What's the fine for putting business cards in mailboxes?

Placing unstamped material in a mailbox is a federal offense, and the penalties are steep enough that it is never worth the gamble. Under the law that governs mailable matter left without postage, each piece can carry a fine, and every mailbox you touch counts as its own violation, so the totals add up quickly across a single street.

• The fine applies per piece, so a route of mailboxes multiplies the exposure fast.
• Individuals and organizations face different maximum penalties, with organizations liable for more.
• The risk far outweighs any reach you would gain from dropping cards uninvited.
• Reaching the same homes through a proper mailing service is both legal and more effective.