You can get a PO Box without a permanent address, and if you don’t need a box at all, you can start receiving mail today for free. USPS offers three paths for people in this situation: General Delivery at a post office counter with just an ID, a fee-waived PO Box for homeless applicants, and a standard PO Box using a shelter, a friend’s home, or a social services office as your physical address. Which one fits depends on how quickly you need mail, whether you need a mailbox address to give out, and what documentation you can put together.
Start With General Delivery if You Need Mail Today
General Delivery is the fastest option, and it costs nothing. USPS built it as a temporary mail service for people without a permanent location, including travelers and anyone waiting for a PO Box to open up.1United States Postal Service. Domestic Mail Manual D930 General Delivery and Firm Holdout There’s no application. Senders address mail to your name, then “GENERAL DELIVERY,” then the city, state, and ZIP code of the post office where you’ll pick it up.2United States Postal Service. Publication 28 – 26 General Delivery Addresses You walk in with a valid ID and collect it at the counter.
USPS holds General Delivery mail for up to 30 days, though a sender can request a shorter window. Bring ID every time you pick up. The postmaster can turn away someone who can’t present suitable identification or whose mail volume is more than the office can handle.1United States Postal Service. Domestic Mail Manual D930 General Delivery and Firm Holdout
One catch worth knowing before you give out the address: in cities with more than one post office, only a single facility handles General Delivery, and you don’t choose which. Call ahead to confirm the right ZIP code. Because the service is designed as a bridge, it works best while you’re setting up something more permanent.
Free PO Boxes for Homeless Applicants
If you’re homeless, USPS allows you to apply for a PO Box at your local post office, and the postmaster can waive the fee.3USPS. Is there Mail Service for the Homeless? This program is real but rarely publicized, so most people who qualify never hear about it and never ask.
The usual two-ID rule still applies, with flexibility. If a postal employee personally recognizes you, the ID requirement may be relaxed. If no one at the counter knows you, you can substitute a verifiable point of contact for a traditional address: a shelter, a charitable organization, a social services office, or an employer. A homeless certification signed by an agency recognized by your local Continuum of Care also satisfies the requirement.
The practical move is to walk into the post office and ask to speak with the postmaster directly, not a general clerk. Bring whatever ID you have. If you’re already connected with a shelter or a social services agency, ask them for a written letter or certification before you go, because the postmaster’s decision often turns on what paperwork you can put on the counter.
Getting a Standard PO Box Without Your Own Address
Everyone else applies through PS Form 1093 and has to clear the same two-ID requirement: one photo ID and one non-photo ID that proves a physical address. Both must be current.4United States Postal Service. USPS PS Form 1093 – How to Apply for a PO Box The photo ID is usually straightforward. The address ID is where people without a home get stuck, so it’s worth looking at exactly what USPS will accept.
Photo IDs USPS accepts include a valid driver’s license or state non-driver ID card, a U.S. passport or passport card, a military or government employee ID, and a NEXUS card, Matricula Consular, or alien registration card.
Non-photo IDs that prove a physical address include a current lease or mortgage document, a voter registration card, a vehicle registration card, and a home or vehicle insurance policy.
The address on that second document doesn’t have to be a place you own or rent. USPS is confirming a physical location connected to you, not verifying ownership. That opens up a few routes.
Using a Friend or Family Member’s Address
If someone lets you use their address, you need a document tying you to that location. Official mail sent there in your name, or a written letter from the person confirming that you receive mail there, can support the application. Pair whatever you have with one of the accepted non-photo ID types above rather than presenting it on its own.
Using a Shelter or Transitional Housing Address
Shelters routinely help residents establish mailing addresses and will often provide a letter confirming your stay. Present that with your photo ID at the counter.
Using a Social Services Office
Some social services agencies act as a verifiable point of contact and will produce documentation you can use for the application.
Postmasters have discretion in all of this. If your situation doesn’t fit the standard ID categories, explain it plainly at the counter. Non-standard applications come through more often than most people assume, and the regulations give postal staff room to work with you.
What the PO Box Itself Costs
Once you clear the address hurdle, the cost depends on the size of the box and the location of the post office. USPS rents in three-month or six-month terms. At smaller post offices, six months for the smallest box starts around $20 to $30. At larger or urban offices, the same size can run $78 to $165 for six months. The largest boxes in high-demand locations can exceed $650 per six-month period.5United States Postal Service. Notice 123 – Price List Exact pricing is shown by location when you search for boxes on the USPS site.6United States Postal Service. PO Boxes
Box sizes range from XS (3″ by 5.5″, roughly 10 to 15 letters) up through XL (12″ by 22.5″, large enough for multiple packages). The middle sizes fit large envelopes flat or small flat-rate boxes.
Finishing the Application in Person
You can start online or walk in, but you finish in person either way. Online, you search for post offices near you, pick a location, choose a box size and payment period, complete the application, and pay. You then have 30 days to visit that post office with your printed application and both IDs. A retail associate verifies your identity and gives you the keys or lock combination.6United States Postal Service. PO Boxes
Skipping the online step is often faster if you already know which location has your box size available. Go to the post office, fill out PS Form 1093 at the counter, present your IDs, and pay there.4United States Postal Service. USPS PS Form 1093 – How to Apply for a PO Box
When a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency Makes More Sense
A Commercial Mail Receiving Agency is a private business that rents mailboxes and accepts mail on your behalf.7USPS. Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA) The reason to consider one instead of a PO Box: a CMRA gives you a real street address that looks like a standard business or residential address rather than a “PO Box” line. If you need a physical address for business registration or official paperwork, that distinction matters.
Setup uses USPS Form 1583, which authorizes the agency to receive mail for you. The form requires two IDs, one government-issued photo and one that verifies your address. You sign either in front of a CMRA employee or in front of a notary public, not both.8United States Postal Service. Application for Delivery of Mail Through Agent The CMRA submits the form to the local post office, and delivery usually starts within a few days.
CMRAs accept UPS, FedEx, and DHL deliveries without any add-on service. Many offer mail forwarding, package holding, and digital scanning where staff open mail and upload images for you to read remotely. Monthly costs typically run from around $10 to over $100 depending on the provider and services.
The address requirement on Form 1583 mirrors the PO Box challenge: you still need a document proving a physical address. The same workarounds apply. A friend’s address paired with documentation, a shelter address, or any location where you can show a verifiable connection.