Columbia, SC — With the holiday season right around the corner, the Postal Service is asking homeowners to make sure their house numbers are clearly displayed on their mailboxes, homes and driveways.  

The Postal Service is projected to deliver 800 million package deliveries between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day nationwide and hires seasonal staff to help handle the workload. These employees are not as familiar with your neighborhood as your regular mail carrier. As a result, if your home address is not visible, it could result in your package being delayed for delivery until a later date. 

The Postal Service is extremely proud to deliver the mail during the holidays for customers,” said Greater South Carolina District Manager Jodi Nascimento. “We ask customers to inspect mailboxes because it improves the appearance of our community and makes delivering and receiving mail more efficient and safer and for our carriers and customers.”

Mailboxes experience wear and tear every year, causing safety concerns.  Some of the typical activities homeowners may need to do include:

• Replacing loose hinges on a mailbox door.
• Repainting a mailbox that may have rusted or has started to peel.
• Remounting a loosened mailbox post.
• Replacing or adding house numbers.

If a homeowner plans to install a new mailbox or replace a worn one, he or she must use only Postal Service–approved traditional, contemporary or locking full/limited service mailboxes. Customers must be careful when purchasing curbside mail receptacles because the use of unapproved boxes is prohibited. Customers may use a custom-built mailbox, but they should consult with the local Postmaster to ensure it conforms to guidelines applying to flag, size, strength and quality of construction.

For more information about residential mailbox standards, contact your local Postmaster or
visit https://www.usps.com/manage/mailboxes.htm.

For holiday news and information, including all domestic, international and military mailing and shipping deadlines, visit the Postal Service Holiday Newsroom: usps.com/holidaynews.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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