PRIVACY! NO one except the homeowner or postal carrier should ever reach into my mailbox. I don't care what your intention is, it's illegal and I follow the law. I would never open the unlocked door of your car to place something inside and you wouldn't want me to do so; neither would you want me to do anything similar to your unlocked home. So, don't do it to my mailbox, because to me it's NO different than coming into my home without my permission. There are laws in place, yes initially it was the monopoly the USPS had over the mail and their wanting every penny of their earnings, but now it comes down to things like privacy, security and identity theft - so STAY OUT OF THE MAILBOXES unless you're a postal carrier.

According to the USPS's "Postal Explorer" website, "No part of a mail receptacle may be used to deliver any matter not bearing postage including items or matter placed upon, supported by, attached to, hung from, or inserted into a mail receptacle" (See below for the full section on this).

So the answer is no; flyers, along with any other matter that has not been sent officially through the United States Post Office and with the proper amount of postage, may not be put in, *or on*, a mailbox.

The Postal Explorer website can be found here: http://pe.usps.gov/

With the PDF regarding recipient services here: http://pe.usps.gov/Archive/PDF/DMMArchive0106/508.pdf

And the full article relating to this question/answer:
3.1.3 Use for Mail
Except under 3.2.11, Newspaper Receptacle, the receptacles described in 3.1.1
may be used only for matter bearing postage. Other than as permitted by 3.2.10,
Delivery of Unstamped Newspapers, or 3.2.11, no part of a mail receptacle may be
used to deliver any matter not bearing postage, including items or matter placed
upon, supported by, attached to, hung from, or inserted into a mail receptacle. Any
mailable matter not bearing postage and found as described above is subject to the
same postage as would be paid if it were carried by mail. [D041.1.3]

Hope this helps!

I HAVE PUT OUT 1000S OF FLYERS IN MAIL BOXES AND FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY A MAN CALLED ME AND WAS VERY MAD I
DID NOT KNOW THAT IT WAS NOT LEGAL
I AM A MOM OF 4.
I LEFT MY OUTHER 1 YEAR AGO AND HE WAS THE BREAD WINNER SO WITH 4 KIDS 1300 MOR.I HAVE NO MONEY FOR ADVERTISING SO I MAKE ALL MY FLYERS AT HOME AND PUT THEM IN MAIL BOXES
I DONT WONT TO MAKE ANYONE MAD I JUST WONT TO FEED AND HOUSE MY KIDS

Laws vary world wide ...

In Canada, it is legal to distribute advertising door to door ... however, if there is a visible sticker on or near THAT mailbox saying "No Flyers/Pas des Circulaires" then you MUST not put it in THAT mailbox, or you will be both charged and fined (up to 30 days + $1,000.00 per mailbox violation) ... those people have clearly posted their desire to NOT be solicited.

straight from the USPS:
https://hdusps.esecurecare.net/.../std_adp.php

Unless you put dangerous or obscene things in people's mailboxes, nobody gives a damn. Don't be afraid to distribute your fliers. I have never seen a case where somebody was being sued for putting a harmless flier in the mailbox.

Sure, you can place your business card on OR in anyone's mailbox. It's the same as distributing handbills, door hangers or flyers.

You have to abide by the USPS guidelines for what you distribute - weight, content (no flammables, explosives, scheduled drugs, live animals, etc), and you also need to use reasonable judgment and not distribute anything that would get you a citation for disorderly conduct, mayhem, etc. or you'll get a citation. Don't hand out racist fliers or chain letters ;)

(chain letters -are- illegal)

Otherwise, (un)fortunately, it's fair game.

bob your not the brightest color in the box are you? The post office is operating a monopoly and the federal government is supporting it. To say mail them your suggesting that one has thousands of dollars laying around in a marketing plan to do so. If you dont' want to get a flyer on your door, then move out in the country where your out of society.
I pass out flyers for years, and Bob! I do NOT want a client like you to ever call me. It is illegal to put in or on outside of mailbox, but you can put them on the post of the mailbox, regardless of what the usps website says, you are ok. Personally I dont' think they should be able to prosecute unless and only if it was placed inside, which I TOTALLY understand with all idenity theft goin around. I think the law needs to be changed, after all the homeowner owns the box NOT THE POST OFFICE!

Shawn

I use postit notes for advertising and have been for years. I put on the out side of the mailbox of course not abstracting the anything on the mailbox. I have not seen law any anywhere that says its illegal to put anything on a mailbox. Ive been look for this law and have not seenit. If some one has a place I can read this for my self and have my lawyer review it, im looking for laws for the state of minnesota Please let me know