Requirements for city delivery mail receptacles

Curbside mailboxes	Door slots
Apartment mail receptacles	Are businesses required to have mail receptacles or door slots?
To establish new mail service or install new boxes:   Developers and Builders Guide

 

Curbside mailboxes

Installation policies

Installation of curbside mailboxes must meet specific construction standards, which can be obtained from the local Post Office™ facility. For United States Postal Service® STD-7, Mailboxes, City and Rural Curbside, you may write to:

MERRIFIELD VA 22082-8101
8403 LEE HWY
DELIVERY & CUSTOMER SVCS EQUIPMENT
USPOSTAL SERVICE - ENGINEERING

 

The following are a few of the regulations that apply when installing a curbside mailbox:

• Important: Before installing, moving or replacing your mailbox or mailbox support, you will need to contact your Postmaster or mailperson from your local Post Office™.
• All mailboxes must be approved by the Postal Service™.
• Custom made mailboxes will be approved by the Postmaster if they meet established standards.
• Name put on box should be at least one inch high.
• Generally, the boxes should be installed with the bottom of the box at a vertical height of between 41-45 inches from the road surface.
• The box should be 6" to 8" from the curb. (For raised curbs, contact your local postmaster for guidance.)
• A mailbox with a lock must have a slot large enough to accommodate customer's daily mail volume.
• Advertising on a mailbox or the supporting post of the mailbox is prohibited.
• For additional information on how to set up and mount a curbside mailbox, see How to Install a Mailbox | USPS. 

A receptacle for newspaper delivery by private companies may be attached to the post of a curbside mailbox used by the Postal Service if the receptacle:

1. Does not touch the mailbox or use any part of the mailbox for support.
2. Does not interfere with the delivery of mail, obstruct the view of the mailbox flag, or present a hazard to mailperson or vehicle.
3. Does not extend beyond the front of the mailbox when the box door is closed.
4. Does not display advertising, except the publication title.

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Delivery notes

If you have a curbside mailbox or a mailbox on the outside of your house, USPS regulations govern what can and cannot be placed in them. Generally speaking, only mail that has been sent through the USPS® may be placed in these types of receptacles. Conversely, USPS regulations do not govern what can be placed in a mail slot on your door. This means that if a local business wants to put a flyer in the mail slot, they can do so.  

Address identification

Every curbside mailbox must bear the following address information:

• A box number, if used, inscribed in contrasting color in neat letters and numerals at least 1 inch high on the side of the box visible to the carrier’s regular approach or on the door if boxes are grouped.
• A house number if street names and house numbers have been assigned by local authorities and the postmaster authorizes their use as a postal address.
• If the box is on a different street from the customer’s residence, the street name and house number must be inscribed on the box.

The mailbox may bear the owner’s name. 

Clear approach

• Customers must keep the approach to their mailboxes clear of obstructions to allow safe access for delivery. If USPS employees are impeded in reaching a mail receptacle, the postmaster may withdraw delivery service. 

Purchasing a mailbox

The United States Postal Service DOES NOT sell mailboxes. You may be able to purchase approved mailboxes at local department stores, on the internet, or at other locations. Mailbox manufacturers must meet all applicable Postal Service mailbox standards.

Door slots

An alternate to curbside mailboxes is mail delivery using a Door Slot on the front door of a house. The following construction standards apply for a Door Slot:

1. The clear rectangular opening in the outside slot plate must be at least 1-1/2 inches wide and 7 inches in length.
2. The slot must have a flap, hinged at the top if placed horizontally, or hinged on the side away from the hinge side of the door if placed vertically.
3. When an inside hood is used to provide greater privacy, the hooded portion must not be below the bottom line of the slot in the outside plate if placed horizontally, or beyond the side line of the slot in the outside plate nearest the hinge edge of the door if placed vertically.
4. The hood at its greatest projection must not be less than 2-1/16 inches beyond the inside face of the door.
5. The bottom of the slot must be at least 30 inches above the finished floor line. 

Apartment mail receptacles

Apartment house mail receptacles must be approved by the USPS. When apartment buildings are substantially renovated or remodeled to provide additional apartments, or a material change is made in the location of boxes, obsolete receptacles must be replaced by currently approved receptacles. 

Are businesses required to have mail receptacles or door slots?

Mail receptacles or door slots are not required at businesses and offices that are open and have someone on hand to receive the mail when the carrier calls.

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