Today, there are approximately 140,000 mail drop boxes throughout the United States.
If you're interested in an easy way to ship mail, then dropping a package or letter in the mail drop slot is one of the easiest ways to do so.
Keep reading to learn all you need to know about sending mail through the mail drop box.
What Is a Mail Collection Box?
You’ve probably seen plenty of the United States Postal Service (USPS) boxes around your home or office. They are the blue mailbox that you often see in front of the Post Office.
These mailboxes are more common in bigger cities, where you'll likely find one every few blocks. In rural areas, they are more spaced out. The collection boxes are an easier alternative than waiting in long lines at the Post Office.
How to Find One Near You?
If you're unsure where the nearest USPS drop box is, click here to find the ones closest to you.
You will be prompted to enter your zip code and then select how far of a radius you want the locater to search.
The site will populate the addresses of all the local collection boxes, and you'll also be able to see the time that the postal employee will come and collect the mail. This is helpful in planning your drop times. For example, if you need a letter to arrive by a certain date, mailing it earlier in the day will allow for more processing time.
Anyone can use USPS collection boxes to drop off mail or packages as long as they meet the USPS guidelines.
What Can You Put In Collection Boxes?
There are a few limits on what you can and can't drop in the blue USPS collection mailboxes. For example, you can put any first-class or certified mail letter or card in these boxes. However, the first-class letter can't weigh more than 3.5 ounces.
If you have a smaller package, you can put that in the box as well. However, if you're only using stamps to send your package, it will need to weigh less than thirteen ounces.
If you have a package that weighs more than thirteen ounces, you'll need to attach a pre-printed shipping label to it. You can't put a package that weighs more than thirteen ounces with stamps in the box, but you'll have to take that to the post office.
You also can't drop in packages that are more than three inches tall. They likely won't fit in the box, so you'll have to find another way to ship those packages.
You can send international shipments through these boxes, though they are mostly used for domestic shipments.
If you plan to drop an international package, you'll need to find a customs declaration form online and fill that out to send with your package. It may be possible to submit the customs declaration online, but you cannot use postage stamps when dropping an international package in the collection box.
You should also never put in any packages that carry restricted items, like fireworks or other flammable options. For a full list of domestic shipping prohibitions, restrictions, and HAZMAT guidelines, click here.
What Schedule Do They Follow?
These boxes are normally emptied every weekday. When you look at the locater, it will tell you the schedule of each specific box.
In general, a USPS employee will go through these boxes and scan the barcodes, no later than 5 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday.
Sometimes these boxes are also collected on Saturday, but it will depend on how many packages are in that specific box.
How to Make Drop-Offs Easy
Waiting in line at the Post Office is time-consuming. Not to mention, expensive. You'll also have to spend time filling out forms and getting extra packaging. Instead, create USPS Certified Mail labels, Priority Mail labels, and Express Mail labels from your home or office with Certified Mail Labels.
Not only will you skip the trip to the Post Office, but you will save $2.75 per Certified Mail green card receipt. Then, just from your mailing into your outgoing mailbox or one of USPS’s 140,000 collection boxes.
Whether you need to mail 1 letter or 1,000, Certified Mail Labels will ensure that your shipping labels are formatted correctly.
What Are the Benefits?
The benefits of online label creation in conjunction with USPS drop boxes will be a game changer for you personally and professionally. You can easily do all the preparation work at your home and then drop your mail pieces off at one of these boxes.
Check out our easy step-by-step instructions or get started saving time and money today!
For specific questions or to learn more about our full-service solutions, contact our Florida based Customer Support Team.
