Can the Mailman Skip Your House? (We Asked the USPS)

We all know the agony and anticipation of waiting for an expected letter or package delivery.  If you think your mailman is skipping your house, you’re probably frustrated and anxious.  The big question is, can the mailman skip your house while delivering mail?

A mailman will only skip your house when it is hazardous or otherwise impossible to reach your mailbox. If there is no mail for you, your mailbox is obstructed, or is dangerous to get to, it’s possible the mailman will skip your house.

If you’re unsure why the mailman skipped over you, keep reading. We’ve got all the common reasons for a mailman to skip over your house, as well as tips and tricks to ensure it never happens again! 

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What You Need to Know About Your Mailman

The post office is one of the most significant parts of the federal government. Your mailman is responsible for getting you and your neighbors the mail they are waiting for. Have questions about your mailman? We’ve got answers!

Are Mailmen Allowed to Skip Your House?

If you have an obstruction blocking your mailbox, the mailman might skip your house. If they cannot access your mailbox, they can’t leave the mail anyway, and they’re on a tight schedule. 

If you notice you haven’t gotten mail in a few days, consider checking on your mailbox. 

If the ground is icy or otherwise dangerous, or if a car or other large object blocks your mailbox from being easily accessible, your mailman will not take the time to move it. 

Is It Normal to Not Get Mail for Three Days?

While it is entirely normal not to get mail for a day or two, you might want to check with your local post office after three days.  There is possibly an issue with your mailbox, or your mail has been stopped.

On the other hand, if you notice you’re not getting mail on specific days (for instance, you never see your mailman on Wednesdays but you see him every other weekday), you may want to consider informing the post office. 

Does the Post Office Have the Right to Refuse Service?

The post office has the right to refuse service if your mailbox is obstructed damaged or if it is dangerous to get to it.  This can include natural impediments such as ice or other issues such as a loose dog or a car blocking the mailbox. 

If you notice you haven’t gotten mail, try fixing these issues before reaching out to the post office. If there is no visible reason for the mailman to skip you, you can call or go to your local post office to find out why you’re not receiving mail. 

If you are still having issues receiving mail, be sure to talk to the postmaster at your local post office. They will be happy to discuss alternatives with you, so you do not miss any more mail. 

You might also enjoy our post on If DHL Can Deliver to Mailboxes

Does the Mailman Have to Come Every Day?

In most cases, your mailman will come every day, with Sunday being a possible exception.  Not only will your mailman drop off any mail addressed to you, but they also will pick up any mail you have to be sent out if you indicate that you want it taken. 

If you do not have any mail to be delivered one day, and you do not have an indicator that you have mail to be picked up, your mailman may skip over you for the day. 

This is not a slight to you. Most mailpeople are very busy, and skipping your house saves precious seconds! 

Can USPS Deliver Twice in One Day?

Your typical letter carrier picks up all the mail they’re responsible for in the morning and spends the day delivering it, not going back to the post office until they are finishing up their route. Therefore, they will not return to you twice on the same day.

You may receive your mail from USPS, then later on in the day receive a package from a different delivery company.  These two companies are entirely independent and do not communicate or synchronize delivery services. 

How Many Times Does a Mailman Come a Day?

The person who delivers your mail via the United States Postal Service will only deliver mail to your home once a day.  You may receive mail or packages from other companies as well.

During the holiday season, you may see an increase in the amount of mail and delivery people out on your street. Unfortunately, this is the only possible exemption to the one delivery a day rule, and only in highly populated areas. 

Keeping Watch for the Mailman

If you’ve been tracking a package, you may be waiting at the window to see the mailman approach your house.  We’ve got all the best options to be able to see where your mailman is, with no window watching necessary!

How Do I Find Out Where My Mailman Is?

If you’re desperate to find out exactly where your mailman is, you can call your local post office. They’ll know your mailman’s route and can give you an approximation of when you can expect your mail to be delivered. 

Alternatively, you can check any package tracking information online. This can tell you if a package is out for delivery and an approximate delivery time.  

Remember, however, that you cannot track down a mailman and get your mail directly from them. Instead, you have to wait until they deliver it to your box! 

Can I Track My Mailman?

