that a machine-applied postmark date 'does not inherently or necessarily align' with the date a mailpiece was first accepted by the Postal Service.
October 23, 2025
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USPS regulatory proposal clarifies that a machine-applied postmark may not definitively indicate the acceptance date of a mailed item.
As part of its reorganization around regional processing and distribution centers, the U.S. Postal Service has reduced pickup frequency in areas located more than 50 miles from those centers, which can result in first-class mail not being processed until the day after it was collected.
October 23, 2025
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Operational changes to USPS pickup and processing schedules can create a lag between when mail is dropped off and when it is processed and postmarked.
The U.S. Postal Service recommends that customers who want a postmark date that aligns with the date they mailed an item should visit a Postal Service retail location and request a manual postmark at the counter, which the Postal Service provides free of charge.
October 23, 2025
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Manual counter postmarks are an offered service to ensure the postmark date matches the customer's mailing date.