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Richmond Main Office Extends Hours for Tax Night Additional Window Hours & Mail Pick-up
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| RICHMOND — Although 77% of all individual tax returns were filed electronically last year, the Richmond District is extending retail hours at the Main Post Office at 1801 Brook Road to accommodate last-minute paper filers.The retail window will be open an additional two hours – only until 7:00PM – for the purchase of stamps and services and the application of that April 17th postmark. Employees will be assisting in the parking lot with the collection of tax returns (and other mail) until 7:00PM. Although the last official collection from the blue boxes in front of the post office is 5:30PM, an additional collection at 7:00PM has been added to ensure tax returns get to the Richmond Processing and Distribution Center in time to get the April 17th postmark from automated mail processing machinery. Mail will be collected from the drop slot at the Self-Service Center at 7:00PM – mail dropped after that will be postmarked April 18th.Postage labels printed on April 17th for items mailed at the Self-Service Ship and Mail Center – formerly known as the Automated Postal Center – will bear the April 17th date as the “date of sale.” However, this is NOT the same as a postmark and does NOT constitute proof of mailing on April 17th. This is also true of “PC Postage,” postage that customers print at their homes or offices via the Click-N-Ship application. Those items must be accepted at a retail window, or collected from a mailbox or blue collection box in time to receive cancellation by mail processing machinery on the 17th.
Customers are also reminded that a Forever stamp – no matter when it was purchased – is valid First-Class postage for a one-ounce letter, which is typically one-to-two sheets of regular paper. If a customer thinks their item weighs more, they should add 20¢ for each additional ounce. Items can also be weighed at the Self-Service Center to learn how much postage is required, even if a customer does not need to buy postage from that source. The IRS will NOT pay postage on short-paid items and the item will be returned to the sender marked “postage due. ”Taxpayers are encouraged to not wait until the last minute to take care of this important task. The Richmond Main Office is the only office in the District with extended hours and additional collections. If you know you will be filing at the last minute, please be certain that you know the time of the last collection or the closing time of the office where you intend to mail your returns.The Internal Revenue Service will accept returns sent via Express Mail or Delivery Confirmation for those customers who would like verification that their return was delivered. The IRS accepts the postmark on the envelope as proof of timely filing. Customers can use Priority Mail with Delivery Confirmation if they want to confirm their return has been delivered.
If possible, mail returns using the address labels or pre-addressed envelopes sometimes provided by local, state and federal agencies. Always include a return address.
Due to increased security measures, envelopes or parcels weighing more than 13 ounces must be presented to a clerk at the window. Items weighing more than 13 ounces which are dropped in a collection box will be returned to the sender.
Again, 7:00PM is the latest time customers can have their mail collected at the Main Post Office in order to ensure their return bears the April 17th postmark. No other office in District has extended hours.
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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