There is no public “Postal ID” card, and learning how to get a Postal ID really means learning how the U.S. Postal Service verifies your identity for the service you actually need. The term is sometimes used for an internal employee credential, but for the general public, USPS handles identity verification at the retail counter for things like opening a P.O. Box, completing a Login.gov account, enrolling in Informed Delivery, or applying for a passport. In almost every case, the requirement is the same short list: one unexpired photo ID and one document proving your current physical address.
Photo ID Options
USPS accepts one of the following as your primary photo identification:
- Driver’s license or state-issued ID card from any U.S. state or territory
- Military or government employee ID, including uniformed service IDs and recognized corporate employee IDs
- University ID from a U.S. college or university
- U.S. passport or passport card
- Permanent resident card (green card / alien registration card)
- Certificate of naturalization
The photo has to clearly show your face, and the document cannot be expired. A foreign passport is accepted for some USPS services, but Login.gov’s in-person verification is stricter and does not accept it.1United States Postal Service. Valid IDs
Proof of Address
Your second document confirms where you live. USPS accepts:
- Current lease, mortgage, or deed of trust
- Voter registration card or vehicle registration card
- Home or vehicle insurance policy
Social Security cards, credit cards, and birth certificates are not accepted for identity verification purposes.1United States Postal Service. Valid IDs
One rule catches people off guard. Even though your driver’s license shows your address, you cannot use it for both requirements. If it serves as your photo ID, bring a separate document (a lease, an insurance policy, a voter registration card) for the address side.2USPS. Application for Delivery of Mail Through Agent – PS Form 1583
Getting Verified for a P.O. Box
Opening a P.O. Box is the most common reason people go through USPS identity verification. You can start online or walk into a Post Office, but either path ends at the counter with your two IDs.
Starting Online
Go to the USPS P.O. Box page, search for available boxes at a nearby Post Office, pick a size and payment period, complete the application, and pay. Print the completed form, bring it to the Post Office where your box is located, and present your photo ID and proof of address. A postal employee verifies the documents and gives you your keys or lock combination on the spot.3United States Postal Service. PO Boxes
Starting at the Counter
If you’d rather handle it in person, pick up PS Form 1093 at any Post Office or download it from the USPS website. The form asks for your name, address, and the ID numbers from both of your identification documents. Fill it out, bring your two IDs to the counter, and a postal employee processes everything while you wait.4USPS. PS Form 1093 – How to Apply for a PO Box
If your home address has no carrier delivery, you qualify for a no-fee P.O. Box so your household still has a way to receive mail.5Office of Inspector General, USPS. No-Fee Post Office Boxes
Getting Verified for Login.gov
Login.gov is the federal government’s shared sign-in service, used by agencies including the IRS, Social Security Administration, and VA. When online identity verification fails or isn’t available, Login.gov lets you finish the process in person at participating Post Offices. This is the other common reason people search for a “Postal ID.”
You start on Login.gov, enter your personal information, verify your phone with a one-time code, and receive an email containing a barcode and a deadline. That barcode expires seven days after you complete the online steps, so plan the Post Office visit soon after.6Login.gov. Verify in Person
At the Post Office, a retail associate scans the barcode and reviews your ID. Login.gov is more restrictive than most other USPS services on this point: only a state-issued driver’s license or state ID card is accepted in person. A U.S. passport works for Login.gov’s online path but is not accepted at the counter. No appointment is needed, and there is no fee.6Login.gov. Verify in Person
Getting Verified for Informed Delivery
Informed Delivery is a free USPS service that emails you daily previews of incoming mail and package updates. Before it turns on, USPS needs to confirm you actually receive mail at the address. The service is only available for personal residential addresses and personal-use P.O. Boxes; businesses cannot enroll.7USPS. How to Sign Up for Informed Delivery
Most people verify online with a mobile phone. USPS texts a one-time passcode, and entering it completes enrollment. If that doesn’t work, you can verify in person at a participating Post Office. You receive an enrollment email with a barcode and instructions on which documents to bring, then a retail associate scans the barcode and reviews your ID. No appointment or fee is required.8USPS. USPS In-Person Identity Proofing
If the nearest participating Post Office is more than 50 miles from your address, the in-person option is not offered.7USPS. How to Sign Up for Informed Delivery
Getting Verified for a Passport
Many Post Offices double as passport acceptance facilities. If you have never held a U.S. passport, are 16 or younger, or otherwise cannot renew by mail, you have to apply in person.
Passport applications require their own document set, separate from what a P.O. Box or Login.gov visit calls for: proof of U.S. citizenship (usually a birth certificate or naturalization certificate), a valid photo ID, and photocopies of both. You complete Form DS-11 on the State Department’s website and print it, but do not sign it in advance. A postal employee must witness your signature.9United States Postal Service. Passport Application and Passport Renewal
An appointment is required. Book one through the USPS online appointment scheduler or at a Post Office lobby kiosk.
Adult first-time passport book fees in 2026:
- Application fee: $130, paid to the U.S. Department of State
- Execution fee: $35, paid to the Post Office
- Passport photo (optional): $15 if taken at the Post Office
For children under 16, the application fee is $100 and the $35 execution fee still applies. All fees are non-refundable.10U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
What USPS Does With Your ID Information
Once your documents are reviewed, records go into the USPS identity and document verification system under its Privacy and Records Management policy. Those records are retained for seven years unless you request a longer retention period. Electronic records are eventually destroyed through secure methods such as zero-bit formatting or physical destruction of the storage media.11USPS. Guide to Privacy, the Freedom of Information Act, and Records Management – AS-353
If you have a pending access request or privacy complaint tied to your records, USPS cannot destroy them until the matter is resolved. Paper documents that get digitized can be shredded once the digital copy is securely stored and the applicable retention schedule is in place.