Gifts for Mail Carriers

Gifts for mail carriers should start with the recipient's employer rules and your relationship to them. A noncash token may be appropriate for a customer thank-you, while a personal friend may have different preferences; do not assume a product category automatically fits an applicable value limit.

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Check the gift rules before shopping

USPS's published customer-gift guidance permits gifts worth $20 or less per customer per occasion, with no more than $50 from a customer in a calendar year. Cash and cash equivalents, including checks and gift cards exchangeable for cash, are not permitted. Check the official USPS gift guidance before giving; the linked bulletin is dated 2012, and other delivery employers may have different policies. Choose a physical item only after confirming its actual value and whether it can be accepted.

A small thank-you should be easy to accept or decline. Do not leave a personalized item before checking whether the recipient can receive it, and do not assume the current price of a bottle or lunch bag falls below a policy limit. For a food gift, keep the original ingredient labels and choose only a preference you know. Hand warmers, lip balm and clothing need the recipient's own request rather than assumptions about weather or health. If you know the carrier socially, clarify the context without presuming an exemption from employer rules. Other delivery employers need their own guidance checked before shopping.

Different workers have different gift rules

The recipient might instead be a school bus driver, truck driver or crossing guard; see gifts for school bus drivers, gifts for truck drivers and gifts for crossing guards for those distinct roles. Do not transfer the USPS limits in this guide to another employer. Gift Finder can generate noncash ideas to consider, but eligibility and the complete value still need checking against the carrier’s applicable gift policy.