USPS Policy Change on Postmarks May Affect Property Tax Payments

For Immediate Release:

December 8, 2025
Contact: Fran McLaughlin, Director of Communications
262-343-6846

USPS Policy Change on Postmarks May Affect Property Tax Payments

WEST BEND, WI – Washington County Treasurer Scott Henke is alerting residents who pay property
tax bills by mail about a United States Postal Service (USPS) policy change that may affect when
envelopes are postmarked.

In August 2025, the USPS instituted a nationwide change for when postmarks are affixed to incoming
mail. Instead of postmarks being stamped when items are first handled by the Postal Service, postmarks
are now applied at regional sorting centers.

Many federal and state laws define timely payment based on the USPS postmark. This means payments
may be considered delinquent if they are mailed too close to the January 31, 2026 deadline, even if they
were placed in a mailbox before the deadline.

“This change means your tax bill could be postmarked several days after you put it in the mail,” said
Henke. “Don’t wait until right before the payment deadline – consider mailing earlier or pay online to
avoid becoming delinquent and accruing late fees.”