USPS Proposes Rule Allowing Handguns to Be Mailed

For the first time in nearly a century, the United States Postal Service is proposing a rule change that would allow everyday citizens to mail handguns and other concealable firearms. The proposed change, which recently concluded its public comment period, follows a January 2026 Department of Justice opinion declaring the 1927 statute that banned such mailings unconstitutional. If adopted, the new regulations will reclassify pistols and revolvers as mailable items under the same strict transport conditions currently applied to rifles and shotguns.

A Reversal of Century-Old Policy

Under the current system, federal law prohibits ordinary citizens from mailing concealable firearms through the USPS, forcing gun owners to rely on common carriers like FedEx and UPS. However, in recent years, those private transport companies have adopted stringent policies of their own, often refusing to ship firearms for anyone other than licensed manufacturers, dealers, and importers. According to the gun rights publication The Reload, a January memorandum from the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel determined that the 1927 postal ban stifled the legitimate transportation of firearms for lawful purposes, leaving gun owners with virtually no viable shipping options.

Aligning With the Second Amendment

The USPS officially introduced the proposal in April 2026 to conform with the Trump administration's DOJ guidance regarding the Second Amendment. Under the new guidelines, handguns could be mailed by non-licensed individuals as long as the firearms are unloaded, securely packaged without exterior markings indicating their contents, and shipped using tracking and signature capture. As reported by CBS News, the rules would permit individuals to ship a gun to someone within state lines or to mail a handgun to themselves in the care of another person across state lines—provided they comply with all applicable local and federal regulations.

Pushback from State Leaders

The proposal has sparked intense backlash from gun safety advocates and Democratic officials who warn that the shift will open a dangerous new pipeline for weapons trafficking. A coalition of two dozen state attorneys general, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford, submitted a formal letter vehemently opposing the change. According to the Los Angeles Times, the coalition argues that bypassing licensed sellers and federally mandated background checks will make it easier for felons and domestic abusers to illegally obtain weapons through the mail system.

Attorney General Ford emphasized that the postal change threatens to undo years of state-level progress in combating gun violence. This point is particularly resonant in places like Nevada, which passed state-administered background checks on most private gun sales following the devastating 2017 mass shooting at a Las Vegas casino hotel. Opponents argue that the federal postal system lacks the necessary mechanisms to verify if private recipients are complying with localized safety laws.

Gun Rights Groups Celebrate Victory

Conversely, Second Amendment advocates have championed the move as a long-overdue correction of federal overreach. Organizations like Gun Owners of America—which filed a federal lawsuit challenging the mailing restrictions last year—and the National Rifle Association have applauded the USPS and the Department of Justice for recognizing the constitutional protections surrounding firearm ownership. Representatives from the NRA lauded the proposal as a major victory for law-abiding gun owners, noting that it simply subjects handguns to the same commonsense mailing requirements that have governed long guns for decades.

Editorial Takeaway

As the USPS wades through what is likely an avalanche of public comments following the May 4 deadline, the proposal stands as a profound illustration of how administrative interpretation can swiftly reshape the American gun control landscape. Whether this century-old ban is permanently lifted or stalled by impending legal challenges from opposing states, the debate over how—and if—firearms travel through the federal mail system is poised to become a defining Second Amendment battle of 2026.