Does UPS Deliver to P.O. Boxes?

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January 10, 2023

The UPS staff may dislike package deliveries and shipments to P.O. boxes for several reasons. There is a chance that you have encountered this issue before. Sometimes, UPS will outright refuse to deliver your item.

Can you send a package to a P.O. box? Why does UPS not ship to P.O. boxes? Will UPS deliver to any address? 

This article will serve as a guide on how to send UPS packages to P.O. boxes. It also provides general information about sending parcels in P.O. Boxes. 

Visit FindPostOffice.org to search for different P.O. box addresses and delivery hours. Our website’s search tool allows you to conveniently look for a USPS post office by state, city, or ZIP code.

UPS Will Not Accept Packages Addressed to P.O. Boxes

You should not ship an item to a post office box (P.O. box) via UPS. If you are purchasing UPS labels, you should avoid using your P.O. Box as your return address. 

Instead, you should use a shipping application to buy postage online. 

You can get away with purchasing UPS labels, but if UPS needs to return a shipment, you can encounter some issues. 

At best, UPS will attempt to contact you at the phone number you provided and request a different delivery address where they can ship to. 

However, UPS may charge you a package rerouting fee if you submit a different delivery address. Therefore, you will lose more money than the amount of your initial postage.

Why Does UPS Not Ship to P.O. Boxes?

P.O. boxes are a selected service for those who choose to have their mail delivered to a location other than their street address. Post offices provide P.O. boxes as a service, so P.O. stands for post office.

The United States Postal Service, or USPS, is owned and run by the federal government.

Due to this, all USPS property, including mailboxes and P.O. boxes, are government property. 

This situation makes it impossible for private companies like UPS and FedEx to access the mentioned locations.

But a solution has been created for these technicalities. Enrolling in the “Street Address” service with USPS is the first step in having UPS deliver to your P.O. box.

You can find out if your P.O. box location offers the Street Address service by phoning or visiting your neighborhood post office. You also need to provide all the relevant information regarding your P.O. box.

If they have the service, USPS can give you the street address of the area where your P.O. box is located. You can start receiving deliveries from UPS to your P.O. box immediately.

Does UPS Deliver to P.O. Boxes With Street Addresses?

United Parcel Service (UPS) deliveries to P.O. boxes are allowed as long as it is located at a valid street address.

The Postal Service is authorized by law to deliver mail to a P.O. box. UPS requires a physical street address for deliveries. So, customers have found that their packages can be delivered if they give a street address. 

To format your address, write your name, the phrase “P.O. box,” and the P.O. box number. For example, John Doe, P.O. box 123. 

By following this format, you can be reassured that your UPS package will be delivered without mishap.

Does UPS Ship to International P.O. Boxes?

No, UPS does not deliver to international P.O. boxes. But people and businesses can use UPS’s wide range of international shipping services. 

However, UPS does not deliver to international P.O. boxes because the package must go through customs whenever UPS ships internationally.

Additionally, an actual address is required because P.O. boxes cannot be used to send packages through customs. However, UPS can deliver packages to international military P.O. boxes. 

This is allowed so military postal personnel may pick up and distribute mail delivered to a military base. 

Therefore, UPS can ship your goods to an APO (Army Post Office) or FPO (Fleet Post Office) location.

How Can You Get UPS to Deliver to Your P.O. Box?

You can use a few methods to guarantee that your package will reach your P.O. box, like using a street address for your delivery destination and shopping at stores that use UPS SurePost.

It is best that you give UPS an exact street address so that they can deliver your packages. 

Ask the post office employees about signing up for the “street address version” function when you acquire a P.O. Box. It is a feature that should be included when you purchase a P.O. Box.

United Parcel Services offers SurePost, a delivery service that tries to reduce the “last mile” transportation expenses.

You could receive a parcel using a P.O. Box if Amazon used SurePost to deliver your order. You can also have your packages delivered to a friend’s or coworker’s address if you need a different option.

Avoid P.O. Box Deliverability Issues With These Tips

When you have a P.O. box, you can do a few things so your packages will get delivered.

Use these strategies to get over the tricky situation of not receiving UPS packages addressed to a P.O. Box. These techniques will also help you speed up the delivery process so you can receive your packages without constantly making an effort.

