Post offices are closed on all 11 federal holidays and every Sunday, with shortened Saturday hours at most branches and occasional local shutdowns for weather or facility emergencies. Regular mail delivery stops on those holidays and Sundays as well, though a few package services still run.
Federal Holiday Closures in 2026
The USPS shuts down retail operations on the same holidays recognized under federal law at 5 U.S.C. ยง 6103.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 6103 – Holidays For 2026, the closure dates are:
- New Year’s Day: Thursday, January 1
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Monday, January 19
- Presidents Day: Monday, February 16
- Memorial Day: Monday, May 25
- Juneteenth: Friday, June 19
- Independence Day: Saturday, July 4, observed Friday, July 3
- Labor Day: Monday, September 7
- Columbus Day: Monday, October 12
- Veterans Day: Wednesday, November 11
- Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, November 26
- Christmas Day: Friday, December 25
On each of these days, retail lobbies are locked, counter staff are off, and regular mail delivery stops entirely.2United States Postal Service. Holidays and Events
How Weekend Holidays Shift
When a federal holiday lands on a Saturday, the USPS treats the preceding Friday as the closure day. That’s why Independence Day 2026 falls on a Saturday but post offices close Friday, July 3.2United States Postal Service. Holidays and Events When a holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday becomes the observed closure day under Executive Order 11582.3U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Federal Holidays No 2026 holidays land on a Sunday, but the rule catches people off guard in other years when they assume Monday will be a normal business day.
Saturdays and Sundays
Most branches open on Saturdays but close significantly earlier than on weekdays. A typical Saturday schedule runs from around 9:00 a.m. to noon, though some larger offices stay open a bit longer. Smaller rural branches may skip Saturday hours entirely. Regular mail delivery still happens on Saturdays, so your carrier will bring letters and packages even when the retail counter closes at midday.
Sundays are different. Retail counters are closed at essentially every post office in the country. You cannot walk in, buy stamps from a clerk, or ship packages over the counter. Regular letter mail and marketing mail do not get delivered on Sundays either.
Package delivery is the exception. Priority Mail Express delivers seven days a week, 365 days a year, including Sundays and holidays, with limited exceptions.4United States Postal Service. Priority Mail Express USPS also delivers certain other packages on Sundays in high-volume areas, though this varies by location and time of year.
Because there is no single national schedule, the only reliable way to confirm your branch’s Saturday hours is the USPS location finder, which lets you search by ZIP code and shows exact hours for every branch.5United States Postal Service. Find USPS Post Offices and Locations
Emergency and Local Closures
Hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and severe winter storms can force individual branches to close without notice. Facility damage and public health emergencies trigger shutdowns too. These closures are localized and temporary, but they can disrupt delivery to entire ZIP codes for days.
The USPS maintains a Service Alerts page that tracks active disruptions in real time, organized by state.6United States Postal Service. Service Alerts You can also call 1-800-ASK-USPS (800-275-8777) to check whether your local branch is open. When your regular office is closed, the alerts page often lists nearby alternatives.
What a Closure Means for Tax and Legal Deadlines
Closures carry real financial stakes when a filing deadline lines up with one. If a tax deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday, the IRS automatically extends it to the next business day.7Internal Revenue Service. When to File Federal law says any act required under the internal revenue laws is considered timely if performed on the next succeeding day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 7503
The postmark is what counts. Your return is considered filed on time if the envelope is properly addressed, postmarked, and deposited in the mail by the due date.7Internal Revenue Service. When to File If you’re mailing on deadline day, you need to get the envelope into a collection box or post office before the last pickup, not just before midnight. A letter dropped in a blue box at 10 p.m. won’t get a postmark until the next day’s pickup. Court filings and other legal documents often follow similar next-business-day rules, though the specific extension varies by jurisdiction.
What Still Works When the Counter Is Closed
A closed retail counter doesn’t mean you’re cut off. Many post office buildings keep their lobbies unlocked around the clock, giving you access to self-service kiosks and PO Boxes.9United States Postal Service. Find USPS Locations – Glossary The kiosks let you weigh packages, buy stamps, and print shipping labels for Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express. They accept credit and debit cards. Not every branch has one, so check the location finder before making a late-night trip.
From home, USPS.com handles most shipping tasks at any hour: buying postage, printing labels, and scheduling a free package pickup for the next business day. Pickups are available Monday through Saturday during your regular mail delivery.10United States Postal Service. Schedule a Pickup Informed Delivery, a free USPS feature, sends daily email previews of letter-sized mail headed to your address so you know what’s coming even when the office is closed.11USPS. Informed Delivery – The Basics