COLUMBIA — A change in the United States Postal Service’s postmarking process may impact time-sensitive mail across the country, including mailed tax payments in Richland County.

The USPS has implemented a new rule, effective Dec. 24, 2025, that mail will no longer be postmarked on the day a post office receives it. Instead, first-class mail will be postmarked once it arrives at a regional mail processing facility.

This change will delay the postmarking process by 1-2 business days, according to a press release from Richland County. For county residents, this could mean taking an earlier trip to the post office to mail their real estate tax payments.

Regardless of the date the post office receives the payment, real estate tax payments will be considered late after a postmarked date of Jan. 15. Richland County Treasurer Kendra L. Scott warned that taxpayers who aren’t aware of this change to the postmarking process may incur late fees if their mailed payments are postmarked after the Jan. 15 deadline.

The postmarked date on a piece of mail determines whether time-sensitive mail, such as tax payments, are considered on-time or late. All Richland County mail will still be processed based on the postmarked date.

To avoid the possibility of late fees, Richland County residents can pay their taxes in person at either 2020 Hampton St. or at Synovus bank offices in the Midlands, through the county’s website or at one of three tax payment kiosks located throughout Richland County. The kiosks are self-serviced and operational from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m Monday-Friday.