If you’re standing by your window waiting for the mail truck, or maybe you've got a stack of outgoing bills sitting on the counter, you’re likely asking one simple question: does the postal service run today?
Honestly, it’s one of those things we never think about until we’re expecting a package that hasn't shown up. Today is Wednesday, January 14, 2026. The short answer is a resounding yes. The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is fully operational today. You can expect your mail carrier to make their rounds, and your local post office branches will be open during their normal business hours.
But wait. There is a catch coming up very soon that might trip you up if you aren't looking at the calendar.
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The Looming MLK Day Pause
While the mail is moving today, we are less than a week away from a total standstill. This coming Monday, January 19, 2026, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Because this is a federal holiday, the post office basically takes the day off.
No regular residential delivery. No outgoing mail collection from those blue boxes. No retail counters.
If you have something urgent to send, you've got a narrow window between now and Saturday afternoon to get it into the system before the Monday holiday pause kicks in. It’s kinda easy to forget that "federal holiday" means the USPS shuts down completely, even while many private-sector offices stay open.
Does the Postal Service Run Today? Understanding the Holiday Logic
The USPS follows the federal holiday calendar established by the government. In 2026, there are 11 specific days where the mail simply stops. Knowing these dates helps you avoid that annoying feeling of checking an empty mailbox when you're expecting a check or a birthday card.
Here is what the rest of the 2026 "No-Mail" schedule looks like after the MLK Day break on January 19:
- Presidents' Day: Monday, February 16.
- Memorial Day: Monday, May 25.
- Juneteenth: Friday, June 19.
- Independence Day: Saturday, July 4 (though the holiday is officially "observed" on Friday, July 3, for many government employees, the USPS usually sticks to the actual day or a modified schedule for delivery).
- Labor Day: Monday, September 7.
- Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day: Monday, October 12.
- Veterans Day: Wednesday, November 11.
- Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 26.
- Christmas Day: Friday, December 25.
What about Sundays?
Technically, the answer to does the postal service run today is always "no" if today is a Sunday—at least for regular first-class mail.
However, the world of e-commerce has changed the rules. If you ordered a pair of shoes or a new gadget from Amazon, you might actually see a postal carrier on a Sunday or a holiday. USPS has a long-standing contract to deliver certain Amazon packages and Priority Mail Express items seven days a week in most major markets. So, while your junk mail and bills won't arrive on a Sunday, that brown box might.
Why Your Mail Might Be Late (Even When They Are "Running")
Sometimes the post office is technically open, but your mailbox is still empty. It’s frustrating.
Staffing shortages have been a massive hurdle for the USPS over the last couple of years. In some regions, carriers are being asked to do "double routes," which means they might not get to your street until way after dark. If it's 6:00 PM and you haven't seen the truck, don't panic just yet.
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Weather also plays a huge role. If there’s a massive ice storm or a flood, the local postmaster can make a "safety call" to keep carriers off the road. Even if the lights are on at the main facility, the local delivery might be suspended for a few hours or the whole day.
The Informed Delivery Hack
If you’re tired of guessing if the mail is coming, you really should sign up for Informed Delivery. It's a free service where the USPS emails you a grayscale image of the exterior of every letter scheduled to arrive that day.
It’s surprisingly accurate. If you get the email at 8:00 AM and see a picture of that tax form you've been waiting for, you know for a fact the mail is coming. If the email says "you have no mail to display," you can save yourself the trip to the end of the driveway.
What to Do if You Miss the Window
If you realized too late that a holiday is happening and you must get a document across the country, you have two real options.
First, Priority Mail Express is the only USPS service that occasionally runs on holidays and Sundays for an extra fee. It’s expensive, but it’s their "emergency" tier.
Second, look at UPS or FedEx. While they also observe major holidays like New Year's Day and Christmas, they don't always close for the "smaller" federal holidays like Columbus Day or even MLK Day in some areas. Always check their specific "holiday service schedule" on their websites, as it changes every year based on which day of the week the holiday falls on.
Actionable Next Steps for Today
Since the postal service does run today, January 14, you should take advantage of the normal service before the weekend.
- Drop off any time-sensitive mail at a post office branch or blue collection box before the final pickup time (usually 5:00 PM).
- Verify your local branch hours if you need to buy stamps or send a certified letter; most smaller rural branches close for lunch between 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM.
- Sign up for Informed Delivery on the official USPS website so you never have to wonder about your mail status again.
- Mark January 19 on your calendar as a "no-mail" day to avoid planning any important shipments for next Monday.