USPS Postmark Changes May Affect Louisiana Tax Filings

LA DOR News & Announcements

Published February 5th, 2026

Detected March 20th, 2026

Summary

The Louisiana Department of Revenue (LDR) is alerting taxpayers to changes in USPS postmark application, which may cause mailed tax filings and payments to be considered late. LDR recommends electronic filing and payment via LaTAP to avoid potential penalties and interest.

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What changed

The Louisiana Department of Revenue (LDR) has issued a notice regarding changes in how the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) applies postmarks. Previously, postmarks reflected the date an item was mailed; now, they generally reflect the date of first processing at a postal facility. This change means mailed tax returns and payments may receive a postmark one or more days after they were actually sent, potentially causing them to be deemed late under Louisiana law, which requires a postmark on or before the due date. This could result in penalties and interest for taxpayers who mail close to a deadline.

To mitigate these risks, LDR strongly advises taxpayers to utilize their electronic filing and payment portal, LaTAP, which provides immediate confirmation and is unaffected by postal processing times. For those who must mail documents, LDR recommends mailing well in advance of deadlines, requesting manual postmarks at a USPS retail counter, or using certified or registered mail for items sent close to a due date.

What to do next

Advise taxpayers to file and pay electronically via LaTAP.
Encourage taxpayers who mail to do so early or use USPS retail counter for manual postmark or certified/registered mail.

Penalties

Penalties and interest may be applied to late-filed or late-paid tax returns and payments.

Source document (simplified)

USPS Postmark Changes May Affect Timely Tax Filings and Payments

Updated February 05, 2026

BATON ROUGE – The Louisiana Department of Revenue (LDR) is advising taxpayers of a change in how the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) applies postmarks to mailed items. This change may affect whether certain mailed tax returns and payments are considered timely.

USPS now generally applies postmarks based on the date an item is first processed at a postal facility, rather than the date it is placed in a mailbox or handed to a mail carrier. As a result, a mailed document may receive a postmark one or more days after it was actually mailed.

For tax returns and payments that are permitted to be submitted by mail, Louisiana law generally considers them timely only if the USPS postmark date is on or before the due date. Because postmark dates may occur after the actual mailing date, taxpayers who mail close to a deadline may be subject to penalties and interest, even if the item was mailed on time.

LDR Recommendation

To avoid issues related to USPS postmark timing, LDR strongly encourages taxpayers to file returns and make payments electronically using LaTAP.

LaTAP (Louisiana Taxpayer Access Point) is LDR’s secure, free online filing and payment portal. Electronic submissions are recorded immediately and are not affected by mail delays or postmark timing.

Access LaTAP at:
https://latap.revenue.louisiana.gov/

Taxpayers who choose to mail returns or payments are encouraged to mail early and, if close to a deadline, visit a USPS retail counter to request a manual postmark or use certified or registered mail.

For media inquiries, contact:

Byron Henderson
Public Information Director
[email protected]

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