In December 2025, the U.S. Postal Service announced they would be changing postmark rules. In the past, the post office stamped mail with a postmark the day the item was processed, usually the same day you dropped it off in a mailbox. That allowed recipients like credit card companies, the IRS, and local ballot collectors to confirm that you mailed these timely items on time. Now, USPS is changing the postmark date to when the mail is processed at a postal facility, and that can be several days later. By doing this, USPS hopes to streamline mail processing, cut costs, and meet strategic goals set for 2026. However, with this change, experts are warning that documents like tax returns, credit card bills, utility bills and ballots could be processed late, resulting in late fees and potential penalties. To avoid the expected penalties and fees under the new postmark rules, the USPS recommends consumers take their mail to a post office, station or branch, bring it to the counter and request a manual postmark. This ensures your item is stamped immediately. For credit card and utility bills, you can also reach out to your creditor and ask how to enroll in their digital payment system, commonly known as “autopay."
