Legal Definitions - postmark

A postmark is an official mark or stamp applied by a postal service onto an item of mail, such as a letter or package. Its primary functions are to cancel the postage stamp, preventing its reuse, and to officially record the date and location where the mail item was processed by the post office. This mark serves as verifiable proof of when and where an item was mailed or received.

• Example 1: Meeting a Legal Deadline
  Imagine a small business owner who needs to mail an important legal document, such as an appeal, by a specific deadline of October 31st. They drop the envelope into a mailbox just before the last collection on October 31st. The post office applies a postmark to the envelope. This postmark, bearing the date October 31st, officially proves that the document was sent on time, even if it doesn't arrive at its destination until November 2nd. The date on the postmark is legally recognized as the submission date.

• Example 2: Eligibility for a Promotional Offer
  A company offers a rebate for a product, stating that all rebate forms must be "postmarked by December 15th" to be valid. A customer mails their completed rebate form on December 14th. The postal service then applies a postmark to their envelope, clearly showing the date December 14th. This official mark confirms that the customer's submission met the deadline, making them eligible for the rebate, regardless of when the company actually receives the mail.

• Example 3: Establishing Priority in a Creative Work
  An aspiring author wants to establish a record of the date they completed a new short story, in case of future disputes over originality. Before registering it with the copyright office, they mail a copy of the manuscript to themselves via certified mail. The postmark on the sealed envelope, bearing a specific date, provides an independent, official record of when that version of the manuscript existed and was sent, which can be useful evidence of prior creation.