What to Do If the Post Office Refuses to Deliver Your Mail
Even though we live in the 21st century and can send a message halfway around the world more or less instantly, we still rely on physical mail. Although mail volume has been steadily declining over the years, the Post Office still delivers more than 116 billion pieces of mail annually and still provides other important services (such as delivering ballots during elections).
The familiar motto of the United States Post Office (USPS) – all that chatter about “no snow, no rain” or “the dark of night” preventing delivery – can make it seem like you’ll get your mail delivered no matter what. even during the apocalypse. But the fact is that USPS can and does suspend mail delivery for a variety of reasons. Sometimes an entire region loses service, but it can also affect just one area or even an individual.
Here are seven reasons why the Post Office might decide to blacklist you or your block, and what you can do about it.
Reasons why USPS may stop delivering your mail
The Post Office doesn’t hide it – it has an entire web page dedicated to reasons why you’re no longer receiving your mail. These include some obvious things:
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The mailbox is blocked or there is no mailbox. If you haven’t received mail recently, make sure that postal operators actually have access to your mailbox. You should also ensure that your mailbox is not in poor condition to the point that it cannot be opened or poses a hazard to the carrier. You’ll also need to have a mailbox that meets post office standards so postmen won’t just throw your mail out on the street.
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Full mailbox. If you have a habit of checking your mailbox infrequently and there is already too much mail in there, USPS may hold your deliveries until you clear it. The carrier should leave you a form alerting you to the situation, but if you don’t pick up the mail anyway, you may not see it right away.
If your mailbox is accessible, in good working order, and you pick up mail regularly, more serious problems may arise:
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Dogs. According to the Post Office, there were approximately 6,000 dog attacks on mail carriers in 2023. In this area of Oklahoma, it has been revealed that the post office will suspend mail service to the entire area if mail carriers feel threatened by dogs.
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Hazardous conditions. Postmen are not required to put their lives or health at risk when delivering mail. When a polar vortex swept through the southern United States several years ago, bringing dangerously cold temperatures with it, the Post Office temporarily suspended service to 10 states . And after Hurricane Helen this year, it briefly suspended service due to the storm’s impact on roads and certain areas.
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Travel obstacles. If the roads serving your area are in poor condition and Post Office vehicles cannot pass them, or if they are otherwise blocked, the carrier will pass your area until the problems are resolved.
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Overall a dangerous area. Whether it’s a specific resident or an area considered generally dangerous , the Post Office will suspend your services if carriers don’t feel safe entering the area.
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Lack of staff. The Post Office has been struggling to fill vacancies for years, and this could result in vacancy routes being rotated and other temporary service interruptions .
What to do if USPS stops delivering your mail
If you realize you are no longer receiving mail, what can you do? Start by gathering information: USPS maintains a dashboard that allows you to check overall performance in your area. This will give you an idea of whether you are facing an isolated problem or whether it is more widespread than you or your area. You can also check the USPS website for service interruptions to see if there is a temporary reason for the suspension.
Your next step should be to check the list of potential causes above to see if you can’t solve your own mystery. Is your mailbox accessible? Crowded? Are there any road closures in your area? If you don’t see an obvious reason for the suspension, it’s time to contact USPS by email, phone (1-800-275-8777), or stop by your local post office to speak with someone in person. You can also submit a request to search for missing mail .