What Time Does USPS Stop Delivering?

The United States Postal Service (USPS) delivers approximately 700 million packages every day.

If you are an eCommerce merchant, marketer, or individual using postal services, you’ll want to know the exact USPS delivery times for various USPS services. With the USPS, it’s important to understand how different metrics affect your mail delivery times as the service you choose will affect the speed of delivery. With this knowledge, you can accurately predict the USPS mail delivery time and give your customers an accurate estimate of when they should receive their order.

To help you better understand USPS mail and package delivery times, we will introduce you to the USPS’s different delivery options. We will also explain when the USPS starts and stops delivering and what you can do if mail delivery is delayed. 

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How late does the USPS deliver mail?

The USPS may have different delivery times for each route, but usually, the USPS delivers packages and letters before 5 p.m. The officially stated time frame for “standard” mail delivery ranges from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, some services are quicker – Priority Mail Express deliveries reach recipients by 10:30 a.m., domestic express mail by noon, and international mail by 3 p.m.

Does USPS also deliver at night?

While the official cut-off time for the USPS to deliver mail is 5 p.m., in reality, deliveries can occur well into the night. This is especially true during peak seasons, such as the end of the year holiday rush.

In the event of delays due to traffic, road accidents, or inclement weather, the USPS will also do its best to deliver your mail the same day. It is not uncommon for the post office to deliver after 8:00 p.m and even later.

So don’t be surprised if the USPS delivery person on your route shows up on your porch late at night with a flashlight. 

What time of day does USPS stop delivering packages?

If you want to know when mail will arrive or be delivered by the USPS, you must know what mail class was used. A summary is below.

– First-Class Mail delivery: 1-3 business days

– Priority Mail delivery: 1- 3 business days

– Priority Mail Express delivery: 1-2 calendar days

– USPS Retail Ground delivery: 2-8 business days

– Media Mail delivery: 2-8 business days

– Bound Printed Matter delivery: 2-8 business days

– Parcel Select parcels delivery: 2-9 business days

– Parcel Select Lightweight parcels delivery: 2-9 business days

– USPS Marketing Mail delivery: 3-10 business days

How does USPS handle overnight shipping?

USPS Overnight is another name for the USPS Priority Mail Express service and is available for domestic and international shipments. This shipping option is popular for businesses as it guarantees that the USPS will deliver the product on time. You are entitled to a full refund if the overnight shipping is delivered late. 

The USPS offers three options for Priority Mail Express, depending on your delivery location:

– Priority Mail Express 1 Day: early or on-time delivery to most areas with guaranteed delivery by noon the next business day. If you need faster delivery, you can pay a $5 fee for expedited delivery by 10:30 a.m. the next business day.

– Priority Mail Express 2 Day: early or on-time delivery to Zip codes not covered by Express 1 Day, with guaranteed delivery by 12 p.m. or 3 p.m. the next business day. There is a $5 fee for expedited delivery by 10:30 a.m. on the second business day if you need faster delivery.

– Priority Mail Express International: Guaranteed delivery in 3-5 business days (to 90 countries).

Does USPS deliver on Saturdays?

Saturdays are still a business day for USPS.

USPS shipping services such as First Class Mail, First Class Package, USPS Retail Ground, and Priority Mail Express offer Saturday delivery. However, Priority Mail Express is the only service that guarantees Saturday delivery. All other services depend on the estimated delivery time and the warehouse used for last-mile delivery.

However, there is always a possibility that you will receive your package on Saturday with one of the mentioned postal services.

How late does the USPS deliver packages on Saturday?

USPS mail carriers are just as busy on Saturdays as on weekdays. They aim to deliver packages, finish their routes, and complete their daily workload. If you have a package delivered on a Saturday, it will most likely arrive by 2 p.m. but may be delivered as late as 6:30 p.m. during peak season or in the event of disruption like bad weather. If you send a package with a guaranteed service like Priority Mail Express, it should arrive by 10:30 a.m.

Does USPS deliver on Sundays?

Priority Mail Express (which we also refer to as USPS Overnight) and Amazon packages are the only services delivered on Sundays. So if you are not sending mail with Priority Mail Express from USPS, you won’t receive  Sunday delivery.

Do not confuse Priority Mail Express with Priority Mail. USPS does not deliver Priority Mail on Sundays. Priority Mail is slower but also much cheaper – so it’s designed for customers who do not need a package as quickly.

What time does USPS stop delivering on Sunday?

