

Take into consideration renting a post office box in a less populated area, if you are able to drive the distance.Īlso, compare the rates charged by other local places like mom-and-pop retailers and UPS stores. Usually, the post office will ask you to sign a contract for three months, six months, or one year. You will be able to save more money if you rent the PO box for a longer period of time. Moreover, today, most post offices offer to scan the outside of your box so you can see online if you have to pick up your mail or not. Also, a PO box is very secure as you are the only one who has the key to access it. Another advantage is that you can pick up your mail at any hour of the day, not having to wait to have it delivered to your house. One of these is the permanent address, which means that you can move your business or home address without informing everyone about your new location.

However, there are many advantages as well to having a PO box. For instance, UPS will deliver only to a valid street address and not to a PO box. The mail that can be sent to the PO box is limited. Also, you will have to drive to the post office daily if you have a PO box. For instance, a PO box is not accepted as a valid address for many formal processes and documents. For instance, for a three months lease, you will get no refund, while for a one-year lease, you can get back 75% of your money within the first three months.Ī PO box comes with many benefits, but also with some disadvantages.

The post office can offer a refund, but there are certain rules and regulations. Some forms of identification are your college I.D., driver’s license, voter registration, insurance cards, passport, and others. No matter what route you take, you will have to present two valid forms of identification and at least one must have a photo of you. You can choose to apply for a PO box in person or online. It is recommended to call them beforehand to see what they have to offer, as these can vary. Some of the post offices may offer only three or four of the sizes presented above. You might also like our articles on the cost of a UPS PO Box, postage meter, or brick mailbox.Ī lock replacement or late payment fee of around $25 may be applied as well. In case you want an extra key, you will have to pay anywhere between $5 and $8, depending on the location of your post office.Įxpect to pay a re-key fee in case you lose the key to your PO box. When you rent a PO box, you will receive a key for it from the post office.
