While the United States Postal Service has its limitations, the organization that delivers our mail is a well-oiled machine with astonishing reach.
Through the rain, through the sleet, through freak snowstorms, and blistering heat waves, the USPS and its carriers have been the backbone of U.S. communications since the 19th century.
But does USPS deliver on Saturday? Can you expect your letter or bill or package on a Saturday? Here is what you need to know.
Key Takeaways
Does USPS Deliver on Saturday In 2022?
The United States Postal Service delivers on Saturdays and has done so since its inception in 1863. U.S. households can expect First Class, Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express to be delivered on Saturdays, with the exception of holidays. Additionally, USPS Saturday mail delivery comes at no extra charge for the sender.
To learn more about the types of mail that USPS delivers on Saturdays, what time you can expect delivery, how late they deliver, and whether you can visit your local post office on Saturdays, keep reading!
Does USPS Deliver First Class Mail On Saturday?
Despite its elite name, First Class mail is actually what we think of as “normal” mail. It’s the everyday stuff that gets delivered with a stamp or two.
And First Class mail does get delivered on Saturdays (but not Sundays).
In fact, the USPS website proudly proclaims that Saturday mail delivery has been a service since the organization was officially formalized in 1863, with free city mail delivery.
Yes, mail carriers still beat the pavement one day per weekend, bringing your letters, bills, and (unfortunately) even junk mail in business-size envelopes.
Does USPS Deliver Priority Mail On Saturday?
Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express both get delivered on Saturdays, without an additional fee for the shipper.
These types of mail ship in one, two, or three days, and the shipper pays a rate, calculated by weight, instead of using stamps.
But again, that rate is for the Priority (i.e., faster/trackable/guaranteed) shipping, not for the Saturday delivery.
Is The Post Office Open On Saturdays?
Saturday is considered a regular business day for USPS, and as such, you can receive First Class mail, Priority and Priority Express mail and USPS Retail Ground.
If you’re shipping, and the expected day of delivery falls on a Saturday, you won’t have to pay anything extra because it’s a weekend day.
What you will have to pay for, if you’re not sending something via First Class (or “regular”) mail with a stamp, is the typical postage associated with whatever service you choose.
So for example, if you’re sending a flat rate envelope Priority Mail Express, overnight, on a Friday, there is no extra fee for it arriving on a Saturday.
In this case, you would simply pay the $26.35 flat rate, plus any normal additional charges you might incur (distance, for example). And you receive a guarantee that it arrives at its destination on Saturday.
This is in contrast with Priority Mail Express that you would like to reach its destination on a Sunday.
A guaranteed Sunday delivery adds an extra $12.50 onto whatever your original cost might be (flat rate, plus any additional charges).
Again, though, Saturdays do not incur any additional charges, despite being a weekend day. It’s still business as usual at the USPS.
What Time Can You Expect Mail Delivery On Saturday?
For many people, you can expect your Saturday mail delivery around the same time that you receive mail the rest of the week.
Namely, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
If you have sent or are planning to receive something shipped overnight Priority or Priority Express on a Friday, it should reach its destination by 10:30 a.m. Saturday morning.
Because there is no controlling the weather or accidents on the highway, or because sometimes certain times of the year are busier than others, mail might be later.
Additionally, you might not receive your letters or packages shipped First Class until as late as 6:30 p.m. – or in truly rare circumstances, even later than that.
If you mailed something Priority Express on a Friday and it did not reach the destination by 3 p.m. Saturday, you can actually get your money back.
When you pay Priority Express overnight prices, that overnight service is guaranteed.
Does USPS Deliver Mail On Saturday Nights?
USPS may deliver mail on a Saturday night if there are extenuating circumstances that have pushed delivery times back.
While you won’t regularly receive your Saturday mail at 8 p.m., it could occur that something happened to make the carrier that late, perhaps once or twice in a lifetime.
But delivery times as late as 6:30 p.m. are not out of the ordinary, depending on your location.
When Doesn’t USPS Deliver Mail On Saturdays?
Saturdays are normal business days for USPS, so it’s rare for them to forego a Saturday mail delivery.
However, it does happen, and one of the reasons why is that a bank holiday has fallen on a Saturday.
Whether it’s Christmas, Fourth of July, or New Year’s Day, if it’s a day when the bank and postal service is normally closed, you will not receive any mail.
For those sending out mail, your recipient will not receive their card or package until the next business day.
And that might not be until the following Tuesday if the Monday is an observed holiday.
However, if it’s an absolute necessity that something reaches someone on a Saturday, and that day happens to be a holiday, you are not out of options.
The USPS offers special Holiday delivery, like special Sunday delivery, applicable with Priority Express shipping only.
Just like guaranteed Sunday delivery, Holiday delivery costs an additional $12.50, on top of the Priority Express shipping and any additional fees.
To find out more, you can also see our related articles on whether or not USPS delivers on Sundays, if USPS delivers to door, and if USPS delivers at night.
Conclusion
While Saturday might be a day for rest and relaxation for many, for the United States Postal Service, it’s business as usual.
Saturdays are normal delivery days; First Class mail arrives as it does the rest of the week, and mailers don’t need to pay extra for Priority and Priority Express delivery on Saturday.