When looking into getting a PO Box for your business, know that the United States Postal Service offers several types of PO Boxes that vary based on size and the kinds of items they're designed to hold. Your options range from a very small box that can store a few days of letters to a very large box that can hold packages alongside all your other mail.

USPS also gives businesses access to premium services at certain post offices at no extra cost. You'll want to consider your purpose for renting the PO Box, your pricing preferences and the need for any extra services when making your decision.

Comparing PO Box Sizes

When considering the type of PO Box to get for your business, you'll mainly consider the size needed based on how often you'll empty the box and what types of items you plan to receive. Your options include these five types of PO Boxes, ranging from extra small to extra large, but your chosen post office's selection can vary:

  • Extra-small PO Box: The Size 1 PO Box measures 3 inches tall by 5.5 inches wide by 14.75 inches deep. It can work well if your business only receives standard-size letters and doesn't need space for packages or magazines. You can fit anywhere from 10 to 15 letters inside this PO Box.

  • Small PO Box: Choosing the Size 2 PO Box gives your business more flexibility for magazines with measurements of 5 inches tall by 5.5 inches wide by 14.75 inches deep. You can fit around five magazines in it if you roll them, up to 15 letters or a combination of both types of mail. However, this PO Box won't accommodate packages or large flats.

  • Medium PO Box: Moving up to the Size 3 PO Box can meet your business needs when you need room for flats and magazines alongside some typical letters. This one measures 5.5 inches tall by 11 inches wide by 14.75 inches deep.

  • Large PO Box: As long as you don't plan to receive packages any larger than a shoebox, the Size 4 PO Box can handle a couple of boxes plus other letters, flats and magazines. Its dimensions run 11 inches high by 11 inches wide by 14.75 inches deep.

  • Extra-large PO Box: As the most flexible PO Box that USPS offers, the Size 5 box can meet your business's needs whether you receive several boxes at once or just need a lot of space for longer storage of flats, letters and other items. It measures 12 inches tall by 22.5 inches wide by 14.75 inches deep.

Exploring Premium PO Box Services

Along with offering several PO Box sizes, select post offices offer free premium PO Box services that your business might find useful. These include options to access your mail during extended hours, put a signature on file and have a regular street address assigned to you. Some post offices give perks like an extra month of service for free if you pay for one year of PO Box rental or waiver of the deposits for your PO Box keys.

Choosing Your PO Box

Once you've determined which PO Box size your business wants and whether you need the premium services, head to the USPS website, where you'll be able to find local post office box prices and complete the reservation process. You can find the "Rent/Review a PO Box" link in the "Quick Tools" menu and can run a search using your city or ZIP code. Within the results list, you'll see the types of PO Boxes available at each location along with the availability of the premium services.

To get PO Box price information, select the post office and box size you want to see details for payment terms available at the location. You can simply choose the term you want and click "Reserve Now" to move forward with the online application and make the payment for the first service term. At the end of the reservation, USPS will provide instructions for bringing identification to the post office and getting access to your new PO Box.