Delivery times can vary depending on the service you choose. If you select Priority Mail Express, your shipment should arrive by 10:30 a.m. USPS guarantees delivery no later than 6:30 p.m. If you do not receive your package by 6:30 p.m, you are entitled to a full refund. However, it’s a different story for shipments from Amazon. Here, delivery can occur up until 10 p.m.

Does USPS also deliver at night on weekends?

For Saturday deliveries, mail carriers typically work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and deliver packages regardless of service choice. Most Saturday deliveries are made by 2 p.m., but you can expect them by 6:30 p.m, and guaranteed deliveries like Priority Mail Express may occur later at night. The same applies to USPS night deliveries on Sundays. 

Post office delivery cut off times

Most post offices close at 5 or 6 p.m. and accept packages until closing time. If you drop off your parcel before closing, it will likely be loaded onto the delivery truck that same night.

If you are concerned that your package will not arrive on time to meet this deadline, arrange for a pickup. Contact your local post office to find out your post office’s cut-off time so you can plan around it.

Why isn’t my mail delivered at the same time each day?

The USPS cannot accurately predict when a carrier will deliver your mail as mail volume fluctuates daily. Therefore, delivery service times cannot be guaranteed. Also, changes in your mail carrier and the route they take when delivering mail may result in delivery times adjustments. 

Can I get a delivery time estimate for my USPS packages?

The USPS delivery time tracking tool can provide an estimate for when your package will be delivered. It uses your Zip code to estimate delivery times.

Just go to usps-track.us and search for the USPS delivery time calculator. You will be prompted to enter the sender Zip code, the destination Zip code, and the service you are using. They will then give you a delivery time estimate based on this information. 

If you’re using Postalytics, you can find all your tracking information on the dashboard.

Delayed mail and packages?

When you send mail, the time your package is delivered varies depending on the type of service you use. If you are concerned about your mail being lost, and it has been more than a week since you mailed it, you should investigate further. The list below provides delivery standards for different classes of mail and indicates how long you should wait to contact USPS Customer Service with a query.

When is mail considered late?

The following times apply for the various USPS services:

– First-Class Mail – 5 or more days from the date of mailing.

– First-Class Package Service – 5 or more days from the date of mailing

– Priority Mail – 5 or more days from the date of mailing

– Priority Mail Express – when the guaranteed delivery time has expired

– USPS Retail Ground – 14 or more days from the date of mailing

– USPS Marketing Mail – 14 or more days from the date of mailing

Who do I need to notify if my mail is late?

What happens if your mail is either lost or delayed? If your mail is considered “late” by the USPS, you can:

– Go to the USPS Finding Missing Mail page and submit a missing mail search request

– File a missing mail claim if your mail was insured

– Visit your local post office for assistance

– Call 1-800-275-8777 and ask for the number of the appropriate local consumer affairs office 

What happens if you miss USPS delivery times?

Do not panic if you miss the USPS delivery window, as you can easily reschedule the delivery using the note left by the courier.

When will my letter or mail arrive?

If your shipment has a tracking number, it should be easy to follow its progress. First, visit the USPS Tracking page and enter the tracking number. The page will display the most current status, so check back periodically to get up-to-date information on your delivery services.

Automated direct mail: track your mail’s delivery times with Postalytics

Traditional direct mail is a thing of the past, as people choose to use automated direct mail campaigns that allow you to design, print, and send mailings without manual intervention. That means no more trips to the post office. With Postalytics, a partner of USPS, you can ship USPS First Class and Standard Class mail. It takes between 6-8 business days for mail to be delivered via First Class and 9-21 business days for Standard Class, no matter where you are in the US. 

Postalytics can do this because it has multiple printing partners across the country who can share the printing and mailing load using suppliers close to them. This makes mailing from zip code to zip code more affordable and efficient. When direct mail is printed with Postalytics, each item receives a unique barcode that the USPS will scan. This is linked to a unique customer dashboard where you can check the exact status of your shipments so you know precisely when the USPS delivered the mail.

Final thoughts

One important consideration that impacts USPS delivery times is federal holidays.

The USPS stops delivering on these holidays, and they are not considered when calculating estimated transit times. However, the USPS always tries to meet its 5 p.m. local time delivery goal, but delays may occur.

If you are concerned about when the USPS will stop delivering and how that will affect your mail, it’s best to choose a service that you know guarantees a delivery time. We have covered this and more information about the United States Postal Service delivery times in this article. 

You can also use a mailing service like Postalytics that will save you time on design and printing, so you can send your mailing to the USPS faster and use their efficient delivery service. This can help you reduce the delivery time for a direct mail campaign from weeks to days.