Oregon is sounding the alarm for anyone still clinging to paper tax returns. State officials are urging residents to file 2025 taxes electronically this week, warning that recent U.S. Postal Service changes could keep mailed returns from getting an April 15 postmark if they are sent after April 9. That timing gap could trip up paper filers who think they are in the clear by dropping envelopes in the mail right before Tax Day.
To head off a last‑minute crunch, the Department of Revenue is pushing free e‑filing tools and reminding people about in‑person date‑stamping and secure drop‑box options for those who still need to file on paper.
What the state is saying
According to the Oregon Department of Revenue, “returns mailed after April 9 may not receive a postmark of April 15 or before.” In other words, if you are counting on the postmark to prove you filed on time, dropping your return in a box after April 9 is a risky bet.
The agency is strongly steering people toward e‑filing through Direct File Oregon or other electronic options, calling it the fastest way to get refunds and to receive the state’s refund “kicker” when it applies. The department also noted that paper return processing is moving more slowly this season because key federal forms arrived later than usual.
How to avoid a late return
As reported by KOIN, taxpayers who usually rely on snail mail have two safe paths this year. They can either get paper returns in the mail by April 9 or skip the postal drama altogether and e‑file.
KOIN’s coverage also highlights several free help options for people who need assistance getting returns ready, including AARP Tax‑Aide, IRS VITA sites, CASH Oregon and United Way’s MyFreeTaxes program.
Drop boxes and date‑stamping
Per the Oregon Department of Revenue, staff will be stationed in the lobby of the Revenue Building in Salem to accept and date‑stamp returns from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 13 through April 15. Regional DOR offices in Bend, Eugene, Gresham, Medford and Portland will also take hand‑delivered returns during their regular business hours.
The department says taxpayers who still want to use the Postal Service should ask a USPS clerk at a local post office to manually postmark their return no later than April 15 so there is clear proof of timely mailing.
After‑hours drop boxes are available outside several DOR offices for state returns. Officials caution, however, that those state drop boxes are not recommended for federal returns because the DOR cannot guarantee that the IRS will accept its date stamps as timely filing.
Why this is happening
News coverage points to a one‑two punch behind this year’s crunch: late‑arriving IRS forms that slowed down paper processing for states, and operational changes at the Postal Service that limit postmarking activity on Tax Day itself.
KXL has noted that more than nine in ten Oregon tax returns were filed electronically last year, but that still leaves tens of thousands of paper filers who are more likely to face slower processing and delayed refunds.
Bottom line: if you can e‑file, do it. Electronic returns avoid postmark headaches and move through the system faster. If you must stick with paper, get a manual postmark at a post office or hand‑deliver your return to a DOR office so you have solid proof that you filed on time.
