The Fourth of July is this weekend and if you need to mail a package or conduct a banking transaction, you may want to consider planning ahead.
That’s because most banks and post offices will be closed on Saturday, July 4 in observance of the federal holiday.
The origins of the Fourth of July date back to July 4, 1776, when the U.S. unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence. However, the annual observation of the holiday only became a regular occurrence after the War of 1812, when events such as groundbreaking ceremonies for the Erie Canal and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad were scheduled to coincide with Fourth of July festivities, according to the Library of Congress. Congress passed a law making Independence Day a federal holiday on June 28, 1870.
Here’s what you need to know about banks, post offices and shipping services, and whether or not they’ll be open on the Fourth of July.
All post offices will be closed for retail transactions and there will be no regular residential or business mail deliveries on Saturday, July 4, according to the U.S. Postal Service’s website. Post offices will, however, be open on Friday, July 3 and mail delivery will occur as normal.
Priority Mail Express is available 365 days a year, including federal holidays.
Since Independence Day is a federal holiday, most branches of national banks such as Bank of America, Wells Fargo and CitiBank, among others, will be closed on July 4.
It is always a good idea to check with your local bank branch for specific holiday hours.
UPS pickup and delivery services will not be available on July 4 and UPS Store locations may be closed, according to the company’s website. Check with your local store for specific hours of operation.
UPS Express Critical is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Customers can visit www.marken.com or call 1-800-714-8779 for more information.
Most of FedEx’s pickup and delivery services will not be available on July 4, according to the company’s website. FedEx Office hours will also be modified, so it is best to check with your local store for their specific hours.
FedEx Custom Critical, however, is available 24/7, according to the company.
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@usatodayco.com.