To establish an address with the Post Office, rent a PO Box at any participating USPS location, or use the free General Delivery service if you only need a temporary place to receive mail. A PO Box gives you a fixed, secure address with rental terms of 3, 6, or 12 months; General Delivery holds mail for you at a Post Office counter for up to 30 days at no cost. Either way, the setup takes one trip once you have your IDs and payment ready.
PO Box or General Delivery: Which One Fits
A PO Box is the right answer if you want a stable address you can put on bills, subscriptions, and shipping labels for the foreseeable future. You pay a rental fee, you get keys, and the address is yours until you close it.
General Delivery is the right answer if you’re between places, traveling, or otherwise don’t have a permanent address yet. It’s free, requires no application, and works at participating Post Offices, but mail is only held for up to 30 days and private carriers won’t ship to it.1USPS FAQ. What is General Delivery
What You Need to Bring
Every PO Box applicant needs two forms of valid, current U.S. identification: one with a photo, one without. Social Security cards, credit cards, and birth certificates are not accepted.2United States Postal Service. PO Box Identification Requirements
Acceptable photo IDs include a driver’s license or state ID, a U.S. passport or passport card, a military or government-issued ID, or a recognized corporate or university employee ID.3Federal Register. Forms of Identification For the non-photo ID, USPS accepts a current lease, mortgage, or deed of trust, a voter or vehicle registration card, or a home or vehicle insurance policy.2United States Postal Service. PO Box Identification Requirements The non-photo ID also serves as your proof of physical address, which USPS requires on every application.4USPS. Acceptable Forms of Identification
For a business PO Box, everyone listed as authorized to receive mail at the box must be able to present two valid IDs on request.5United States Postal Service. PS Form 1093 – How To Apply for a PO Box
How to Apply for a PO Box
Applying Online
Go to the PO Boxes page at usps.com, search for available boxes at your preferred Post Office, pick a size and rental term, and pay with a credit or debit card. The system generates PS Form 1093 for you. Print it, then bring the form and your two IDs to that Post Office within 30 days of submitting the online application. A retail associate verifies your identity and hands over your keys or lock combination.6United States Postal Service. PO Boxes
Applying in Person
Fill out PS Form 1093 ahead of time or pick up a blank form at the counter.5United States Postal Service. PS Form 1093 – How To Apply for a PO Box Bring the completed form, both IDs, and your payment. The associate processes everything and gives you your box number and keys on the spot.6United States Postal Service. PO Boxes
Once the box is active, address mail using your name, PO Box number, and the Post Office’s city, state, and ZIP+4 code.
Picking a Size and Knowing the Cost
USPS offers five PO Box sizes, though not every Post Office stocks all of them:
- Extra Small (Size 1): about 10 to 15 letter envelopes, or a couple of rolled magazines.
- Small (Size 2): 10 to 15 letters or up to five rolled magazines.
- Medium (Size 3): wide enough for large envelopes and magazines stacked flat.
- Large (Size 4): fits two stacked shoeboxes with room for letters; a common business pick.
- Extra Large (Size 5): fits Flat Rate Boxes and parcels.7United States Postal Service. PO Box Sizes
If a package won’t fit, the Post Office leaves a notice in your box and holds the item at the counter, so an oversized delivery is never lost because you picked a smaller box.
Price depends on box size and the Post Office’s fee group. USPS sorts locations into “market dominant” offices (smaller or lower-demand areas) and “competitive” offices (busier, urban locations). A six-month rental runs $30 to $79 at market dominant locations and $78 to $165 at competitive ones.8Postal Explorer. Notice 123 – Price List Three-month and 12-month terms are also available. A 3-month term locks you into automatic renewals; 6-month and 12-month renters can opt out of auto-pay.6United States Postal Service. PO Boxes
There’s also a small refundable key deposit collected when you pick up your keys. You get it back when you close the box and return the keys.9United States Postal Service. PO Boxes Online Key Steps Guide
When the Box Is Free
If your physical address isn’t eligible for any form of USPS carrier delivery, you may qualify for a free PO Box under what USPS calls Group E service. The reasoning is simple: if the Postal Service can’t deliver to your door, it provides a box at no charge. If carrier delivery later becomes available at your address, Group E eligibility ends and you move to a paid tier.10About USPS Home. DMM Revision – Group E Post Office Box Service
Keeping the Box Active
Online renewal opens 30 days before your next payment is due. Log in, click “Renew PO Box,” and pay by card. On a 3-month term, renewals run automatically with no opt-out, so keep a valid card on file.6United States Postal Service. PO Boxes
Miss the payment date and USPS gives you a 10-day grace period. If nothing arrives by the end of that window, the box closes automatically and mail starts going back to senders.11About USPS Home. Policies, Procedures, and Forms Updates That grace period ran 30 days during the pandemic, so older advice online may still say so. It’s 10 days now, and USPS enforces it.
Using General Delivery Instead
General Delivery lets you receive mail at a Post Office counter without renting anything. Mail is held for up to 30 days (less if the sender specifies a shorter period), and you pick it up in person with valid ID.1USPS FAQ. What is General Delivery
Have senders address mail this way:
YOUR NAME
GENERAL DELIVERY
CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE
Spell out “GENERAL DELIVERY” in full, with no abbreviations, on the delivery address line. The ZIP Code should end with the add-on code 9999.12Postal Explorer. Publication 28 – Postal Addressing Standards
Not every Post Office participates. Use the USPS Post Office Locator at tools.usps.com/locations and filter under “Mailing Services” for “General Delivery” to see which locations near you accept it.13United States Postal Service. Find USPS Post Offices and Locations Near Me
Two limits to plan around: private carriers like UPS, FedEx, and Amazon won’t ship to a General Delivery address, and the 30-day holding window is firm. Some locations also cap how much mail they’ll hold for one person. For anything longer than a few weeks, a PO Box is the better answer.
What a PO Box Cannot Replace
A PO Box gives you a mailing address, not a residential one, and that distinction matters. The USPS customer agreement states that you may not use a PO Box street address as your physical residence or place of business on legal documents, and that doing so may violate civil and criminal laws.14United States Postal Service. Customer Agreement for Premium PO Box Service Enhancements
In practice, most states won’t accept a PO Box for a driver’s license or voter registration; those still require a verifiable physical address. If you’re getting a PO Box because you don’t currently have a fixed home address, General Delivery is often the better bridge while you sort out something permanent.