Ask Your Local Post Office If They Can Accept and Hold UPS Packages for You

Not all neighborhood post offices are likely to do this. But you can still inquire whether a postal worker at the post office in your neighborhood can hold UPS deliveries for you. If the manager or the postmaster of your local office agrees, you can use your post office’s actual street address for your deliveries. 

Of course, you will need the staff’s approval first.

You will still need to use your P.O. Box as a secondary address while using the post office’s street address to route your UPS packages through the logistics system.

Once UPS has delivered your parcels to the postal workers who will accept them on your behalf, these individuals will be able to move them into your P.O. box or place them in a secure container for you using the P.O. box secondary address.

The only issue with this particular strategy is that some post offices do not allow receiving UPS packages on behalf of their clients.

They can also only allow you to do this occasionally. If you abuse the privilege, it can be frustrating for the postal workers.

In such a case, you will need to think of a different solution that will let you accept UPS packages even if your address is invalid.

Put Your Street Address to Use 

Even if you do not always get packages forwarded to your house, you can still have your UPS items delivered right to your door.

If you do not have another mailing address aside from your P.O. box. You can provide your street address for UPS packages.

It is a good idea to manually add your address to UPS systems if you cannot use an actual street address for shipping parcels, especially if your location is not recognized by the USPS or UPS databases. 

You may complete this process for free, simply, and quickly. 

It may take up to a day or more for your address to “go live” in the system. But the USPS and UPS websites have sections and online tools you can use to finish the process in approximately five minutes.

Send Your UPS Package to Your Work, Family, or Friend

If they agree, you can always decide to have your UPS packages delivered to your loved ones, friends, workplace, school, or place of business.

You will need to talk to trustworthy individuals in your life who you can rely on to receive packages for you. Then you can later pick up the packages personally.

This method is more convenient than having your parcels delivered to your P.O. box or house. It may also be one of the few shipping options available, especially if picking it up at UPS directly requires you to travel a long distance.

Certain individuals even rent storage units with real addresses that may receive packages. This may or may not be accessible in your neighborhood, can suit your budget, or interests you.

Use Your Phone Number

Every UPS order must contain your phone number, especially those sent to P.O. box addresses.

UPS will use that phone number whenever a shipment they have is unavailable for delivery for several reasons, including if the package’s final destination is a P.O. box.

However, it is important to realize that, unlike regular orders, deliveries to P.O. boxes made after a phone call from UPS will not be covered by the UPS Service Guarantee.

What Happens if You Have a UPS Delivery Coming to Your P.O. Box?

There is no need to worry if UPS is carrying a package for you and the shipping address you provided is a regular P.O. box.

First, you would have been asked for a phone number when the transaction was just being made. UPS will call you at this number to ask for a delivery location they can use, like a friend or relative’s house.

You will have to pick up your shipment from a nearby UPS or retail store, which can be inconvenient for you if you cannot offer one.

Occasionally, you can get your local post office to accept and hold UPS deliveries for you. 

However, this is the staff’s decision and will likely be significantly influenced by their workload and how frequently you request the favor.

Does UPS Mail Innovations Deliver to P.O. Boxes, APO, FPO, DPO, Alaska, Hawaii, and Other U.S. Territories?

Yes. P.O. boxes in Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. Territories, the APO, FPO, and the DPO (Diplomatic Post Office) are all destinations for UPS Mail Innovations deliveries. 

It is best to remember that shipments to APO, FPO, and DPO addresses may need a CN22 customs form.

Which Carriers Can Ship to a P.O. Box?

P.O. boxes, like mailboxes, are government property. Only USPS is authorized to oversee shipments to them.

However, UPS may deliver to some P.O. boxes if you use the Street Address program.

However, not all USPS PO box locations participate in this program. It is up to the attending manager to determine whether their particular location will take a UPS shipment and deposit it in the appropriate P.O. box. 

Since the USPS clerk may reject a UPS shipment if you merely try to send it, contacting your P.O. box location is always preferable.

If you decline, the package will either be sent back to the shipper or held at a UPS location until you can pick it up.

You can learn more about different UPS services by visiting FindPostOffice.org. The website also lists the locations of its 31,330 post offices across the United States. Visit the site to find the post office nearest you.