PO Boxes can be used for several reasons. One of them is security. Wit the aid of a PO Box, you can receive mail or different kinds of packages without giving away your home address or business commercial address. PO Boxes are widely used by expats, digital nomads and businesses as well. The benefits are numerous and the popularity of the PO Box does not seem to fade away anytime soon.
If you’ve never used a PO Box before, let us tell you a little bit about it, how to use it, where to rent it from and if you don’t like the idea of it, then we’ll share some other alternatives you can use with the same purpose.
About a PO Box
A PO Box is a mailbox you can rent at the Post Office, under the supervision of USPS, short from the United States Postal Services, an independent agency, part of the executive branch of the US federal government. But enough with these technicalities! A PO Box is the place where you can receive mail and all sorts of packages, depending on the size of the box itself, of course.
We don’t know exactly how many PO Boxes are out there, but we know that there are approximately 30,000 Post Offices in the United States where you can rent a box. The PO Box is many people’s favorite because makes receiving mails easier and more convenient. Furthermore, there are some remote areas in the United States where mail is not delivered to you, so PO Boxes serve as the solution for this kind of situations. There are also people who use to travel a lot and cannot sit around waiting for a packet to be delivered to their home door.
How do you get a PO Box?
The process is really simple and anyone can do it, be it business or individual. You can either walk to your nearest Post Office and rent a PO Box there and then or you can do it online in 3 easy steps. The documents you’ll need to provide in order to rent a PO Box are: one photo ID and one ID which contains your residential address. There are also a few technicalities and details you’ll need to get into and we’ll lay them all down in the following:
Step 1: Choose the Post Office
First thing first, you’ve got to decide on a Post Office. After that, you need to check what PO Boxes sizes are available in that Post Office, so that you find one to fit your needs. Of course, it would be better to choose a Post Office that is near your home or office so that you won’t spend too much money on gas to go pick up your mail.
Step 2: Choose a payment plan and size for your PO Box
You can rent a PO Box for 3 months, 6 months or 1 year. Or you can choose a 6-month renting plan with the possibility of later extending it to 1 year. Another thing you have to bear in mind is the cancelation plan. For example, on a 6-month-rent, you can cancel in the first 3 months and you’ll get half the money back. If you cancel after the first 3 months, you won’t be refunded.
When it comes to prices, you can pay $30 for the 3-month plan or $54 for the 6-month plan. On a simple calculus, the 6-month plan looks better.
Here are 11 mailbox locations in Hallandale Beach, Florida to choose from
The PO Boxes come in 5 different sizes: from the XS, which holds 10-15 letters to the XL which is capable of holding flat rate boxes and different kinds of packages. Your choice here should be based on the amount of mail you predict you’re going to get.
Step 3: Change of Address
After deciding on these details, there’s only a rental form to fill in and get your PO Box keys. You’ll also be charged a 3$ deposit for the two sets of keys. After the PO Box is “up and running” you’ll have to change your address to start receiving your mailings there.
4 strong reasons to get a PO Box
Security of mail and packaging. A PO Box offers safe storage inside the Post Office, so no lost or damaged packages from sitting too much on your doorstep or being stolen by a “good friend”
Permanent mailing address. You won’t have to go through the whole tiresome process of changing your mailing address just because you moved 3 blocks away from your previous location. Moreover, if you go abroad for a brief period of time or just live somewhere far away from mailing delivery, a PO Box can be really helpful.
Private home address. No one will know your real home address, just the one of your PO Box
Quicker mail delivery. PO Boxes are under the jurisdiction of USPS, which means faster delivery than what you were used to.
4 Reasons why you shouldn’t get a PO Box
No professional address for businesses. If you own a small business, a PO Box as a physical mailing address is not the most professional solution. Moreover, PO Boxes cannot be used for business registration
PO Boxes work only with USPS delivery. Since they’re owned by the Post Offices, PO Boxes will only receive mailings delivered by USPS. No other mail delivery company is supported.
PO Boxes need frequent checking. You should watch out for PO Box overflow. USPS will always notify you if there’s not enough space in your PO Box. After a such notification, you need to pick up your mail.
Picking up mail yourself. With no mail picking up service available, you’ll have to do it yourself on a regular basis and you might not always have time for that.
Final thoughts on why you should rent a PO Box
A PO Box is, first and foremost, a great way to prevent mail theft which can be a real nuisance in the United States. Digital nomads and frequent travelers will benefit greatly from the use of a PO Box which will keep their mails safe while they’re away for longer periods of time.
Of course, having a PO Box means having to go pick up your mail instead of having it delivered right to your doorstep. You can apply, though, for a virtual PO Box which enables you to check your mail online before going to pick it up. You can even request opening the mail or forwarding it to your location of choice. If the mail is pam or just needs to be shredded, you can command that also, through your online account.
The one downside that still remains is the lack of professionality if you decide to use a PO Box for your small business.
Get a P.O Box from 221 Building
Alternatively, you can get a P.O Box from us, here at Hallandale Beach, FL
What will you get?
A street address, not a P.O. Box number - which will provide a professional image for your business.
Office hour access: Come and pick up your mail when you are ready. We keep your mail and packages safe and confidential.
We accept packages from all shipping carriers so you’ll never miss a delivery.
Call ahead to find out if you have mail. Save time. Save a trip.
Learn more about our Mail Package Services Today