At the UPS location, a small mailbox costs $10–$30 per month. A medium-sized box costs between $20-40 per month. Your location will determine what happens. Request a box using your old or new USPS.com account. Continue reading, you will learn the different costs of a PO box.
Table of Contents
How Much Does a PO Box Cost?
The monthly cost of a PO Box ranges from $4.33 to over $21.50, with an average price of around $9.
Location, box size, and duration of rental are just a few of the cost considerations when renting a PO Box.
Depending on the USPS’s pricing schedule, prices can change.
Installments of three, six, or twelve months must be paid in advance for PO Boxes.
You can quickly see what PO Box options are available nearby by visiting USPS.com and entering your zip code.
You can always visit your neighborhood post office and ask any remaining questions there.
How Does Box Size Affect Rate?
The monthly cost of the PO Box you want to rent is significantly influenced by its size.
The USPS offers extra small, small, medium, large, and extra-large boxes for rent. The other sizes are small, medium, and large.
Each is different in size and has a range of mail capacities.
Extra small PO Boxes (Size 1) are 3″ x 5.5″ in dimension and can hold ten to fifteen letters and three rolled magazines, or under 296 cubic inches of material.
For owners of small businesses or households, extra-small boxes are perfect.
Although these boxes tend to fill up quickly, it’s crucial that if you rent an extra small box, you can pick up your mail frequently.
Starting at $4.33 per month are extra-small PO Boxes.
Small PO Boxes (Size 2) are 5″ x 5.5″ in dimension and hold 296 through 499 cubic inches in capacity or over 15 letters, 5 rolled magazines or 1 Small Priority Mail Flat Rate Box.
Small business owners and households that receive numerous letters, bills, one or two bubble envelopes, and magazines each week benefit most from having a small PO Box.
Still, it’s best to regularly empty a small PO Box to prevent overflow.
Small PO Boxes begin at $5.50 per month.
Medium PO Boxes (Size 3) is 5.5″ x 11″ and generally hold stackable large envelopes and magazines, as well as two small 500 to 999 cubic inch Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes.
This size box is ideal for medium-sized households and small-business owners who receive a lot of mail daily or who are particular about their large envelopes and magazines not being folded.
The first medium box costs $8.17 per month.
Large Boxes (Size 4) are 11″ x 11″ cubes, pull-out drawers that hold 1,000 through 1,999 cubic inches of mail, or the equivalent to small and medium Priority Mail Flat Rate Boxes while providing space for an additional 10-15 letters.
Large boxes are perfect for households that frequently shop online but still want room for regular mail or for small business owners who frequently receive packages, boxes, or multiple letters per day.
Starting at $12.33 a month are large boxes.
Extra-large Boxes (Size 5) are 12″ x 22.5″ size pull-out drawers that hold 2,000 or more cubic inches, or multiple larger-size packages.
Extra-large boxes are great for households that frequently receive a lot of packages from online purchases as well as for small business owners who frequently receive multiple packages and mail of all sizes.
Extra-large PO Boxes are available for as little as $21.50 per month.
What Options Do I Have for Making a Payment on My PO Box?
You have 4 different options for making a PO Box payment:
- on the internet using a credit or debit card. Go to the PO Boxes Online application and click “Renew” to go to the “Manage PO Box” page. Then, click “Renew PO Box” to make a one-time payment. This function is accessible 30 days prior to the next due date. Also, keep in mind that you can safely and securely store up to 3 credit or debit cards in our system when paying with one of these methods.
- Pay at a self-service kiosk (SSK): Find USPS Locations that can be used to locate an SSK.
- Pay by mail: Send a check or money order payable to “U.S. Postal Service” to Tell the Postmaster where your PO Box is. (In the memo section of the check, write your PO Box number.)
- Pay in person: Use cash, a check, a credit card, or a debit card to make your payment at the Post Office where your PO Box is situated.
How Frequently Do I Have to Pay for My PO Box?
When it comes time to pay for your PO Box, you can choose one of three payment terms: 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months. Enrollment in automatic renewals with no opt-out is required for a three-month payment term. The option to forego automatic renewals is available if you select a 6- or 12-month duration.
How Does Location Affect Cost?
A PO Box rental’s cost is significantly influenced by its location.
Market Dominant Boxes, also known as basic or standard PO Boxes, are divided into seven fee groups based on zip codes.
Zip codes in Group 1 are more affluent and developed economically, while those in Group 7 are less affluent and less developed economically. The five groups in the middle fall somewhere along that spectrum.
Since PO Box rates are calculated based on a three (quarterly) or six (bi-annual) month or yearly rental length, Group 1 rates range from $40 to $289 quarterly (depending on box size) or $67 to $480 bi-annually (depending on box size).
Group 2 rates range from $32 to $238 quarterly or $54 to $395 biannually, depending on the size of the box.
Group 3 costs between $27 and $194 every three months and $46 and $323 every six months.
Group 4 rates range from $23 to $164 on a quarterly basis or $37 to $272 on a yearly basis.
Group 5 rates range from $20 to $117 on a quarterly basis or $33 to $174 on a yearly basis.
