Yes, USPS delivers on Saturday. Saturday is a regular delivery day for letters and packages, so Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, First-Class Mail and Media Mail all move and arrive on Saturdays with no Saturday surcharge.
What changes from service to service is the promise attached to the date. Only Priority Mail Express carries a money-back delivery guarantee, and it is also the only service USPS sells with Sunday and holiday delivery. This guide covers which services arrive on Saturday, how Saturday counts in USPS delivery estimates, what happens on federal holidays, and how to time a shipment so it lands before the weekend.
Which USPS services deliver on Saturday?
Every domestic USPS mail class delivers on Saturday. The table below uses the delivery times USPS publishes on its Mail & Shipping Services page, and shows which ones come with a guarantee.
| Service | Delivers on Saturday? | Published delivery time | Guarantee | Max weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Priority Mail Express | Yes (Sunday and holidays in many major markets for an added fee) | 1–3 days, by 6 p.m. | Money-back guarantee, with exceptions | 70 lbs |
| Priority Mail | Yes, no Saturday surcharge | 2–3 days | None (expected date only) | 70 lbs |
| USPS Ground Advantage | Yes | 2–5 days | None | 70 lbs |
| First-Class Mail (letters and flats) | Yes | 1–5 days | None | 13 oz (large envelopes) |
| Media Mail | Yes | 2–8 days | None | 70 lbs |
A common mistake is to treat Priority Mail as guaranteed for Saturday. USPS states that the Priority Mail expected delivery date does not come with a money-back guarantee, so a Saturday estimate can slip to Monday if the package misses a connection. If the date matters, Priority Mail Express is the service that is actually backed by a refund.
Is Saturday a business day for USPS?
For mail delivery, yes. USPS counts Saturday as a delivery day when it estimates “1–3 days” or “2–5 days”, while Sundays and federal holidays are not counted for most services. A Ground Advantage package mailed on a Thursday with a 3-day estimate can therefore arrive on the following Monday, with Saturday counted as day two.
Retail and business offices work differently. Many Post Office counters keep shorter Saturday hours or close, and the hours vary by location. Our guide to whether the Post Office is open on weekends explains how to check a specific branch with the USPS Locator. If you want a calendar view of day counts, see how long Priority Mail takes to deliver by zone and distance.
What time does USPS deliver on Saturday?
USPS does not publish a fixed Saturday delivery window. Letter carriers deliver on their normal routes, so the time a package arrives on Saturday is usually close to the time your mail arrives on a weekday, and it can run into the evening during peak season or when volume is heavy.
Priority Mail Express is the exception with a firm time: the guarantee is delivery by 6 p.m. on the guaranteed date. For more detail on route timing and why carriers run late, read what time mail gets delivered.
Does USPS deliver on Saturday holidays?
No regular mail is delivered on the 11 federal holidays USPS observes, even when the holiday falls on a Saturday. In 2026, Independence Day falls on Saturday, July 4, so there is no regular Saturday delivery that day, and USPS notes that some employees take the preceding Friday as the holiday for pay purposes. Priority Mail Express can still be delivered on holidays in many markets for an added fee.
The full list of closures is on our USPS holiday schedule, and USPS’s day-by-day rules for delivery are summarized in our USPS delivery policy guide.
Does USPS deliver on Sunday too?
Only in limited cases. Priority Mail Express is sold with Sunday delivery in many major markets for an additional fee, and USPS also delivers some Amazon packages on Sundays under a contract that began in 2013. Ordinary letters, Priority Mail and Ground Advantage packages are generally not delivered on Sunday. The full breakdown is in our guide to whether USPS delivers on Sunday.
How do you get a package delivered by Saturday?
Work backward from Saturday using the published day counts. A Priority Mail package needs to be in the mail by Wednesday or Thursday for a likely Saturday arrival, and a Ground Advantage package usually needs to leave by Monday or Tuesday. For a Saturday date you can count on, use Priority Mail Express and mail it before the retail or pickup cutoff.
- Pick the right service: Express for a guaranteed date, Priority Mail for a fast estimate, and Ground Advantage when a Monday arrival is acceptable.
- Schedule a pickup: USPS Package Pickup is free and is scheduled for your carrier’s next delivery day; our guide to scheduling a USPS pickup walks through it.
- Check the address: an address that fails validation is a common reason a Saturday estimate turns into a delay. See how USPS address correction services catch errors before the label prints.
- Watch tracking Friday night: “Out for Delivery” on Saturday morning means the package is on the truck.
If you are deciding between USPS and another carrier for weekend arrival, our comparison of expedited 2–3 day carrier options shows how USPS, UPS and FedEx handle the weekend, and the overview of the best shipping services and solutions covers when each one makes sense.
How can you ship USPS for less?
Saturday delivery costs nothing extra, but the label itself still has a price. ParcelPath is free to use, with no subscription, no per-label fee and no minimums, and gives up to 89% off USPS retail and up to 85% off UPS. You can compare live USPS rates for Priority Mail, Express and Ground Advantage before you choose a service, print at home or use USPS Label Broker to have the Post Office print it, and book free USPS pickups. ParcelPath’s broader USPS shipping guide covers every service in more depth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does USPS deliver on Saturday?
Yes. Saturday is a regular USPS delivery day for letters and packages, including Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, First-Class Mail and Media Mail. There is no surcharge for Saturday delivery. The exceptions are federal holidays that fall on a Saturday, such as Independence Day on July 4, 2026, when regular mail is not delivered.
Does USPS count Saturday in delivery days?
Yes. When USPS estimates Priority Mail at 2–3 days or Ground Advantage at 2–5 days, Saturday counts as a delivery day, while Sundays and federal holidays generally do not. A Ground Advantage package mailed Thursday with a 3-day estimate can arrive Monday, with Saturday counted as the second day.
Is USPS Saturday delivery guaranteed?
Only for Priority Mail Express, which has a 1–3 day money-back guarantee with delivery by 6 p.m., including Saturdays. Priority Mail, Ground Advantage, First-Class Mail and Media Mail are delivered on Saturdays, but their dates are estimates. USPS states that the Priority Mail expected delivery date carries no money-back guarantee.
Does USPS charge extra for Saturday delivery?
No. USPS does not add a surcharge for Saturday delivery on any domestic service, and its Priority Mail page states this directly. An extra fee applies only to Priority Mail Express items that need Sunday or holiday delivery, which is available in many major markets rather than everywhere.
Sources
- USPS: Mail & Shipping Services (delivery times and weight limits)
- USPS: Priority Mail Express
- USPS: Priority Mail
- USPS: Ground Advantage
- USPS Newsroom: Holidays and events (2026 postal holidays)
Part of our USPS Delivery Policy guide. Related: USPS Holiday Schedule.
