Can You Use a PO Box As an Address? Everything You Need to Know

Evelyn Sanderson - June 15, 2025

Post office boxes, also known as PO boxes, are a common way for individuals and businesses to use an address that isn’t the same as their physical street address. The benefit of using a PO box as an address is that it offers a layer of privacy, enables you to pick up mail in other locations, and helps you keep some types of mail separate. 

That said, there are some limitations you have to consider when it comes to PO boxes. For example, you can’t always use a PO box as your address, especially if you don’t have a residential address. This can make it hard to determine if you can even use a PO box for an address in your situation.

So, can you use a PO box as an address? Read on to learn everything you need to know.

What Is a PO Box?

A PO box is a post office box. The post office offers this service for individuals and businesses who don’t want to display their public addresses for mailing purposes. In other words, you can use the PO box to send and receive mail from an address that isn’t your residence. PO boxes are housed in United States post offices, and 24-hour access is available at most locations.

For many, this offers unique benefits but also some drawbacks. For example, you may have more privacy when using a PO box, but you may also end up with a mailing address that can’t receive large packages. 

Therefore, it’s important to always consider your needs before using a PO box service.

Can You Use a PO Box As an Address?

Yes, you can use a PO box as an address. You can use a PO box as an address if you own a business and want to use a different address for orders, or if you want to keep your physical address private. In fact, most post offices offer PO boxes to anyone willing to pay the necessary fees, so just about anyone can walk into a post office and use a PO box as their address.

It’s important to note that there are some limitations to post office boxes. For example, you may not be able to send or receive some packages because businesses will only ship to a specific type of address.

Can You Use a PO Box As a Shipping Address?

Yes, you can use a PO box as a shipping address. That said, you can only use it when shipping mail with the United States Postal Service (USPS). This is because many private carriers don’t always ship to PO boxes. However, many private carriers like FedEx do allow you to use a PO box as an address if you use a specific shipping method like FedEx Ground Economy.

It’s also important to note that you need to use a specific shipping address format when using a PO box. The proper format is the street where the post office is located, followed by the PO box number. For more help with the proper shipping format for PO boxes, we recommend reading our shipping format guide.

Can You Use a PO Box As a Residential Address?

According to United States Postal Service forms, no, you can’t use a PO box as a residential address. While you can use a post office box as an address, there are some limitations. For example, a PO box can’t be your sole residential address. It may be possible to list it on forms, but if anyone catches on, you can end up in trouble. 

Penalties can even include fines and other legal problems, so it’s always a good idea to follow the rules; the US government takes its mail service seriously.

Can You Use a PO Box As a Business Address?

When it comes to using a PO box as a business address, there are some limitations. You can use a PO box as a business address if you already have a physical location and want to use a separate mailing address, but it can’t be the primary address of your business. 

Basically, you have to follow the same rules you would follow as a resident. For this reason, if you want to use a PO box as a business address, you’ll need to have a primary address set up already at a physical location.

Can You Use a PO Box As a Billing Address?

Whether or not you can use a PO box as a billing address depends on a few factors. While credit card companies typically allow you to use a PO box as a billing address, banks usually like to see a physical address before letting you open an account. Once the account is open and you show proof of a physical location, the bank may let you use the PO box as your billing address.

It’s also important to note that many companies will have specific requirements for using a PO box as a billing address. For example, some companies may require you to list the PO box as a separate mailing address.

Reasons to Use a PO Box As an Address 

PO boxes come with a lot of benefits, so you’ll find that there are a handful of reasons you should consider using a PO box. For example, they offer more privacy and can give a business multiple pickup locations. 

Learn more about the reasons to use a PO box below.

Privacy 

One of the best things about a PO box is that it offers you privacy. While people can still find your residential address with a reverse address lookup tool, it offers an additional layer of protection. This is because people will have to dig deeper to find your residential address. 

The good news is that most people won’t go through the effort if they’re just trying to sell you something or mail you something. 

Another Address for Your Business 

Let’s say you want to start a business. While many people are comfortable with their home address being their business address, this can cause mail to become confusing. Plus, some states have zoning laws and may not allow you to operate out of your home. 

What’s more, keeping your physical and business addresses separate adds a layer of privacy to your business. After all, you don’t want customers showing up randomly at your house all the time.

Multiple Addresses 

Businesses that have multiple locations around the United States benefit immensely from having a PO box. This is because you can have multiple PO boxes in different areas. While this may seem insignificant at first, a great example is a company that’s headquartered in New York but has an office in Seattle. 

Instead of having to wait several days for a check or package to arrive in New York, another office can receive the mail in Seattle and cash the check or receive the package. For businesses that have a lot of transactions across the country, this can speed things up.

Things to Consider About Using a PO Box As an Address 

PO boxes can be used as an address, but only in a limited capacity. It’s important to note that some people may not like shipping to them, and some PO boxes are too small for larger orders. Learn more about these factors and others below.

Package Limitations 

PO boxes aren’t always the best if you plan on ordering massive packages often. While some post offices may hold your package, this isn’t always true. For this reason, you should only use a PO box if you know that you won’t be getting big pieces of mail delivered to the location. 

Aside from size limitations, there may also be other specific rules you have to follow based on your location and the type of mail you send or receive. Speak with your local post office employees to learn more about what you can and can’t do with a PO box.

Some Businesses Don’t Ship to PO Boxes 

According to the United States Postal Service, some businesses simply don’t ship to PO boxes. Therefore, if you’re trying to use it for a business address and plan on receiving a lot of mail, make sure the businesses or people you plan on working with have no problem mailing things to a PO box.

Limited Access 

Using a PO box is great but sometimes you may not be able to access your mail. While many post offices around the country offer 24-hour access to PO boxes, some offices may not. 

Moreover, if there are holidays or the office is undergoing renovations, you may have limited access. In other words, you don’t have as much control over when you can grab your mail.

So, Can You Use a PO Box As an Address? Our Final Thoughts 

At the end of the day, yes, you can use a PO box as an address. If you need an address for a business or want to keep your residential address private, a PO box might be the right choice for you. On the other hand, if you want to use a PO box as your physical address, doing so may be tricky. 

Sure, you can try and use just the street number without listing the PO box, but most government agencies and businesses will figure out that it’s a PO box and not a physical address quickly. For this reason, we only recommend using PO boxes as they’re intended.