Proposed Change to Firearms Mailing Rules by U.S. Postal Service

On April 2, 2026, the U.S. Postal Service is set to propose an update to its Firearms Mailing Standards. This change would enable the mailing of legal handguns in the same way that long guns and shotguns currently can be sent.

Earlier, on January 15, 2026, it was reported that the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) issued a formal opinion claiming the ban on mailing handguns infringes upon the Second Amendment.

The recent announcement from the post office indicates that the forthcoming rule proposal aims to align with the OLC’s opinion.

The OLC’s memo for the Attorney General stated that section 1715 of Title 18 in the U.S. Code is unconstitutional when applied to firearms protected by the Constitution, including handguns. They argued that this regulation serves an unlawful purpose, contradicting the nation’s firearms regulatory practices. The OLC determined that the Postal Service should revise its rules to reflect the Second Amendment’s scope.

The Postal Service collaborated with the OLC to create the regulations amendment, which broadens the types of firearms that can be mailed. The new rule would permit the mailing of legal handguns under the same conditions as legal rifles and shotguns.

After the proposed rule is published, the Postal Service will accept public comments for 30 days.