What are the USPS Mailbox Requirements?
- Help mail carriers do their jobs.mailman"s bag image by Kozachenko Sergey from Fotolia.com
Although the United States Postal Service (USPS) has several regulations regarding curbside mailboxes, slot and wall-mounted mailboxes are not regulated. However, there are standards for both that will aid in the rapid delivery of the mail, which will not only benefit your mail carrier but you as well, because the longer it takes to deliver the mail, the more mail carriers are needed at taxpayer expense. - In rural areas, curbside mailboxes facilitate quick delivery.Driveby Rural Mailboxes image by Scott Griessel from Fotolia.com
Contact the local post office before moving, adding a post-mounted box for a new home or buying a custom made mailbox; each must meet USPS standards.
The letters in the addressee's name painted or printed on the box should be one inch high or more. The bottom of the box should be from 41 to 45 inches from the ground if possible and mounted within reach from the right side of the delivery truck, 6 to 8 inches from the street side of the curb or the edge of a road devoid of curbs.
Locking boxes are recommended to prevent mail theft. However, the slot must be large enough to accommodate the mail regularly delivered, and the postmaster must approve it prior to installation.
Advertisements posted on a mailbox or its post are forbidden.
Newspaper receptacles may be mounted on the post as long as they are not in contact with or supported by the mailbox. Nor can they block the deliverer's view of the flag, interfere with the delivery of mail or protrude beyond the front of the closed mailbox. They may not display any advertisements other than the name of the paper delivered.
Do not block access to the mailbox with parked cars or garbage cans. - Wall-mounted mailboxes come in a variety of styles.old mailbox image by Tracy Horning from Fotolia.com
Before mounting a mailbox beside an entry door, speak with the local mail carrier for advice on placement to best facilitate mail delivery, and consult local laws and regulations governing its placement, if any. If the neighborhood has a homeowners association, check with them for any rules regarding mailbox placement and style.
Wall-mounted mailboxes should open and close easily to promote ease of delivery and to protect the mail from the elements. Make sure that nothing obstructs the lid. - Mail slots can becf more trouble than they are worth.porte image by Jacques PALUT from Fotolia.com
To facilitate the easy delivery of mail, always choose a large slot and place it in either the front door or the garage door within easy reach so the mail carrier doesn't have to stoop or stretch. The slot should not contain any angles or be impeded by a screen door if possible. Even the best mail slots slow down the mail carrier because they have to work one-handed and feed the mail through the slot a few pieces at a time.
Another drawback to mail slots---especially those that feed into the house---is that destruction-minded pranksters can easily feed a garden hose into the slot, turn it on and flood your house.
