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Three things the United States Postal Service thinks you should know:

1. Tax Day this year is Tuesday, April 17. The deadline is moved from April 15 (Sunday) because of the weekend and the observance of Emancipation Day, a Washington DC holiday.

2. No extended Post Office hours in SC. The overwhelming majority of South Carolinians file electronically, so there will be no extended hours for Post Offices or collection boxes in South Carolina ZIPs 290-6.  Collection box schedules are posted on usps.com under “locate a post office”, then select “more info”.

3. No hard-copy tax forms at SC Post Offices. Post Offices in SC do not distribute tax forms. Tax payers will be able to pick them up at IRS offices and online.  Click here for South Carolina IRS locations.

Tax Day Mailing Tips from the United States Postal Service:

 
• Taxpayers are urged to avoid the typical errors made when mailing their returns this year, which are: unsigned forms, not enough postage and depositing returns in collection boxes whose pickup time is past.

• Use pre-addressed labels where possible. Write clearly. Take special care to ensure that handwritten envelopes are legible.  Include a return address.

• Use First-Class postage --The Internal Revenue Service recognizes the First-Class letter postmark as proof a return was mailed on time.

• Affix sufficient postage. One ounce is 45 cents; 20 cents for each additional ounce--2 oz. 65 cents; 3 oz 85 cents.  Weigh any return that feels heavier than one ounce.

• Rule of thumb: up to 5 sheets of 20-lb. paper in a #10 envelope equals one ounce.

• The IRS does not accept postage due mail even if it has the April 17 postmark; tax returns bearing insufficient postage will be returned—meaning taxpayers will be penalized for filing late tax returns.

• For customers who send original receipts to tax agencies, registered mail is a good choice.

• Make certain bulky envelopes are securely sealed.

• Postal regulations require that stamped tax returns weighing 13 oz. or more must be mailed at a post office.  They cannot be mailed in a collection box. 

• Automated Postal Centers (APC), or self-service kiosks, are available 24/7 at 29 larger South Carolina Post Offices (locations at Postal Locator on usps.com), and an April 17 date stamp/postmark will be provided if the mail is deposited by the last pickup time posted on the Automated Postal Center on April 17.  Certified/Return Receipt service is available.