USPS Warns Some Mail May Get Next‑Day Postmarks, Plans 2026 Shipping Rate Hikes

The U.S. Postal Service has updated its public guidance to say some mail will no longer receive a postmark dated the same day it is dropped off, as transportation changes tied to its 10‑year transformation plan mean pieces may not be processed until later. USPS spokeswoman Martha Johnson told Fox News Digital that postmarks generally reflect when mail is run through processing machines, not when a customer hands it over, and emphasized that customers who need a same‑day date can still request a free manual postmark at a retail counter. Separately, USPS announced that beginning Jan. 18, 2026, it plans to raise shipping prices by about 6.6% for Priority Mail, 5.1% for Priority Mail Express, 7.8% for USPS Ground Advantage and 6.0% for Parcel Select, while keeping the first‑class stamp price unchanged. The agency says the changes are part of its decade‑long push for financial sustainability and that shipping rates are being adjusted in line with market conditions, a move that will hit small businesses and frequent shippers who rely on these services. The clarification on postmarks matters for consumers and businesses that use mailed documents to prove deadlines, even as USPS frames the change as transparency about existing operations rather than a new rule.