Is it illegal to put flyers in people's mailboxes?

Question

I've been putting flyers in people's mailboxes to announce my new business. Some lady just called me and said it is illegal to do that and she's going to report me to the post office.

Answer 1

Adding to the already correct answers:
It is illegal to put anything in a residential mailbox unless...
you apply the proper amount of postage to the article. That would be silly though, since if you wanted to put postage on the articles, you may as well mail them and save yourself the time.
You CAN put flyers next to the mailbox, or attach them to the outside of the mailbox.
When I find flyers in the mailbox on my route, I return them to the Post Office. The station manager then contacts the person or company distributing the flyer. The post office can decide to levy a fine or charge against the offender.
Better to put the flyer at the front door. Watch out for dogs!

Answer 2

It will depend which country you are in and their law. In Singapore, normally the flyers are distributed at night time or when there is much less people. So it could be illegal.

You could think how to advertise using online means which is legal and also may not cost much. If your target audience is local, then you could get to those local websites.


There is a lot of way to advertise either free or at a very low cost online. These are broadly classified into 3 main area. 1) Buy Traffic 2)Build Traffic and 3)Steal Traffic. All of these are trying to get more visitor to visit your websites and eventually know more of you and buy the products/services from you.

I normally use (2) and (3) as some of these methods are often free or at a low cost.

Find out more from the below link, it tell you how to setup a successful online business including the ways for better marketing online. It will tell you what are these steps, the reason for each step, how you could go around doing it and where you could get the necessary resources free or at a low price.

Hope that it will be useful to you.

Answer 3

Yes, it is illegal to put flyers inside mailboxes. I wasn't sure about being able to tape them on the outside of the big mailboxes that have 20 mailboxes inside of one unit.

This is what I do. I make two fliers per page. Cut them in half. Then staple a rubberband to the upper corner (cheap at WalMart, use the thinner ones). Then I send a msg to my FB neighborhood moms and ask if I can borrow a couple of their kids to pass out the fliers and hang them on doorknobs. I pay the kids a dime a flier to pass them out. They can make a game out of it and see who hangs the most the fastest, then you give them a tip. Kids love to make money, it's a game for them and cheap labor for you! I'm disabled so I can't do it myself. AND IT WORKS!!

Answer 4

Scentsy Flyer

Answer 5

It is a Federal crime to put anything in the mailbox. However, try putting your flyers in people's doors instead.

Answer 6

no u just can't put in the mailboxes. We've done the passing out of flyer's also in the past. Good luck

Answer 7

It is a violation ot USPS reg's to put anything into a post box that is not US mail.

Best way to deliver flyers is to make them into 'door hangers' on slightly stiffer cardboard and hand them on gates, front door handles, etc/

Answer 8

I think it may be, but I think that if you switch to putting them on the door (between the handle and door frame) that should be fine (I get them there a fair amount). Why not just call the post office and ask them. Also, even if it is illegal I doubt the post office will care to very much - but best to follow the letter of the law regardless.

Answer 9

Great point, I'd like to know more as well

Answer 10

Definitely illegal in the US.