Rates for Group 6 range from $17 to $94 for a quarter and from $29 to $155 for a half-year.
Rates for Group 7 start at $16 and go up to $77 every three months and $26 and go up to $129 every six months.
There’s also a special group, Group E, that may qualify for a free PO Box if the USPS chooses not to deliver to an address that is still within the geographic delivery boundaries as deemed so by the USPS, but is still a “potential letter carrier delivery point of service.”
Customers may also qualify if they do not “receive letter carrier delivery via an out-of-bounds delivery receptacle.”
Zip codes occasionally move into different fee groups because the groups are not always static.
Once a year, if they think it’s appropriate, the Manager of Special Services can move a zip code to either the lowest or highest group.
Prior to the beginning of the subsequent billing cycle, PO Box tenants are not required to pay an additional fee for this.
What Are the Benefits of Renting a PO Box?
Aside from privacy and security, there are many other reasons to get a PO Box including:
- 24/7 Most Post Offices offer PO Box access.
- Obtain a street address for deliveries made by other couriers, such as Amazon, DHL, FedEx, and UPS; subject to limitations and availability.
- Keep a copy of your signature on hand so that you won’t have to stand in line to sign for packages. When your signature is on file, we’ll deliver mail to your PO Box or a safe parcel locker for pickup whenever it’s convenient for you.
- Small businesses: Get a professional-looking address and keep your personal and professional lives apart whether you run a side business or a storefront.
Are There Any Additional Fees?
When registering for a PO Box, there are only a few additional costs.
Additionally, extra keys, duplicate keys, and replacement keys cost $4.40 each. Each issued key comes with a $1.00 deposit.
If you start lock changes, a PO Box lock replacement costs $11.00 per lock.
When Do I Need to Pay My PO Box Account Renewal Fee?
By the 10th of the month in which the payment is due, you must make payments. Your PO Box will close on the 11th of the month if this payment is not made.
Can I Change My Business Account to a Personal Account Or Vice-versa?
You can change your personal account to a business account: Go to Your Profile and click Edit. In the upper right-hand corner, click Change to Business Account to switch your personal account to a business account.
You cannot convert a USPS.com business account to a personal account if you already have one. You will need to re-verify your identity and make a fresh, separate personal account instead.
How Do I Manage My PO Box Account Online?
Select Manage PO Box, sign in, and you can:
- Open a new PO Box
- Add an existing PO Box to your online account
- Add or manage the credit card you use for payment
- Edit your User Profile
- View your online payment history
How Do I Close a PO Box If I Move?
You can close a PO Box by going to Manage PO Box, signing in to your account, and clicking the Close/Request Refund link next to the box. Informing the retail employee at the Post Office where your PO Box is located will also allow you to make a closure request. Don’t forget to submit a Change of Address (COA) form after a box is closed. Depending on where you close your box, the form will either be made available online on your close/refund confirmation page or by the retail employee at the Post Office. For a maximum of a year, your mail can be forwarded to your new address.
FAQ About Po Box
How to Secure Your Mail at a Post Office?
Keep your personal or small business mail safe with a Post Office Box™ (PO Box™), a locked mailbox within a Post Office™ facility. You can rent a PO Box in a few steps:
Apply online: Visit a Post Office in your area to locate, reserve, and purchase a box.
Pick up your keys in person: Take your completed application to the post office (where your box is) to pick up your keys, along with two forms of identification.
Get mail at your convenience: You can check your PO Box whenever suits you thanks to flexible hours.
Can I Receive Items That Need a Signature in My PO Box?
Yes, we will leave a delivery notice inside your PO Box for any deliveries that need a signature, and you will need to go to the counter to sign for and collect your package. We’ll put it in your PO Box if you sign up for the free Signature on File service.
Can I Renew My PO Box Online, Or Do I Have to Do It in Person?
There are 4 ways you can renew your PO Box:
- Using a debit or credit card online. Go to the PO Boxes Online application and click Renew, which will take you to the “Manage PO Box” page. Then, click Renew PO Box. This function is accessible 30 days prior to the next due date.
- at an automated teller machine. Find a kiosk.
- Renew by mail. Send a check or money order payable to “U.S. Postal Service” to your PO Box’s location to the Postmaster. (In the memo section of the check, write your PO Box number.)
- Visit the Post Office where your box is kept. You can pay with a credit card, check, or cash.
Is There An Alternative to a PO Box?
Much of the same security that a PO Box provides is also provided by a virtual mailbox, such as the ones we provide at Earth Class Mail. You will get a virtual address when you use a virtual mailbox.
Are PO Box Rental Fees Eligible for a Refund?
You pay for a full rental period upfront, but if you choose to close your box, you may be eligible for a partial refund based on how long you’ve had it. See full details on refunds.
Conclusion On a PO Box Costs a Month
A PO box’s price will vary depending on a few factors. Get a new PO Box at a Post Office facility for as low as $4.33 per month, depending on your location. With your current or new USPS.com account, make a box reservation.
The size you need and your location are two factors that affect PO box prices. There may also be additional charges, and the cost will vary depending on how long you want the box.