If you’re expecting a delivery, whether a letter or a parcel, know that mail is not delivered every day. There are certain days of the year and the week that the United States Postal Services (USPS) doesn’t deliver. Some of these days also apply to courier companies, such as FedEx and UPS.
Our article will list the dates you shouldn’t expect mail. Read on to know which days mail is and isn’t delivered in the United States.
2024 Days Mail Is Not Delivered
The USPS doesn’t deliver mail on Sundays and federal holidays. If you were anticipating receiving your mail on these dates, expect your mail to be delivered the next day. The following is a list of federal holidays observed by the United States Postal Services in 2024.
- New Year’s Day – January 1
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day – January 15
- Presidents’ Day – February 19
- Memorial Day – May 27
- Juneteenth Day – June 19
- Independence Day – July 4
- Labor Day – September 2
- Columbus Day – October 14
- Veterans Day – November 11
- Thanksgiving Day – November 28
- Christmas Day – December 25
These dates are postal holidays. They are essentially federal holidays recognized by the United States Postal Services. It’s identical to the list of federal holidays, with the exception of Inauguration Day, which occurs every four years on January 20.
The above dates apply to most mail, but there are exceptions. If you’re waiting for an order from Amazon, you will get your package on Sundays and federal holidays other than Christmas Day. Amazon packages are delivered on these dates because the USPS has a special agreement with Amazon.
Is Priority Mail Delivered Every Day?
Priority Mail is the USPS’ standard domestic air service. USPS delivers packages sent by Priority Mail are delivered within one to three business days.
Although Priority Mail doesn’t guarantee that packages will be delivered in less than three business days, the USPS delivers these packages on Sundays and federal holidays other than Christmas Day.
There’s also an upgraded version of Priority Mail called Priority Mail Express. This is the fastest way to send mail via USPS within the lower 48 states. USPS guarantees delivery the next day to two days with a money-back guarantee.
While Priority Mail is delivered on Sundays and federal holidays except Christmas Day, the USPS delivers Priority Mail Express mail on every day of the year. Regardless of the date the USPS picked up your package, you’ll receive mail sent by Priority Mail Express within two days.
What About Courier Companies?
The USPS isn’t the only delivery service in the United States. The two of the most popular private courier companies are UPS and FedEx. These companies don’t have the same delivery schedules as the USPS. If you’re expecting mail via these companies, here’s a quick overview of what days FedEx and UPS don’t deliver mail.
UPS
First and foremost, like USPS, UPS doesn’t deliver mail on Sundays. Other than Sundays, UPS doesn’t deliver mail on following holidays.
- New Year’s Day – January 1
- Independence Day – July 4
- Thanksgiving Day – November 28
- Christmas Day – December 25
While the above dates apply to most UPS services, UPS Express Critical mail is delivered year-round, including Sundays and federal holidays. Additionally, most UPS Store locations are open on Sundays.
FedEx
While the USPS and UPS don’t deliver regular mail on Sundays, FedEx delivers mail on Sundays to most residential areas. FedEx Office locations are also open every day of the week.
However, regular FedEx delivery services don’t operate on:
- New Year’s Day – January 1
- Memorial Day – May 27
- Independence Day – July 4
- Labor Day – September 2
- Thanksgiving Day – November 28
- Christmas Day – December 25
For other courier services, check their websites to learn when they don’t deliver mail.
Track Your Mail to Stay Up To Date
Knowing what days mail is not delivered can give you an idea of when to expect your delivery. However, the best way to be sure when your mail will arrive is to track it using the tracking number.
All delivery services have a tracking system that allows customers to track the status of their mail. This can help you get an estimated delivery date. If you spot a strange address in the tracking information or after receiving your mail, you can do a reverse address search to learn more about it.
