A USPS self-service kiosk is a touch-screen machine in a post office lobby that lets you buy stamps, weigh packages, print shipping labels, and drop off mail without waiting for a clerk. Many lobbies with kiosks stay open 24 hours, so you can handle routine postal errands at times the retail counter is closed. Card payment only, and a handful of services still require the counter.
Finding a Kiosk Near You
Use the Post Office Locator on USPS.com and enter your city, state, or ZIP Code.1United States Postal Service. Self-Service Kiosks Not every post office has a kiosk, so filter the results by location type to show only facilities with self-service equipment.2United States Postal Service. Find USPS Post Offices and Locations Near Me Each listing shows the street address, lobby hours, and available services.
Most kiosks sit inside post office lobbies. A smaller number are placed in large shopping malls.
When Kiosks Are Open
Many lobbies with kiosks are open 24 hours a day.3United States Postal Service. Find USPS Locations – Glossary Others aren’t. Facilities in shared or multi-use buildings often lock their exterior doors when the retail office closes, sometimes as early as 6:00 PM, and federal holidays can restrict access at locations that would otherwise stay open.
Check the specific facility’s listing before you go. Lobby access is displayed separately from retail window hours on the locator page.
What You Can Do at a Kiosk
Kiosk transactions cover most everyday postal needs:1United States Postal Service. Self-Service Kiosks
- Buy individual stamps or booklets.
- Weigh packages on the integrated scale.
- Print and pay for shipping labels, including Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express.
- Scan a prepaid label to register the package.
- Look up a ZIP Code.
- Renew and pay PO Box fees.
- Schedule a first-time passport application appointment.
- Print a Label Broker label from a QR code or alphanumeric ID.
- Buy packaging supplies and other postal merchandise.
You can add shipping insurance during label creation. Pricing is based on the declared value of the contents and starts at $2.70.4United States Postal Service. Shipping Insurance and Delivery Services Every transaction prints a receipt, which is your proof of mailing and payment.
What Kiosks Can’t Do
Some services are counter-only. Registered Mail, money orders, bulk mailing payments, and Collect on Delivery are not available at the kiosk.5United States Postal Service. What Forms of Payment are Accepted
International packages that require customs forms also need a counter visit, because the kiosk doesn’t generate customs documentation. You can complete customs forms in advance through Click-N-Ship online, or fill them out with a clerk at the window.6United States Postal Service. U.S. Customs Forms
How to Pay
Kiosks are cashless. No bills, coins, or personal checks. Bring a credit or debit card. USPS also accepts contactless payment methods like Apple Pay and Google Pay.5United States Postal Service. What Forms of Payment are Accepted Contactless payments carry the same exclusions as standard cards, so services like money orders and passport fees payable to the Department of State can’t be processed with them.
What to Have Ready Before You Approach
Kiosk visits go quickly when you arrive prepared. You’ll need the complete destination address, including street number, city, state, and ZIP Code. A return address is required on Priority Mail, insured packages, and several other mail classes.7United States Postal Service. 602 Quick Service Guide – Addressing
Seal and tape your package before you start the transaction. The kiosk weighs the parcel and prints the label, but it can’t help you pack. If you’re using a Label Broker label, pull up the QR code or the 8-to-10-character ID on your phone, or print it from your email, before you begin.8United States Postal Service. Label Broker and Label Delivery Service
Package Size and the Drop Slot
The kiosk can weigh and label packages up to the standard USPS maximum of 70 pounds and 130 inches in combined length and girth. The built-in drop slot is smaller, typically accepting packages up to about 12 inches high, 14 inches deep, and 20 inches wide.9United States Postal Service. Postal Bulletin 22244 If it fits, drop it in and you’re finished.
Oversized packages can still be labeled and weighed at the kiosk. Leave them in the lobby’s designated drop-off area or hand them to a clerk during business hours rather than stacking them on top of the machine.
Using Label Broker
Label Broker is worth knowing about. When a retailer or online platform issues a prepaid USPS return label, they sometimes send it as a QR code or alphanumeric ID instead of a printable PDF. Bring that code to a kiosk, select Label Broker on screen, scan the code or type the ID, and the machine prints the label.8United States Postal Service. Label Broker and Label Delivery Service Stick the label on, drop the package in the slot, and you’re done. No payment, since the label is prepaid.
Stamped Mail and the Anonymous Mail Rule
Federal aviation security rules limit what you can put into any unattended mail receptacle, and that includes the kiosk drop slot. If your item is paid for with postage stamps only and either weighs more than 10 ounces or is thicker than half an inch, you can’t leave it in the kiosk bin. Hand it to a clerk at the retail counter instead.10United States Postal Service. IMM Revision – Changes to Anonymous Mail Characteristics
The restriction targets stamped mail in unattended locations. When the kiosk itself prints your postage label and you pay by card, the label counts as non-anonymous postage, and the slot is fair game regardless of size.
When the Machine Fails
Kiosks sometimes freeze, run out of label stock, or charge a card without producing a label. Keep your receipt and any transaction confirmation. You can request a refund at the post office where you paid by bringing your tracking number, the purchase receipt, and a photo ID; in-person refund requests may require filling out Part I of Form 3533.11United States Postal Service. Request a Domestic Refund Approved refunds are usually issued as cash, check, or money order.
To report a broken kiosk, call the USPS Customer Care Center at 1-800-275-8777, staffed weekdays and Saturdays.12United States Postal Service. Contact Us You can also find the local post office’s direct phone number through the USPS locator and let the staff there know the machine is down.