How To Get a PO Box

And three Reasons Not To

Mail Part boxes take been effectually as long as at that place has been mail to deliver. They're considered a reliable and safe way to receive mail.

These days, people are used to a different level of convenience, one that can exist provided by a Virtual PO Box. The modern digital lifestyle lets you avoid banks, skip lines at restaurants, and have groceries delivered to your door.

This raises an important question: Why do you still have to go to the Post Part to check your mail?

That's why we've put together this quick guide. While information technology might still be useful to know how to get a PO box, it'due south more important to look at the future of post delivery, how it's irresolute, and how that affects you.

USPS PO Boxes

How to Go a PO Box in 3 Easy Steps

Getting a PO box is incredibly simple. Here'southward the process in only 3 quick steps:

Pace #1: Choose a Location

One of the first considerations anybody getting a PO box should consider is the location. You can become a PO box from the United States Mail service at most of their Mail service Office locations, even if your dwelling house or business organisation is in another state.

That said, most people adopt to get a postal box nearly their domicile or identify of business for maximum convenience.

Step #2: Choose a Size

Once you've selected a location, y'all demand to consider what size of PO box will work for yous. Depending on how much postal service you lot plan on receiving (or whether yous intend to get parcels*), you'll need to pick from the following general sizes:

  • Extra Pocket-size - iii" x 5.v" - Usually fits anywhere from x-15 letters or 2 rolled magazines.
  • Modest - 5" x 5.5" - Fits xv-xx letters, or up to five rolled magazines.
  • Medium - eleven" x v.five" - Large enough to suit larger envelopes, or even flat-stack multiple magazines
  • Large - 11" x 11" - Can fit roughly ii small boxes inside, with room for letters
  • Actress Large - 22.5" x12" - Largest choice, tin can fit near flat rate boxes or moderately sized packages

PO box price will vary depending on mailbox size and location.

*As noted below, UPS and regular FedEx exercise not deliver to USPS PO boxes.

Step #three: Finalize Your Selection and Redirect Your Mail

Once you've picked your size and location, you'll need to cull a charter term of six or twelve months and complete the Grade 1583, a unproblematic one-folio form to ostend your identity. You will need 2 forms of ID, one of which must be a photo ID. Once y'all get your PO box keys, yous can start sharing your new accost and redirecting your mail.

Overall, the process of getting a PO box is uncomplicated and has been in use for many decades.

But should you get a PO box at all these days?

Now, iii Reasons Y'all Shouldn't Go a PO Box

PO boxes are onetime-school. In a world that'due south becoming increasingly digital, they neglect to go along upwardly. Here are three reasons why y'all should skip getting a PO box and look for a better solution:

Reason #1: PO Boxes Are Inconvenient

Is in that location annihilation in your life that you lot purposefully put in a spot that'due south out of your way?

Probably few things, because yous value convenience. Right?

Convenience is why people buy washers and dryers for their homes instead of making trips to the neighborhood laundromat, and why you order food from Grubhub. Information technology'southward much easier.

PO boxes are the pinnacle of inconvenience. You must go somewhere offsite, every day, just to check whether you have mail. What a colossal waste of time!

And you may accept to travel mode out of your way to become the correct size PO box.

You lot're too locked into a specific PO box rental catamenia and might take to pay extra if you cancel too soon.

If you move your home or business and need to alter your PO box, that volition add fifty-fifty more than inconvenience. You volition fill out forms, pay new fees, and then look to get confirmation in the mail.

Plus, your mail is totally inaccessible when the Post Office is closed.

If y'all're looking for convenience, PO boxes shouldn't be high on your list.

Reason #ii: PO Boxes Take Limited Mail service and Package Receiving Capability

FedEx and UPS will not evangelize to a USPS PO box. If you or your senders prefer one of these services to the USPS shipping, you lot're out of luck.

If you lodge PO box that's as well small, all your mail may not fit inside.

What happens when your postal service doesn't fit, or you lot get a package? Well, that depends.

You may receive a note in your PO box to retrieve your postal service at the service counter or get a key to a larger storage box.

If your volume of mail becomes an ongoing trouble considering information technology will not fit in your PO box, your postmaster volition likely ask you to get a larger PO box size. Not only will yous demand to pay more per month, but you will demand to change you mailing address to the new PO box number and inform all your senders.

Reason #3: The Time to come of the PO Box is Already Here

Digital Mailbox Service

Believe it or non, traditional PO boxes are already obsolete. Digital mailbox options are available, and yous tin now have all the benefits of a PO box without stepping foot in a post part or a mailbox store.

Virtual addresses, which are sometimes chosen virtual PO boxes, allow you lot to have your mail delivered off-site like you would with a PO box. But instead of checking your box every day, an automated system scans the outside of your post or packages and delivers the image to you digitally in your personal digital mailbox.

All you have to practise is utilize an app or go online, cull which letters you want to forward, discard or open and scan, then read your postal service on your phone, tablet, or PC.

Plus, since digital mailbox providers like iPostal1 use real street mailing addresses, yous tin can take packages delivered via whatsoever carrier. You get to pick your address from over 2,200 locations for added flexibility. Since your mailing accost is a real street accost, not a PO Box, you can also employ information technology to register your business concern. This volition relieve entrepreneurs fourth dimension and money, while upgrading your business epitome vs. using your dwelling address for business.

