Dec 4, 2010 Lena Gott
Does the Mail Run on MLK, Jr. Day, Presidents Day? - mconnors with MorgueFile
Mail delivery is an integral part of many Americans’ lives. The United States Postal Service’s (USPS) business hours matter in our everyday business and personal affairs. When the mail doesn’t run, you can’t receive that long-awaited government check you’ve been anticipating, and when the post office lobby isn’t open, you can’t retrieve the letter that arrived with too little postage.
Those who spend their days at home often enjoy seeing the mail man or woman drive down the street; checking the mail to see if anything interesting has arrived is a treasured routine by many. But when the mail doesn’t run on a given day, routines are sorely disrupted.
Postal Holidays, Post Office Closing Times, and Related Holiday Information
In this article, read about standard postal holidays, the handful of days each year when mail delivery comes to a stop. Also, learn how to find answers to questions like, “Is the post office closed?,” or “How late is the post office open?”
Learn how to use the post office locator in the article linked below, and read on for more information about official federal holidays and tax filing extensions.
When Will the Mail Run? Hacking the Postal Service’s Pick Up Times
Some post office locations are open later than others. Even though a 5 p.m. closing time is standard, certain post offices are regularly open as late as 7 p.m. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to find a retail location with a last pick up that occurs after the final pick up at the actual post office.
No matter what the stated pick up time is, you should keep in mind that the postal employee(s) in charge of making the day’s final pickups can’t be everywhere at once. So if four post offices/post office drop boxes on the same route state that 5 p.m. is the final pick up, it’s impossible for the driver to hit all of those locations at once. Learn what order the pickups occur each day, and you’ll have an idea of just how close you can cut it when trying to mail something last minute.
USPS Locator – How Late is the Post Office Open? How Do You Get There?
The simplest way to figure out how late the post office is open is to use the online post office locator. A search by zip code will reveal the address, phone number, and hours of operation for nearby postal locations. Each listing should indicate a post office’s Saturday operating hours, if any.
If you click on a post office name in the list of results, you will also be able to see the location’s last daily collection and which days it will typically be closed. You will also see a Bing powered map that centers on the post office’s location and gives you an option to print the map or get driving directions.
In Addition to Saturday Hours, Some Post Offices Have Extended Hours for Tax Returns
The United States Postal Service is in the business of mail delivery, so it is no surprise that it posts extended hours at times when mailing is a priority for millions of Americans.
Ever find yourself completing your tax return at the very last minute and wondering if there is a post office open really late on tax day? Luckily for many procrastinating Americans, lots of USPS locations around the country stay open on tax filing day just to accommodate last-minute filers. The article Post Office Locations Open Late on April 15th discusses this in detail.
Unfortunately, the same is not true for last-minute Christmas packages. In 2009, the U.S. Postal Service generally stuck to its regular mail delivery schedule for December 24th, but closed many retail lobbies early, at noon. Additionally, many blue mail collection boxes were not visited after 12 p.m. According to usps.com, only Express Mail is delivered on Christmas Day.
If the post office locator does not tell you what you want to know about extended post office hours on any given day, you can call the USPS hotline to ask about specific post offices. That number is 1-800-ASK-USPS. The only other option is to contact your local postmaster.
Official Post Office Holidays – Standard Mail Delivery Holidays, Definite Closing Days
The United States Postal Service follows the same basic holiday calendar most years. The post office is usually closed in observance of New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr’s birthday, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. To get a feel for exactly when these holidays are observed by the USPS in any given year, take a look at the example list of mail delivery holidays as they occurred in 2010.
Each year, the U.S. Postal Service posts a holiday calendar on its website. The annual USPS mail delivery holiday schedule should be available around the first of every year.
Alternative to Traditional Post Offices – USPS Retail Locations
Instead of going to the local post office where lines are long and service is slow, customers can visit a retail location that offers USPS shipping services. The U.S. Postal Service now offers shipping services at retail locations across the country, and some consumers are finding the service at these locations to be much faster than the a traditional walk-in post office lobby.
These retail locations can fulfill many regular post office transactions, such as shipping packages via Priority Mail, and they often stock supplies like Express Mail boxes and Certified Mail labels.
USPS Locations, Operating Hours – What Time Does the Lobby Close? When's Last Pick Up?
When the USPS observes a holiday, mail delivery service is completely halted, with the exception of certain Express Mail packages. Local post office’s hours of operations and locations will vary. To learn shipping time options in your area, use the online post office locator, call the USPS hotline, or contact your local postmaster. Keep in mind that even though the local post office's lobby is closed, the last pickup may have not yet occurred at a nearby drop box.
On a related note, you may be interested in reviewing these related articles:
Federal Time Off – Official Federal Government Closings – The post office holiday closing schedule doesn’t always mirror national days of observance. Learn about official government holidays in this article.
How to Extend a Federal Income Tax Return – If it is too late to mail your taxes, consider e-filing your extension. Learn about your tax extension filing options in this article.
Resource:
United States Postal Service website, usps.com
Does the Mail Run on MLK, Jr. Day, Presidents Day? - mconnors with MorgueFile
Does the USPS Have Hours Labor Day, Columbus Day? - Kevin Rosseel
What Time Does the USPS Open & Close Saturday? - Ivan Prole
Does the U.S. Postal Service Ever Open Early? - duboix with MorgueFile
Post Office Closed to Observe Christmas, New Years - dancerinthedark
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