Post office hours are set by each local office, so there is no single national schedule. Many post offices open on weekdays between about 8 and 9 a.m. and close around 5 p.m., many keep shorter Saturday morning hours, and most are closed on Sundays and federal holidays. To get the exact hours for a specific office, use the USPS Locator.
The Locator lists several separate schedules for each location, and they don’t always match. Knowing which one you need, whether that is the counter, the lobby or the last mail pickup, saves a wasted trip. For a broader overview of finding branches and drop-off points, see our USPS locations, drop-off, pickup and hours guide.
What Are Typical Post Office Hours?
Hours vary widely by office, but the pattern below is common. Treat it as a rough guide only, and confirm your local office in the Locator before you go.
| Day | Typical pattern | What varies |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | Opens around 8–9 a.m., closes around 5 p.m. | Busy city offices may open earlier or close later; small rural offices may close earlier or shut for lunch |
| Saturday | Shorter hours, often morning to early afternoon | Some offices have no Saturday counter hours |
| Sunday | Retail counters closed at most offices | Some lobbies and self-service kiosks stay accessible |
| Federal holidays | All Post Office locations closed | Lobby access depends on the building |
To show how much schedules differ, one Washington, D.C. office listed in the USPS Locator has retail hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Other offices in the same city keep longer hours. That spread is why a quick check of your own office matters more than any national average.
What Is the Difference Between Retail, Lobby and Collection Hours?
Each listing in the USPS Locator can show several sets of hours. They answer different questions.
- Retail hours: when the counter is staffed to sell stamps, accept packages, sell money orders and handle Certified Mail.
- Lobby hours: when you can enter the building. USPS says lobby hours are when you may reach your PO Box, and many lobbies are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Last collection: the cutoff for mail to leave that day. USPS says mail dropped after the posted last collection time is collected the next postal business day.
- Passport and other appointment hours: listed separately at offices that accept passport applications.
Last collection matters for deadlines. USPS notes that mail isn’t necessarily postmarked on the day it is collected, so if you need a same-day postmark, ask for one at the counter during retail hours. Collection boxes have their own posted pickup times; our guide to USPS collection box types and locations explains how to read them.
How Do You Find the Hours for Your Local Post Office?
The most reliable source is USPS itself. Third-party map listings can lag behind schedule changes.
- Open the USPS Locator and enter a ZIP code, city or address.
- Filter by location type, such as Post Office or Self-Service Kiosk, or by service, such as passports or PO Boxes.
- Select an office to see retail hours, lobby hours, last collection times and available services.
- Check again before a holiday. Offices post temporary changes for holidays and local closures.
The USPS Locator shows other places to mail, too. If your main concern is where you can leave a prepaid package after hours, see our guide on where to drop off packages.
Are Post Offices Open on Saturdays and Sundays?
Many post offices have Saturday hours, usually shorter than weekdays and often ending by early afternoon. Not every office opens on Saturday, and some small offices are closed all weekend. Sunday counter service is rare.
Weekend counter hours aren’t the same as weekend delivery. USPS delivers regular mail Monday through Saturday, and on Sundays only Priority Mail Express and Amazon parcels are delivered, according to USPS. We cover weekend counter service in more detail in is the post office open on weekends.
Which Holidays Are Post Offices Closed?
USPS closes all Post Office locations and suspends regular mail delivery on the 11 federal holidays:
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Presidents’ Day (Washington’s Birthday)
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
USPS announces each closure in its newsroom ahead of time. In 2026, for example, USPS closed all Post Office locations on Columbus Day, Monday, October 12, and resumed regular delivery and retail service the next day. For exact dates and how weekend holidays are observed, see our USPS holiday schedule.
What Can You Do When the Post Office Is Closed?
Several USPS services don’t depend on counter hours.
- Self-service kiosks: available in select lobbies. USPS says many are open 24/7 and can weigh packages, print postage for Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express and international mail, and sell stamps. See our guide to the USPS self-service kiosk.
- Smart Lockers and Rapid Dropoff: at some locations, USPS offers Smart Lockers for package pickup and drop-off and Rapid Dropoff stations for prepaid labels.
- USPS.com: buy stamps and postage, print labels, order free Priority Mail boxes, request Hold Mail, file a change of address and schedule a free Package Pickup from your home.
- Collection boxes and lobby drops: stamped letters and small prepaid packages can be left anytime, subject to the posted collection times.
If you ship regularly, you may not need the counter at all. Labels bought online can be handed to your carrier or picked up free from your door. ParcelPath users can also schedule free USPS pickups, or skip the printer with USPS Label Broker by showing a QR code at the Post Office counter during retail hours.
Do Post Office Hours Affect Mail Delivery Times?
No. Retail hours only cover the counter. Carriers deliver on their own schedule, and USPS says deliveries should generally be finished by 5 p.m. local time Monday through Saturday, though traffic, weather and staffing can push them later. Our guide to what time mail gets delivered explains the delivery window in detail, and the USPS delivery policy guide covers the service standards behind it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do most post offices open and close?
Many post offices open between about 8 and 9 a.m. on weekdays and close around 5 p.m., but USPS sets hours office by office. Busy city locations may stay open later, while small rural offices may close earlier or shut for lunch. The USPS Locator at tools.usps.com/locations lists the exact hours for each office.
Are post offices open on Saturday?
Many are, usually with shorter hours that end by early afternoon, but some offices have no Saturday counter service. Check the retail hours for your specific location in the USPS Locator. Regular mail delivery runs on Saturdays even where the counter is closed.
Can I get into the post office lobby after hours?
Often, yes. USPS says lobby hours are the hours you can reach your PO Box, and many lobbies are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Self-service kiosks inside those lobbies may also be available around the clock. Lobby hours are listed separately from retail hours in the USPS Locator.
What happens if I mail something after the last collection time?
USPS says mail dropped after the posted last collection time is collected the following postal business day. Mail also isn’t necessarily postmarked on the day it is collected. If you need a same-day postmark for a deadline, ask for one at the counter during the office’s retail hours.
Are post offices open on federal holidays?
No. USPS closes all Post Office locations and suspends regular mail delivery on the 11 federal holidays, including Juneteenth, Columbus Day and Veterans Day. Some lobbies and 24/7 self-service kiosks may still be accessible, and USPS.com stays available for postage, labels and pickup requests.
Sources
- USPS Locator: Find USPS Locations
- USPS FAQ: What is the latest collection time at a Post Office?
- USPS FAQ: PO Box, The Basics
- USPS Newsroom: Postal Service closed for Columbus Day, October 12, 2026
- USPS FAQ: Delayed mail and packages
Part of our USPS Delivery Policy guide. Related: USPS Holiday Schedule, Does Mail Run on Memorial Day, Does the Mail Run on Election Day.
