How to find my mailbox number in my neighborhood?

Did you move into a new neighborhood? One of the most difficult things you might experience is locating your mailbox in the area. If you have a mailbox number, that could be a bit easier. So, how do you find your mailbox number in the neighborhood?

Finding your mailbox number could be the first step to locating your mailbox. You can do this with the following steps: ask your building manager or mail carrier, go to your post office, present documents and ID proving ownership, and request a rekey. Locate mailboxes by using the USPS website.

However, if it’s a newly built house, it won’t have a mailbox, so you’ll have to install one yourself. In that case, there are rules guiding installation. Here, we discuss how you can find your mailbox number in your neighborhood.

Finding Your Mailbox in a new Neighborhood

Usually, when you move into a new house, the realtor should give you the mailbox keys and number after signing the papers along with the house keys. But that’s not always the case. Sometimes, the seller forgets to drop the key or perhaps has misplaced the key. It’s even possible that the previous homeowner never used the box. Even if you get the key, it might not be numbered. Whatever the case might be, here’s how to locate your mailbox number in the neighborhood:

1.  Ask The Carrier or the Person in Charge of the Building

If you’re living in an apartment, you can ask your property manager where your mailbox is, they’ll most likely know, and once you get to the mailbox, you should find your number on it. The property manager, concierge, or whoever is in charge of your residence will usually have an idea. But if you live in a single-family home, you might not be able to do this. In that case, the best person to talk to might be the local carrier. The local carrier will often know which box belongs to which house and direct you to your box.

2.  Go to Your Post Office

If you’re not able to ask the carrier or property manager, you can also come to your assigned post office. This is the post office that delivers mail and packages to your neighborhood. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the closest post office to you. So, you can ask your new neighbors or go to the nearest post office and make some inquiries. If it’s your assigned post office, they’ll likely direct you to where you should have gone.

3.  Present Documents That Prove Your Identity And Ownership

Once you get to the post office, show your photo ID and closing documents on the house so that they’ll know that you’re the new owner of the property. You can bring the lease documents too in case it’s rent. With your address on the documents, the post office will be able to tell you where your mailbox is in the neighborhood and the mailbox number. You can easily tell which box is yours when you get to the location because USPS either engraves the number or attaches an adhesive card with the number on it.

4.  Request For the Post Office To Rekey The Box

Whether you have keys from the property seller or you don’t, it’s still advisable to rekey the mailbox. The post office will place an order for rekeying the box for you once you tell them, and this ensures that you’re the only one who has access to the box apart from the person delivering the post. The key will be ready within a week, and you can start using the box and giving out your mailbox number. While some post office locations will rekey it once you go there to ask for your mailbox number and confirm the change in ownership, not everyone will. Some require you to specifically. So, if they don’t mention it, make sure you do. Rekeying the box will only cost a few dollars.

Since you already have your mailbox number, you can start receiving mail even while you still don’t have access to your box. In this case, you can ask to pick up the mail at the office. This ensures you have easy access to it and don’t have to wait till you have the key.

How To Find the Location of Your Mailbox?

If you have your mailbox number and key but can’t seem to tell where it’s located, you can easily find it on your own. Go to the USPS website and select the “Locate a Post Office” option. Then from the dropdown menu on the next page, choose “Collection Boxes” or type usps.whitepages.com/collection_box  into your browser. You’ll end up on the same page. Then, enter your address or ZIP code, and you’ll see a list and map of the collection boxes nearby.

How to Install a Mailbox

If you’re moving into a newly built house, you’ll likely be the one to install the mailbox for your residence. In that case, there are rules to comply with. They include:

  • The manufactured mailbox must meet the standards of the USPS in terms of internal and external dimensions
  • Curbside mailboxes must be on the right side of the road and face outward
  • The house or box number must be on the front or flag side if it’s a curbside mailbox and must be at least an inch tall
  • The curbside mailboxes should be between 6 and 8 inches away from the curb, and the slot for income mail has to be between 41 and 45 inches above the ground.
  • The curbside mailbox should be at most 23 inches deep.
  • The wood for making a curbside mailbox should not be bigger than 4×4 inches, and it can also be of aluminum or steel pipes of 2 inches in diameter.
  • The locking mailbox must have slots big enough for the mail that residents receive daily.
  • Flaps on the mailbox should face inward so that mail carriers can drop the mail easily.
  • The mailbox, once installed, is property of USPS, and you can’t force it open because you lost your key, as that could attract prosecution and fines.

In Conclusion

Finding your mailbox number in a new neighborhood is quite easy, and you can do that with the steps outlined above. If it’s a new home that doesn’t have a mailbox yet,   you’ll have to install it yourself. Know the applicable rules before you do so.

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