2016 USPS Holiday Cutoffs and Deadlines
by Jillian Voege
It's that time of year again.
The USPS has announced their 2016 holiday mailing and shipping deadlines for both domestic and international destinations. It's crucial that you know these days by heart, because they're going to be the basis of your holiday work and shipping schedule in the coming months.
Mail-by Dates for Domestic Services (for December 25th delivery at the latest)
- December 15 - USPS Retail Ground For less-than-urgent or oversized deliveries
- December 20 - First-Class Mail For standard-sized, single-piece envelopes and small packages weighing up to 13 oz. Delivery in 3 business days or less.
- December 21 - Priority Mail Delivery within 3 business days (dependent on destination address) with variety of flat-rate options.
- December 23 - Priority Mail Express Fastest domestic service with guaranteed overnight scheduled delivery to most locations. Some restrictions and exceptions apply. Note - Priority Mail Express postage refund eligibility is adjusted for shipments mailed between 12/22 and 12/25.
Mail-by Dates for International Services (for December 25th delivery at the latest)
| International Mail Addressed To | Global Express Guaranteed (GXG)* | Priority Mail Express International (PMEI) | Priority Mail International (PMI) | First-Class Package International Service (FCPIS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Africa | 12/20 | 12/08 | 12/01 | 12/01 |
| Asia/Pacific Rim | 12/20 | 12/15 | 12/08 | 12/08 |
| Australia/New Zealand | 12/20 | 12/15 | 12/08 | 12/08 |
| Canada | 12/22 | 12/17 | 12/10 | 12/08 |
| Caribbean | 12/22 | 12/15 | 12/10 | 12/08 |
| Central & South America | 12/21 | 12/10 | 12/01 | 12/01 |
| Mexico | 12/21 | 12/15 | 12/08 | 12/08 |
| Europe | 12/21 | 12/15 | 12/10 | 12/08 |
| Middle East | 12/19 | 12/15 | 12/10 | 12/08 |
*GXG Notes - Cutoff date DOES NOT take into account time needed for customs clearance. Also, you should allocate extra transit day(s) for deliveries outside major cities.
Mail-by Dates for Military Deliveries to APO/FPO/DPO Addresses
| Military Mail Addressed To and From | Priority Mail Express Military Service | First-Class Mail Letters and Cards | Priority Mail | Parcel Airlift Mail (PAL) | Space Available Mail (SAM) | USPS Retail Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 090-092 | 12/16 | 12/09 | 12/09 | 12/02 | 11/25 | 11/07 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIP 093 | N/A | 12/02 | 12/02 | 12/02 | 11/25 | 11/07 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AE ZIPs 094-098 | 12/16 | 12/09 | 12/09 | 12/02 | 11/25 | 11/07 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AA ZIP 340 | 12/16 | 12/09 | 12/09 | 12/02 | 11/25 | 11/07 |
| APO/FPO/DPO AP ZIPs 962-966 | 12/16 | 12/09 | 12/09 | 12/02 | 11/25 | 11/07 |
Feel free to bookmark or print this blog post for your own reference. Remember, the 2015 holidays accounted for 23.3% of all 2015 ecommerce sales. It's a big time for you and your business, and if you want to maximize your holiday success, you'll need to get your holiday shipping in order.