Mail Your Tax Return with USPS

Use the U.S. Postal Service® to mail your tax return, get proof that you mailed it on a specific date with Certified Mail® or Certificate of Mailing service, and track its arrival at the IRS.

Federal Tax Deadlines
The IRS considers a tax return filed on time if it is addressed correctly, has enough postage, and is postmarked by the deadline (for both standard filing and extensions):

To ensure your tax return is postmarked on or before the due date, take it to your local Post Office™ location, go to the retail counter, and ask the retail associate to postmark it.

Mailing Tips

Proof of Mailing

For added peace of mind, you can buy a Certificate of Mailing at the Post Office. If your return is delayed or lost, a Certificate of Mailing is a proof of mailing receipt that proves you mailed your tax return on a certain date. (After you send your taxes, keep your receipt in a safe place. The Postal Service does not keep copies of receipts).

Also, when you use a USPS service with tracking, your tracking number will provide updates as your item travels to its destination, including the date and time of delivery or attempted delivery. You can access tracking information for non-signature items for 120 days (2 years for signature items). With the USPS Tracking Plus® service, you can buy extended tracking history for up to 10 years.

Mailing Options & Services

These mailing services apply a postmark to your return. If your return is postmarked by the IRS deadline date, it is considered on time. With Click-N-Ship® service, you can pay for postage online and print a shipping label from your own computer. Generating a Click-N-Ship label with postage creates an electronic record for the label on that specific date, so it is important that you send your package on the shipping date you used to create the label. Your online Click-N-Ship account will save your shipping history for six months.

Print a Shipping Label

Priority Mail®

2−3 business day delivery

USPS Tracking included

Eligible for Click-N-Ship

Eligible for Certificate of Mailing

First−Class Mail®

1−5 business day delivery

Extra services available

Eligible for Certificate of Mailing

IRS Tips & Help

The Postal Service recommends that you confirm all tax information with a tax professional or the IRS.