Hanging Advertising on Mailboxes

Times are hard and people are trying to market home businesses.  If it's illegal, than it's illegal.  Glad I know now. 

you rich fucking assholes, that's how small businesses drum up busines. let's make all adverting illegal, so i dont have to get and promptly throw away your shit everyday

It is not illegal to attach flyers to the POST on a mailbox. But yes, it's totally illegal to put a flyer or non-stamped anything anywhere on (let alone IN) the receptacle portion of the mailbox.

I know it's legal to attach flyers to the post because I asked the USPS myself. It is however, a huge pain to attach them to the post in a way that doesn't involve rubber bands, and tape is not much better because then if it blows off then you get blamed for littering. This all makes the start up small business owner rethink the idea of paying for a solicitor's permit, which (depending on the municipality) allows one to approach the home and put on on the door knob or even taped to the door. (Yes, wind can blow those away too, but you can't have everything.)

But the main idea like F-word off said, it's to drum up business. But the goal should be to, as soon as possible, upgrade to something like EDDM or some other service that allows the marketing to legally go directly inside the mailbox. Because let's face it. NO one likes having stuff attached to their mailbox post, door or door knob. But no small business owner likes not doing what they have to do to survive either.

And yes, advocating for the banning of having adverts posted on one's door is out of touch, and a bit mean spirited. Though I can sort of appreciate the sentiment. It's just a little smug coming from someone who's found a way to make a living w/out having to start up a small business.

Those permits only cost $50 in most cases. That's a lot cheaper than being labeled a criminal and/or being fined.

On second thought, I just read the following at this link:

http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/508.htm#wp1051804

"3.2.5 Advertising
Any advertising on a mailbox or its support is prohibited."

This tells me I need to call that person I spoke w/ at the post office and tell her she's contradicting her employer's own web site. They obviously can't both be right.

. . . Yes, it is I again. I spoke w/ 3 different people today w/ the USPS (2 local, one at the national help desk). I was told by the two different local folks that no, it's still okay to attach flyers to the post, just no on, in or near the receptacle.

The person at the national help desk said the only way to be sure is to check w/ one's local post office, and if 2 people from the local post office said it's okay (what I just described) then it's okay.

I could have hammered for more assurance and grilled them with more detailed questions but even I'm not that much of a glutton for punishment.

I just prefer to know what I'm doing . . .

Hi FryingPan9:

If you read the Domestic Mail Manual as mentioned in the post above, section 3.1.2 Exclusions states:

“The post or other support is not part of the receptacle.”

Hi Karen,

Thanks so much for responding. I'm sorry it took me almost 2 weeks to remember to thank you. I am the king of tunnel vision so it's no surprise I missed section 3.1.2 :)