3 USPS Mail Changes Happening Now—And How They’ll Affect You
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1. There’s a new USPS notification app for your phone.
Receiving fake missed package update notifications has become one of the most common email scams circulating these days. But if you’ve been hoping for a way to cut down on the confusion, you’re in luck.
On Oct. 2, the USPS announced the launch of its Delivery Mobile app , per a press release. The new feature will expand its Informed Delivery service so that customers can easily use their phones to get a digital preview of their incoming letters and packages, as well as manage package delivery.
So, what will you get if you download it? The app provides push notifications for updates on your incoming mail and packages right to your phone’s screen, as well as the option for a biometric login (such as a face or fingerprint scan) to access your information for added security.
You’ll also have the ability to “view, interact with, and manage incoming mail” right from your phone, not to mention gain access to improved package tracking capabilities (including a tracking number scanner and the ability to share status with others).
2. USPS issued a stamp price update.
As the cost of…well, practically everything continues to rise, postage is no different. But after raising prices slightly over the summer, customers who were concerned about another jump can breathe a sigh of relief for the moment.
In a Sept. 25 press release, the USPS announced that a recommendation from Postmaster General David Steiner to hold pricing steady was accepted by the governors of the United States Postal Service.
“We continually strive to balance our pricing approach both to meet the revenue needs of the Postal Service and to deliver affordable offerings that reflect market conditions,” Steiner said in the press release. “We have therefore decided at this time to forgo a price change for First-Class Mail postage and other Market Dominant services until mid-year 2026.”
For customers, this means that the cost of a stamp required to mail a one-ounce letter will stay at 78 cents. And while this might seem steep compared to a decade ago, the USPS also pointed out that there were only “a handful of countries around the world [that] offer a lower price for a domestic single-piece letter.”
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3. Post offices are getting an upgrade.
Even though post offices across the U.S. come in all shapes and sizes, it’s safe to say that all customers want to get in and out as quickly as possible when they have to visit in person. Fortunately, the USPS is making good on its promise to improve services by modernizing its facilities to help enhance the mailing experience.
In a Sept. 30 press release, the mail service said it had begun rolling out several technological upgrades to post offices. This includes smart lockers with 24/7 access that make it easier to manage package deliveries, as well as improved time-saving self-service kiosks that will now allow customers to weigh packages, print labels, purchase packing supplies, and mail packages.
Doing business on-site will also be easier thanks to the addition of new digital displays and signage that “guides customers through services, reducing confusion and helping them complete tasks quickly.”
The agency also released the Rapid Drop mobile app, which can be used for storing prepaid shipping labels, tracking packages, receiving package and delivery notifications, and streamlining label creation on the go.
Overall, the agency is also streamlining post office layouts to reduce wait times and speed up traffic flow. It’s also increasing the number of lobbies that aid in other government services, including passport and fingerprinting services.
The USPS says it will wrap up the first phase of the update by the end of October and will begin the next round of location enhancements at the beginning of the 2026 fiscal year.
See a Sticker on Your Mailbox? Don’t Touch It, USPS Says
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Your mailbox serves a very simple purpose: receiving mail and leaving outgoing mail for a carrier to pick up. Still, some of us enjoy sprucing up our mailboxes, adding personal flair, color, or even decals to help an otherwise standard mailbox stand out. But if you notice a paw print sticker on your mailbox that you didn’t add, don’t start peeling it off just yet—it’s likely part of a program run by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to help keep carriers safe. Read on to find out what these stickers mean and why you shouldn’t remove them.
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In 2023, more than 5,800 Postal Service workers were attacked by dogs while delivering mail, up from 5,300 in 2022, according to a USPS press release.
Larger cities had the highest numbers of attacks, with Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, St. Louis, and Cleveland claiming the top five spots.
“Even though a customer’s dog is friendly to most people, it can always have a bad day,” said letter carrier Tara Snyder . “I know, from experience, even when a dog is in the house, customers need to make sure their door is secure so their dog can’t push it open and bite the letter carrier.”
To her point, the USPS writes that “all dogs can bite, even those perceived as nonaggressive.” In fact, many of the attacks that letter carriers report are by dogs whose owners told them, “My dog won’t bite.”
Such an attack can result in consequences for the homeowner, too. According to data from the Insurance Information Institute, the average cost per insurance claim for a dog bite is $64,555, the USPS states.
“When a postal employee suffers an injury, the owner could be responsible for medical bills, lost wages, uniform replacement costs, and pain and suffering for the employee,” they explain.
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To combat dog bites, the Postal Service shared tips on how pet owners can “support safe mail delivery.” These include keeping dogs inside the house or behind a fence, away from the door or in another room, or on a leash.
“Pet owners also should remind children not to take mail directly from a letter carrier as the dog may view the carrier as a threat to the child,” they state.
Mail carriers also follow protocol to keep them aware of areas where dogs might be present, and they’re equipped with scanners to remind them of possible dog hazards, as well as dog warning cards that are added during mail sorting.
In 2020, the USPS added another preventive measure: the PAWS Program . First introduced in Pennsylvania, the program uses mailbox stickers to keep carriers safe.
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The PAWS Program uses color-coded stickers affixed to mailboxes to inform mail carriers about dogs in the area. An orange sticker with a black paw print tells carriers that there is a dog at this home, while a yellow sticker with a black paw print tells them there is a dog at the next house.
Citizens are informed ahead of time that the stickers may appear on their mailboxes. In a notice sent to Lakewood, Ohio, residents, the Postal Service wrote, “Carriers will soon be placing a paw sticker on mailboxes to indicate that a dog or dogs live in the area —yellow indicates dog nearby/orange indicates dog at residence. The sticker will act as a reminder to the carrier that they should proceed with caution, especially when delivering packages to the door.”
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Removing these stickers may do more harm than good, as your mail service can be halted if your carrier feels unsafe. Not only does this affect the home of the dog owner, but it also applies to the entire neighborhood, the USPS said in a previous press release . Service isn’t restored in these instances “until the aggressive dog is properly restrained.”
At the end of the day, these stickers are put in place to “reduce the risk of dog bites and attacks that occur while delivering mail,” which is just another reason you should leave the sticker on your mailbox.
“We all love our dogs,” Kimberly Tilley , acting postmaster for Winston-Salem, told WGHP. “We love our animals, but we … have to take responsibility to protect the carrier and the people around us as well from our animals.”
Tilley added that dog bites are more common than you think, and they can be traumatic for carriers. “Once a carrier has been bit, it sets some fear in them long term for the rest of their life,” she told the outlet.
However, although these stickers are strongly recommended, if you object to having a sticker placed on your mailbox, you can opt out , Kyle Stevens , Southwest Carrier Annex station manager in South Dakota, told KELO in 2021. To do so, the first step would be to contact your local post office.
This story has been updated to include additional entries, fact-checking, and copy-editing.
