Comptroller: Postal Service Policy Change Affects Postmark Timing

U.S. Postal Service rule changes could mean delays for mail being postmarked by one or more days after it is received by the post office — which could have major deadline-sensitive implications for mail sent to governmental and business entities.

That’s what the state Comptroller’s office says in a recent posting.

Could be Counted Late

This could cause payments and reports to be counted late for any submissions to agencies that are date sensitive, the posting adds.

To avoid possible delinquency and late penalties, the Comptroller’s office urges the public to utilize any automated report or payment system available, mail items early to ensure ample time for postal processing or have the mail clerk postmark your mail when you deliver it to the post office.

Background

The Postal Service has instituted a nationwide change that affects when postmarks are affixed to mail. Unless a customer requests a postmark at a Postal Service retail location, postmarks are no longer added when mail is first received but are automatically postmarked stamped later while being sorted and processed at regional distribution centers.

This means mail could be postmarked several days after you drop it in a mailbox. Because many federal and state laws define timely payment based on the Postal Service’s postmark, payments or reports may be considered delinquent if they are mailed too close to a deadline — even if they were, in fact, placed in a mailbox before the deadline date.