You're standing by the window, coffee in hand, wondering if that Amazon package or that "final notice" bill is actually going to hit your box. It’s a classic morning dilemma. Honestly, the answer to is there a mail service today depends entirely on the calendar and which logo is on the side of the truck.
Today is Friday, January 16, 2026.
The short answer? Yes. The mail is absolutely running. If you are in the United States, the USPS is operating on a totally normal schedule. Post offices are open, carriers are out in their LLVs, and those blue collection boxes are being emptied at their usual times.
But wait. There is a "but" coming up fast.
We are just three days away from a major federal holiday. On Monday, January 19, 2026, the country observes Martin Luther King Jr. Day. On that day, the answer to the mail question flips to a hard "no" for almost everyone.
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Is There a Mail Service Today for USPS, UPS, and FedEx?
If you're looking for a package from a private carrier like UPS or FedEx, you’re also in the clear today. These companies don't follow the federal holiday calendar to the letter anyway, but since today is a standard Friday, everything is moving.
UPS and FedEx are running full-tilt. In fact, Fridays are often their heaviest days for residential deliveries as they try to clear the decks before the weekend. If your tracking says "Out for Delivery," believe it.
The Looming MLK Day Pause
It's weird how holidays sneak up on us. Even though the mail is moving today, you should probably know that the USPS will shut down completely this coming Monday. No regular residential or business delivery.
UPS and FedEx are a bit different. While they often scale back on federal holidays, they don't always stop entirely. For MLK Day 2026, FedEx usually runs a "modified service," meaning some Express and Ground routes move, while others sit tight. UPS typically closes its doors for standard pickup and delivery on the holiday itself, but their "Express Critical" service—which costs an arm and a leg—never actually stops.
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Why the Mail Might Seem Missing
Sometimes you ask is there a mail service today not because of a holiday, but because your box is empty. It’s frustrating. You’ve seen the "Informed Delivery" email showing a letter from the IRS, but the carrier never showed.
There are a few "hidden" reasons for this:
- The Route Sub: Your regular carrier might be off. Subs are often slower or have to double up on routes, meaning they might not hit your street until 7:00 PM.
- Staffing shortages: This has been a nagging issue for the Postal Service for years. If a branch is short-staffed, they sometimes "pivot," meaning mail only goes out every other day for certain blocks.
- Weather: Even if it’s sunny at your house, a storm at a sorting hub three states away can stall the entire chain.
What Most People Get Wrong About Postal Holidays
A big misconception is that if the banks are closed, the mail is gone. Not always true. For example, some "bank holidays" aren't postal holidays. However, for January 2026, they align pretty closely.
Another thing? Priority Mail Express.
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If you absolutely, positively need a document delivered on a holiday, Priority Mail Express is the only USPS service that delivers 365 days a year. Yes, even on Christmas. Yes, even this coming Monday. But you'll pay a premium for it. It's the "break glass in case of emergency" option of the shipping world.
Logistics is a Messy Business
Don't forget the "last mile" players. You might see a generic white van or a private car delivering your packages today. That’s Amazon’s Flex or DSP network. They don't care about federal holidays. They deliver today, tomorrow, and usually on Monday too. If you’re waiting on a brown box with a smile on it, the federal calendar basically doesn't apply to you.
How to Check Your Specific Delivery Status
If you’re still staring at an empty mailbox, stop guessing.
- Informed Delivery: If you aren't signed up for this USPS service, you're living in the dark ages. It sends you a grayscale image of every letter arriving in your box that morning.
- The Service Alerts Page: The USPS actually maintains a "Service Alerts" map. It shows you if your local post office is shuttered due to a burst pipe, a fire, or extreme staffing issues.
- Carrier Tracking: Don't just check the "estimated delivery." Look at the "last scan." If it hasn't been scanned since it left a facility in Memphis, it’s not coming today.
Basically, the mail is very much alive today, January 16. You have a narrow window to get your outgoing letters into a box before the long weekend pause begins. If you have bills to pay or checks to send, get them to the post office before the lobby closes tonight. Once that Monday holiday hits, everything sits in a sorting bin until Tuesday morning.
Moving Forward with Your Mail
Check your mailbox between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM today; that's the sweet spot for most residential routes. If you're expecting something urgent, verify it via the carrier's app rather than relying on the "regular" time the mail usually arrives.
Since the holiday is Monday, expect Tuesday's mail to be massive. Carriers will be lugging twice the usual load, so your Tuesday delivery will likely be late. Plan your outgoing shipments for today or Saturday morning to avoid the three-day stagnation.