P.O. Box change of address

Planning to move soon? Moving is a stressful and busy time. It’s easy to forget you need to forward your mail. With all you have going on, changing your address is just a frustrating chore most people don’t even consider while moving to a new place.

Unfortunately, if you don’t change your address, you will probably end up in a world of trouble. If you use a P.O. Box, it is also a good idea to find one in your new town or state. If you need to change the location of your P.O. Box address, here is a quick rundown on how to do it. 

P.O. Box and P.O. Box address – what are they?

P.O. Box, which stands for post office box, is a personal mailbox that is located in the lounge of a post office station. This is a box you can rent for a certain period of time. The box is 100% safe and secure–you can be sure that no one will steal your mail. You can access your P.O. Box 24/7, all year round.

P.O. Box is helpful if you need an address for your business (because you don’t want to have your home address public, or you just want to separate your personal mail from your business mail) or if you live in an area where it’s difficult for mail carrier services to deliver mail. A P.O. Box is also a great option when you travel a lot or change your address regularly. Having a P.O. Box usually speeds up the delivery of your mail.

What is a P.O. Box address?

P.O. Box address is a numbered box located in a post office where a person’s postal mail is kept. In most cases, it is a 2- to 5-digit number that represents the location of the postal box.

How to write a P.O. Box address?

Writing out a P.O. box address is easy. First, write the recipient’s first and last name in the middle of the envelope. Then, write the delivery address–this is the P.O. Box number–on the next line underneath the name.

Keep in mind that it is easier for the USPS if you leave out all punctuation, it helps keep the filtering and scanning process smooth. The last line should include the ZIP code, city, and state. The second step is providing the return address in the upper left-hand corner. Lastly, double-check the delivery address and return it to the sender's address. You should carefully look through everything you have written on the envelope.

The example of P.O. Box address format: 

Anna Smith

P.O. Box 1234

City, State 01011

How to change your P.O Box address?

If you need to change your P.O. Box address, the first thing to do is submit a change of address request with USPS. You can do it online or in person at your local post office using PS form 3575.

Usually, changing your address takes anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. When you set a new P.O. Box address, your mail will be forwarded there for up to a year after your request is accepted. Keep in mind, you should still contact your family and friends to inform them of your new address.

What about mail forwarding?

If you want to change your address at USPS, you have two options. You can do it online (go to the USPS website and fill out the online form). There is a $1.10 charge for identity identification, and you need your credit card to do it.

You can also go to your local post office and request the Mover’s Guide packet. Inside the packet, you will find PS Form 3575. You have to fill it out and give it to a postal worker behind the counter. You will receive a confirmation within five business days.

If you are wondering which option is better, both have their own pros and cons. Online changes take less than 5 minutes, but it costs $1.10. In-person changes are free, but you have to drive to your nearest post office station and wait in line. 

How long does changing your address last?

As stated above, you can forward your address for up to a year. It all depends on the type of mail service you choose. You can forward your First-Class Mail, Priority Mail, and Priority Express for 12 months, and your newspapers and magazines for 60 days. Junk mail is not forwarded at all.

How much does it cost to change your address?

In-person changes are free of charge and online changes cost $1.10. Online changes effect within 7-10 postal business days after the start date, in-person changes effect in just the same time (in 7-10 postal business days after the start date). Watch out for scammers - you should never pay more than around $1.10 to change your address with the post office.

Conclusion

As you can see, changing your P.O. Box address is easy as 1, 2, 3. You can do it with the USPS service in less than five minutes online for a fee of around $1.10, or wait in line at the post office station and do it for free. You can change your address temporarily, while retaining your original address, or change it permanently to save it as your address at USPS.