What Do You Need to Open a PO Box: IDs, Fees, and Box Sizes

To open a PO Box, you need two forms of valid U.S. identification, a completed application (PS Form 1093), and payment for the rental term you choose. One ID must be a photo ID; the other must be a non-photo ID that shows your physical home address. You can start the application online or handle everything in person, but either way you’ll finish at the Post Office counter, and most people leave the same day with a box number and two keys.

The Two IDs You Must Bring

USPS verifies both who you are and where you actually live before approving a PO Box, which is why the second ID matters as much as the first.¹ Bring one from each list below. Both must be current, and neither can be a digital or electronic version.

Acceptable photo IDs:

Valid driver’s license or state-issued ID card
U.S. passport
Military, government, university, or recognized corporate ID
Alien registration card or certificate of naturalization

Acceptable non-photo IDs, which must show your physical address:

Current lease, mortgage, or deed of trust
Voter or vehicle registration card
Home or vehicle insurance policy
Form I-94 (Arrival and Departure Record)

Social Security cards, credit cards, and birth certificates aren’t accepted as either form of ID.² Neither are photos of documents on your phone.¹

The Application Form

The application is PS Form 1093. You can fill it out two ways.

Applying Online

Go to usps.com/poboxes, search for available boxes at the Post Office you want, and choose a size and rental term. You pay by credit or debit card, and the system generates PS Form 1093 for you. Print the completed form and bring it to that Post Office, along with both IDs, within 30 days. If you don’t show up within that window, USPS closes the reservation automatically and refunds you in full.³

Applying in Person

Walk in with your two IDs and payment. You can download PS Form 1093 from about.usps.com and fill it out ahead of time, or complete it at the counter. Once the retail associate verifies your identity, you’ll get your box number and two keys on the spot.⁴

Payment and Rental Terms

PO Boxes are rented in three-month, six-month, or twelve-month terms. The three-month term requires automatic recurring payments and isn’t offered at every Post Office.⁵ Longer terms generally cost less per month.

Price depends on the box size and the Post Office’s fee group, which reflects local demand. A six-month rental can run from around $39 for an extra-small box in a lower-demand area to well over $200 for larger boxes in high-demand markets. The price search tool at usps.com/poboxes shows the exact cost at any specific location before you commit.

Online, you pay by credit or debit card, and you can set up automatic renewals. In person, the Post Office accepts cash, checks, credit cards, and debit cards. You can also mail a check or money order made out to “U.S. Postal Service” to the postmaster at the Post Office where your box is located. Self-service kiosks at many locations handle PO Box payments too.⁶

Key Deposit

You get two keys when the box is activated, and USPS charges a small refundable deposit on each. Return both keys when you close the box and you get the deposit back. Extra keys later require PS Form 1094 plus a separate, non-refundable key fee on top of the deposit.⁵ Replacing a lost key can cost anywhere from around $6 to over $100 depending on the location, so it’s worth keeping track of them.

Free PO Box Service

If USPS doesn’t deliver to your street address, you qualify for a PO Box at no charge. This applies in certain rural areas and locations without home delivery routes.⁵

Picking the Right Box Size

PO Boxes come in five sizes. Your choice should track how much mail you actually get and whether packages are part of the picture.⁷

Extra small (3″ × 5½″ × 14¾″): 10 to 15 letter-sized envelopes or a couple of rolled magazines.
Small (5″ × 5½″ × 14¾″): 10 to 15 letters or up to 5 rolled magazines.
Medium (11″ × 5½″ × 14¾″): wide enough to stack large envelopes and magazines flat instead of rolling them.
Large (11″ × 11″ × 14¾″): two shoebox-sized packages plus a stack of letters.
Extra large (22½″ × 12″ × 14¾″): fits Flat Rate Boxes and small parcels.

Opening a Box for a Business

For a business or organization, you list the business name and your title on PS Form 1093. USPS does not require articles of incorporation, a DBA certificate, or other entity-formation paperwork. The ID requirements apply to the individual signing the application, so you’ll bring the same two personal IDs described above.⁶

Adding Other People to the Box

You can list other people on PS Form 1093 so they can receive or pick up mail from the box. The rules split by personal versus business.

For personal boxes, every adult listed as a mail recipient must present two valid IDs at the Post Office, the same categories the primary applicant provides. Parents and guardians can list minor children as recipients without the child needing to show ID. Anyone you designate solely to pick up mail must also have verifiable identification on file.⁶

For business boxes, each person listed as receiving mail at the box has to be ready to show two forms of ID on request. Minors can be granted access unless a parent or guardian files a written objection with the postmaster.⁶

Getting Packages from FedEx, UPS, and Amazon

A standard PO Box only receives items delivered by USPS. Orders shipped through FedEx, UPS, DHL, or Amazon’s own carriers cannot normally be delivered to a PO Box. Street Addressing is the workaround, and it’s only available at Post Offices that offer Premium PO Box Service.⁸

With Street Addressing, you use the Post Office’s physical street address followed by a # sign and your box number:

Your Name
123 Main Street #4567
City, State, ZIP Code

The # symbol is required. Using “Suite” or “Apt.” in place of it is not allowed. Private carriers deliver to the Post Office, and staff place the package in or near your box.⁹

Some limits apply. You cannot use the street address as a physical residence or business address on legal documents. Shipments over 70 pounds, alcohol, and anything prohibited by postal regulations will be refused. If you later cancel Street Addressing, mail sent in that format keeps arriving at your box for 90 days so you have time to notify senders, then is returned.⁹

1
USPS. Acceptable Forms of Identification
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USPS. PO Box Help
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USPS. USPS POBOL Terms and Conditions
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USPS. PO Boxes
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USPS. Domestic Mail Manual 508 Recipient Services
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USPS. PS Form 1093 – Application for Post Office Box Service
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USPS. PO Box Sizes
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USPS. Premium PO Box Service Street Addressing
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USPS. Customer Agreement for Premium PO Box Service Enhancements