You cannot track your mailman directly, but you can track mail and packages if they have tracking information.  You can get this information from the website you bought things from or by checking the USPS website.  

The United States Post System does not have a tracking system specifically, so people cannot track down their mail person and try to get their mail directly from the truck. 

Trying to do so throws off your mailman’s delivery schedule and is not allowed. 

How Do I Know if the Mailman Came?

If you put a letter in your mailbox and raise the indicator flag, your mailman will lower the flag when they’ve picked up the letter.  You can also tell the mailman came if you have mail in a previously empty mailbox. 

Most mail carriers have the same route and schedule every day, so if you’ve always gotten a mail delivery around a specific time, you can safely assume your mail will continue coming around that same time unless there’s a route change. 

You might also enjoy our post on If You Can Have Two Mailboxes at Your House

What to Do if You’ve Been Skipped

If you’re expecting a package, it’s very frustrating to realize your mailman has skipped your house. Finally, we’ve got the answers as to why you were skipped, and we can tell you how to prevent it from happening again!  

Why Did USPS Drive Past My House?

If USPS drove past your house without stopping to deliver anything, it was probably for one of two reasons. Reason one, there isn’t any mail to deliver to you today, and your flag wasn’t up to indicate that you had mail to send out.

Reason two, there is something unsafe at your mailbox site, or your mailbox is obstructed. If your mail carrier feels unsafe delivering to your house, maybe because of a loose animal or ice, they have the right to skip your home.  

Why Does USPS Skip My House?

USPS may skip your house because your mailbox is missing, damaged, or obstructed.  Consider reaching out to your local post office if you’re not getting mail.  The Postmaster will be happy to inform you if there are any issues with your residence.  

Additionally, the Postmaster would happily discuss options to fix your issues. For example, if your mailbox is obstructed, they can tell you when to be outside to get your mail directly from the carrier. 

They can also assist in figuring out other solutions as applicable. 

What Reasons May Impact Mail Delivery?

There are a few reasons your mail may be late or missing.  If you are waiting for packages and mail around the holidays, the volume of mail waiting to be delivered can be a big reason mail delivery is running late. 

You may also notice a slowing in your mail delivery if the weather has been bad.  Any significant storms or weather events can prevent your mail person from safely delivering your mail. 

Don’t worry, they’ll get to you as soon as they safely can! 

Can the Mailman Refuse to Deliver Mail Because of My Dog?

If you have a loose dog that is a little too friendly (or unfriendly) to your mailman, they may refuse to deliver mail to your house.  Just because you know Fido won’t ever hurt the mailman doesn’t mean Fido and the mailman agree! 

If you haven’t gotten mail delivered because of a loose dog in your yard, you can always pick up your mail from the local post office. 

The Postmaster can also inform you when your mail delivery will be so you can bring your dog inside before the mailman gets there. 

Will I Still Receive Mail if My Mailbox Is Full?

If your mailbox is full and unable to receive any more mail, the mail carrier will stop delivering mail to your box and instead leave you a notice that your mail is being held at your local post office. 

The post office will then hold your mail for up to ten days.  If you have not come in to get your mail at the end of the ten days, the post office will return all correspondence to the sender. 

Alternatively, you can fill out a form to schedule the redelivery of your mail. 

Can a Mailman Refuse to Deliver Mail Because of Snow?

While mailpeople will always do their absolute best to deliver mail no matter what the weather, there are times when getting mail delivered is just not feasible. Your mail carrier will not deliver mail if they deem your residence is too dangerous.  

If there is a delay due to snow, the mail carriers will do their best to get your mail to you as soon as possible after a major storm. 

Make sure you’ve cleared a safe path from the street to your mailbox and that the mailbox itself is unobstructed.

You might also enjoy our post on If You Can Decorate Your Mailbox

Is It Illegal for a Mailman to Not Deliver Mail?

Your mail carrier has the right not to deliver mail if they feel unsafe.  If they do so, you will receive formal notice.  Otherwise, mailpeople do not have the right to keep your mail from you.

If you think your mail is being unfairly kept from you, you can contact your local post office and Postmaster to file a complaint.  