Digital Mailbox Service

Conclusion

If you're considering getting a PO box for your mail, yous'll be happy to know they're pretty like shooting fish in a barrel to become.

But "easy to become" doesn't hateful user-friendly. You will continually to get to the post office to check and retrieve your mail. Who has time for that?

If you programme on receiving parcels from UPS or FedEx, or want to register your business organization, y'all might every bit well forget information technology! Y'all'll need a real physical accost. And if you need to go a larger PO box, what a hassle!

That's why y'all should consider an online PO box instead. They're the modern solution to your mail needs and will save you lot fourth dimension and continue y'all in touch with your mail, no matter where you are, either with an app or online.

Be honest. Aren't y'all ready for a mailing address solution that'southward super-convenient, flexible, and fully meets your personal and business organization needs?

How to Get a Virtual PO Box

Getting a virtual PO box with iPostal1 is easy. You choose a mailing address from the iPostal1 network of over two,200 existent street addresses to which yous desire to direct your mail and receive packages. These packages tin exist delivered through any carrier (like FedEx or UPS).

The procedure is pain-free and takes only a few minutes!

How to gear up an iPostal1 virtual PO box:

  1. Cull an Accost. Select from over 2,200 addresses in the U.S. and other countries. Fix up a virtual PO box accost in multiple locations to create a broader market presence. You tin select an address near your home or role and pick up mail when you want. Yous can too choose an address in another city, country or land, if you lot desire.
  2. Choose a Plan. iPostal1 offers mailbox plans based on how much mail you expect to receive a calendar month. Virtual Office plans add a local or toll-free phone and fax number.
  3. Checkout. At checkout, provide your contact information plus credit card or PayPal account.
  4. File Class 1583. Afterwards signing up, you will be assigned a personal mailbox number and receive instructions on how to upload a simple, one-page course (Form 1583) required by the USPS that authorizes your mailing address location to receive mail on your behalf. You'll also submit 2 forms of ID. iPostal1 makes this procedure easy.
  5. Redirect Your Mail. To receive mail service at your new address, file a Temporary Change of Address class with the USPS and/or notify senders directly.

    Now yous tin can:

  • View and Manage Your Mail from Anywhere 24/7. Run across your post as presently every bit information technology is received. Use our complimentary app or any estimator to view an image of the exterior of each post particular yous receive. With a click or tap, tell your mail center what you want to do with each item: forwards, scan, schedule a pickup, discard, or shred.

  • Receive Post & Packages from Any Carrier. Because every iPostal virtual postal address is a real street address, non a standard postal box, yous tin can receive mail and packages not but from the USPS, only also from FedEx, UPS and other carriers.

  • Add Locations with Just a Click. Information technology's fast and like shooting fish in a barrel to add boosted address locations for business organisation or personal use. Manage mail service for all locations from one login.


View Plans View Locations

PO Box Often Asked Questions

What is a PO Box?

A post office box, or PO box, is a mailbox at a post office with its own unique box number that postal customers can rent if they wish to receive mail away from their domicile or identify of business organisation.

Fundamental access is required to obtain individual PO box contents. Anteroom admission to all boxes is normally available 24/7, and postal box renters visit very frequently to see if they have postal service.

How much does the average PO Box toll?

USPS PO Box rental prices vary co-ordinate to the location of the post function and the size of the postal box. Therefore, it isn't useful to discuss average PO Box price.

Y'all could spend as niggling every bit $20 for a three-month rental of the smallest box at an inexpensive location or equally much as $360 for the largest box at an expensive location. That's a huge cost difference! And at the end of the day, it's just a standard PO Box with its inherent limitations.

Yous'll demand to contact your post part to notice out the prices of boxes they currently have available, if any.

When should I rent a PO Box?

Renting a standard PO Box at a USPS location is an option for receiving mail away from your home or office that could make sense in some circumstances. USPS PO Boxes are worth considering when:

  • You receive lots of mail (just few packages) and don't heed going to the post part every day to view and retrieve your mail.
  • Y'all don't need to use your address for general business purposes.
  • You lot don't care nearly the powerful virtual mailbox features of an iPostal1 virtual PO box.

Virtual PO Box Plans

  • Virtual Mailing Accost

    With Digital Mailbox for me or my family. Starting at $nine.99/month.

    Click to Learn More

  • Virtual Business Address

    With Digital Mailbox for My Business. Starting at $9.99/calendar month.

    Click to Learn More

  • Virtual Office

    With Digital Mailbox plus telephone and fax. Starting at $39.99/month.

    Click to Acquire More than

Virtual PO Box Locations

iPostal1 virtual PO box locations are professionally-staffed, secure, full-service, digital mailbox locations. Each is a real street address, not a PO box, and can receive your mail and packages and then frontwards, scan, recycle, shred or let you pick them up. Access your personal digital mailbox online or using our complimentary app.

Choose a virtual PO box location hither from our network of over 2,200 locations or view only function buildings and workspaces or discounted international forwarding locations to relieve up to 80% on international aircraft from the U.S.

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