Last update on July 8th, 2022 at 12:42 am
Having a PO Box is helpful and has many advantages. It provides you a regular mail and shipping address in the United States for travelers, expats, lives in remote areas, or even your business needs. This solution offers you easy access to your postal mail.
You’ll be able to get your postal mail from a secured destination. You’ll also be provided with a stable address and no need to worry about how often you travel or be in another place for a while.
Advantages of Getting a PO Box
- Security: Your postal mail will be secured and safe as your PO Box is inside the Post Office facility, so no more worries about identity theft or exposing your mail.
- Permanent Address: It’s the most convenient solution for travelers as your mail will be waiting for a pick-up whenever you’re back.
- Privacy: Your home address is protected, so your address won’t be known to strangers as your mail is always reaching your PO Box instead.
- Fast: Your mail will arrive faster at your PO Box because USPS will deliver it directly to the Post Office.
Check this article about How to Get a PO Box?
How Much Does a PO Box Cost?
That’s the main purpose of this article. So let’s talk about the real cost of renting a PO Box and how it’s calculated.
You need to consider four main factors to get a PO Box from USPS:
- Location
- Size
- Payment period
- Additional cost
1- Choose a Location
The most priority thing to consider is your PO Box location. USPS got hundreds of locations across the US to choose from. PO Box location is one of the pricing factors, so choose a location that suits you and your needs. (Some post offices charge higher than others.)
2- PO Box Size
PO Boxes are obtainable in 5 sizes. However, not all Post Offices own every size. USPS offers post office boxes in several sizes.
- X Small size 1 – 3″ x 5.5″ – It generally fits 10-15 letter-sized envelopes or up to 2 rolled magazines.
- Small size 2 – 5″ x 5.5″ can typically accommodate 10-15 letters or 5 rolled magazines.
- Medium size 3 – 11″ x 5.5″ – The medium size is wide enough for large envelopes and magazines.
- Large size 4 – 11″ x 11″ – Easily stacks two shoeboxes inside this PO Box and still has room for 10-15 letters.
- X Large size 5 – 22.5″ x 12″ – This is the most extensive option for Flat Rate Boxes and parcels.
If you’re renting a PO Box for your mail, and your mail frequency isn’t much high, and you receive around six envelopes per month, you may want to consider the small size.
However, if you’re renting a PO Box for your small business or your mail is frequently higher than the previous example, you may want to consider renting the medium or large size.
3- Payment Period
PO Box rental fees depend on the Post Office you choose to rent and pay for your mailbox for 3-month or 6-month periods, and also some branches offer 12-month payment periods.
4- Additional fees
It differs from how you choose to pay your PO Box rent fees and depends on the Post Office, and you choose to rent a PO Box there. You must pay $4 for your first two keys in the market-dominant areas, while it’s free of charge in competitive locations. Any additional keys beyond the first 2 keys will cost you another $8. If you lost your keys, that’d cost you $23 for lock replacement.
The below table can help you compare pricing based on size, location, and additional fees.
| PO Box Size | 3-month period | 6-month period |
| Extra Small | $13-$44 | $21-$75 |
| Small | $17-$87 | $28-150 |
| Medium | $26-$144 | $42-$250 |
| Large | $37-$230 | $62-$400 |
| Extra Large | $64-$360 | $109-$625 |
Renting a small PO box for six months costs as little as $21 in some locations, while in other areas, the fee is $75. A full breakdown of the prices in each region is available on the USPS website.
final words
Renting a PO Box could be a useful way to control when and how you receive mail. It’s advantageous to keep your address private or have a home business that receives mail that you want to keep separate from private mail.
PO Box cost differs by region, starting from as low as $13 for a small box for a 3-month period and going up to $625 for an extra-large box for the 6-month period.
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