At a glance
Effective Dec. 24, mailed items are postmarked when the USPS processes them, rather than the date items are dropped in a mailbox or at a post office. A postmark refers to the date and location stamped or printed on most mailed items, indicating when and where the USPS “accepted custody” of a mailpiece, according to the federal agency.
The USPS said its Dec. 24 rule officially defines what postmarks are and when they are applied.
“This new language ... does not change any existing postal operations or postmarking practices, but is instead intended to improve public understanding of postmarks and their relationship to the date of mailing,” the rule states. “Postmarks will continue to be applied to Single-Piece First-Class Mail, both letter-shaped and flat-shaped, in the same manner and to the same extent as before.”
Keep reading for information about how the updated USPS guidelines could affect whether ballots, tax forms and bills are considered submitted on time.
Zooming in
The USPS rule means that mail is now postmarked when it is being processed and sorted at a regional postal distribution center, instead of when it is first received by the postal service. According to the Texas comptroller’s office, this means items could be postmarked “several days” after they are dropped 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,” an advisory on the comptroller’s website reads.
This includes date-sensitive items sent by Texas residents and businesses, such as:
- Property tax payments
- Individual income tax returns
- Mail-in ballots
- W-2 forms and other tax information sent by Texas employers
- Reports submitted to the state by companies that do business in Texas
Customers can also purchase a certificate of mailing, which is similar to a receipt, for official proof of when the postal service first received their item.
The secretary of state’s office, which manages Texas elections, had not released a public advisory regarding the submission of mail-in ballots as of press time.
Dates to know
- Jan. 31: Deadline for most Texas homeowners to pay property taxes and for employers to send income tax forms to employees
- April 15: Deadline for 2025 tax returns to be filed with the federal Internal Revenue Service
- May 15: Deadline for Texas businesses to submit franchise tax reports to the state comptroller
- March 4: Deadline for Texas counties to receive primary election ballots that are mailed within the U.S., as long as the carrier envelope is postmarked by 7 p.m. on election day, March 3