Additionally, it’s worth noting that by U.S. Code, if a Postal Service worker is found to have unlawfully kept your mail from you or destroyed it, they may face fines and up to five years in prison. 

Delivery Woes

Missing out on long-awaited mail can certainly cause a damper on your day. Let’s find out what you can do if the mailman fails to deliver. 

What Happens if the Postman Doesn’t Deliver?

If the Postman cannot deliver your mail, you will receive a notice as to why.  For example, it may be because your mailbox was full or because your mailman didn’t feel safe attempting delivery.  

You can go to the local post office to retrieve your missing mail when this happens.  Otherwise, the mail person will attempt delivery again the following day. 

If they cannot deliver and you do not go pick up the mail in question, it will eventually be returned to the sender. 

What Happens if the Mailman Skips Your House?

Nothing will happen if the mailman skips your house because there is no mail to be delivered. However, if your home was missed because of dangerous conditions, you might have to consider getting a P.O. box or changing the location of your current mailbox. 

Typically, you will be notified if the mailman skips your house for a reason. However, if you’re unsure why you were missed, you can always reach out to your local Post Office and ask. 

The Postmaster will be happy to help you figure out a solution to your mail troubles. 

Next Steps After Missing a Delivery

If you know you didn’t get a scheduled delivery, or if you think your mail carrier is not delivering your mail in a timely fashion, you need to know what to do next.  We’ve got the best ways to handle a late delivery!

What Do You Do if the Mailman Doesn’t Deliver?

If the mailman doesn’t deliver mail that you’re sure should be delivered that day, be sure to double-check any tracking information you have for that item.  It’s possible the shipping was delayed.  

If the item wasn’t delayed, another reason for a missed delivery includes the mailman being unable to reach your mailbox, possibly due to a dangerous condition or obstruction. 

Contact your local Post Office for more information.

What Should I Do if I Have a Lazy Mail Carrier?

If you’re certain your mail carrier is not performing its duties correctly and timely, you can file a complaint with USPS.  If your local post office doesn’t seem concerned, you can also contact the Postal Service Consumer & Industry Contact office.

One important note, if you’re concerned that your mail carrier is not picking up outgoing mail when they don’t have any to deliver to you, be sure to contact your local post office.

Not all mail carriers are required to pick up mail if they otherwise do not need to go to your mailbox.

What Should I Do if My Mailman Refuses to Deliver My Mail?

If you’re running into issues with your mailman refusing to deliver your mail and you don’t know why try contacting your local post office.  There may be an issue you don’t see that is keeping your mailman from delivering mail to your home.

For example, your mailman might consider your pets a risk, or they may consider your driveway a safety issue.  The Postmaster will explain the issues to you and work with you on a way to solve them. 

What Should I Do if My Mailman Is Withholding My Mail?

If you believe your mailman is withholding your mail you can contact your local Post Office.  The Postmaster will be able to tell you why your mail is being withheld and what you can do to get your mail delivery back on schedule. 

If you are still having issues after speaking to your local post office, you can contact USPS through their website to inform them of the issue.  They can have a third party look into the issue for you. 

You might also enjoy our post on If Amazon Can Deliver to Mailboxes

Related Questions

Can USPS Use Your Driveway?

The USPS will always park where they can pull out without having to back up, as much as they can.  This minimizes the risk of hazards and damaged property from an accident with their large mail trucks. 

While USPS may pull into your driveway to drop off a package, unless they feel comfortable enough to turn around in your driveway, most likely they will park at the end of your street and walk up and down it.  This minimizes hazard risks. 

Can a Mailman Refuse to Pick up Mail?

There are specific instances where a mailman can refuse to pick up mail.  These are mostly limited to events where the mailman does not feel it is safe to pick up the mail.  Examples include if a loose dog is running around the property or if there is an obstruction to the mailbox.

Once the problem has been solved, your mailman should resume their usual pick-up and delivery schedule. 

If you have resolved the problem and the mailman is still not picking up your mail, you can always contact your local post office for help.

Final Thoughts

Not getting mail can be frustrating.  We hope the information we’ve provided in this article allows you to get all your mail issues fixed with little hassle.

Remember, if you are having trouble with your mailman, be sure and contact your local post office, they can give you all the info you need!