The United States Postal Service (USPS) closes post offices and stops regular mail delivery on 11 federal holidays. The next three in 2026 are Veterans Day on Wednesday, November 11, Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26, and Christmas Day on Friday, December 25.
Priority Mail Express is the exception: USPS can deliver it on holidays in many major markets for an additional fee. This guide lists every 2026 closure, what to expect on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, and the last days to ship for Christmas. Every date links to the official USPS page it comes from, checked on October 24, 2026.
Which days is USPS closed in 2026?
USPS lists 11 holidays with no mail service in 2026. On each of them all Post Office locations are closed and regular mail is not delivered; service resumes the next day.
| Holiday | Date | Post offices | Regular mail delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thursday, January 1 | Closed | No |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Monday, January 19 | Closed | No |
| Presidents Day | Monday, February 16 | Closed | No |
| Memorial Day | Monday, May 25 | Closed | No |
| Juneteenth | Friday, June 19 | Closed | No |
| Independence Day | Saturday, July 4 | Closed | No |
| Labor Day | Monday, September 7 | Closed | No |
| Columbus Day | Monday, October 12 | Closed | No |
| Veterans Day | Wednesday, November 11 | Closed | No |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thursday, November 26 | Closed | No |
| Christmas Day | Friday, December 25 | Closed | No |
Independence Day fell on a Saturday in 2026. USPS kept July 4 as the holiday and said Post Offices would be open and deliveries normal on Friday, July 3. The federal government observed the holiday on July 3, so carriers do not always follow the observed federal date.
Is mail delivered on Veterans Day 2026?
No. Veterans Day is Wednesday, November 11, 2026, and it is on the USPS holiday list: post offices are closed and regular mail is not delivered. Priority Mail Express can still arrive where USPS offers holiday delivery. FedEx runs a modified service that day and UPS operates normally; see the FedEx holiday schedule and the UPS holiday schedule.
Is the post office open on Thanksgiving and Black Friday?
Post offices are closed on Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 26, 2026, and regular mail is not delivered. The day after Thanksgiving, Friday, November 27, is not on the USPS holiday list, so post offices and mail delivery run on their normal schedule.
Is mail delivered on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve 2026?
Yes. Christmas Eve (Thursday, December 24) and New Year's Eve (Thursday, December 31) are not USPS holidays, so mail is delivered as usual. USPS had not published Post Office hours for those two days when we checked. Its October 22, 2026 release mentions extended retail hours at popular Post Office locations and asks customers to check local hours on usps.com.
Priority Mail Express guarantees change around Christmas: USPS says its 1-Day guarantee is adjusted from December 22 through December 25.
Does USPS deliver on Sundays and holidays?
Only a few items. USPS says Priority Mail Express mailpieces and Amazon parcels are the only pieces of mail delivered on Sunday. On federal holidays only Priority Mail Express is delivered, and Sunday and holiday delivery is available in many major markets for an additional fee. Regular delivery runs Monday through Saturday. For the other carriers, see Saturday delivery with USPS, UPS and FedEx.
What are the USPS shipping deadlines for Christmas 2026?
For delivery before December 25 within the lower 48 states, ship USPS Ground Advantage by Thursday, December 17, and Priority Mail Express by Saturday, December 19.
| Service | Lower 48 states | Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and U.S. territories |
|---|---|---|
| USPS Ground Advantage | Thursday, December 17 | No date published (USPS sets a service expectation of 10 days or more) |
| First-Class Mail | Thursday, December 17 | Thursday, December 17 |
| Priority Mail | Friday, December 18 | Friday, December 18 |
| Priority Mail Express | Saturday, December 19 | Saturday, December 19 |
| Service | Military (APO/FPO/DPO) | International |
|---|---|---|
| USPS Ground Advantage | Wednesday, November 4 | Not offered |
| First-Class Mail / First-Class Package International | Wednesday, December 9 | Wednesday, December 9 |
| Priority Mail / Priority Mail International | Wednesday, December 9 | Wednesday, December 9 |
| Priority Mail Express (Military / International) | Wednesday, December 16 (not available to ZIP 093) | Wednesday, December 16 |
USPS notes that the actual delivery date depends on origin, destination, acceptance time and other conditions. Its September 22 release also says international mail service to Canada is temporarily suspended, so check usps.com before you ship to Canada. For FedEx and UPS dates side by side, see holiday shipping deadlines for 2026.
Do USPS prices go up for the holidays?
Yes, temporarily. USPS announced a holiday price change on Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage and Parcel Select from October 4, 2026 through January 17, 2027, to cover extra handling costs in peak season. Check your price before you ship with the USPS shipping calculator.
When will USPS publish its 2027 holiday schedule?
USPS had not published its 2027 list when we checked. The federal calendar puts New Year's Day on Friday, January 1, 2027, Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, January 18, and Presidents Day on Monday, February 15. Christmas Day 2027 falls on a Saturday; how USPS will handle it is not announced yet, so we will update this page when it is.
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Sources
All sources were checked on October 24, 2026. Carriers can change their schedules; the official pages below always win.
- USPS Newsroom: holidays and events
- USPS: holiday shipping dates
- USPS release: recommended 2026 holiday mailing and shipping dates (September 22, 2026)
- USPS release: Postal Service prepped to deliver for 2026 holiday season (October 22, 2026)
- USPS release: temporary price change for the 2026 holiday shipping season (August 25, 2026)
- USPS: Priority Mail Express
- USPS Postal Explorer: Priority Mail Express service standards
- USPS FAQ: delayed mail and packages
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management: federal holidays
