# Where to Drop Off USPS Packages: All Locations and Rules > Drop off USPS packages at Post Office counters, lobby drop units, blue collection boxes, approved third-party shippers, or via free carrier pickup. - **Author**: Charles Helms - **Published**: 2021-01-05 - **Updated**: 2026-10-23 - **Category**: usps - **URL**: https://trackingadvice.com/drop-off-usps-packages/ --- You can drop off USPS packages at Post Office retail counters, lobby drop units, blue collection boxes, approved third-party shipping locations, or from your doorstep using free carrier pickup. Your best drop-off option depends on whether your postage is prepaid, how large the parcel is, and whether you require an immediate acceptance scan or receipt. TrackingAdvice is independent and not affiliated with USPS. ## Drop-off options at a glance You have seven real ways to hand a package to USPS, and the right one depends on your label, the size of the box and the clock. | Drop-off location | Prepaid label required? | Accepts stamped packages? | Max weight / size limits | Immediate scan / receipt? | Hours and weekend access | | :--------------------------------------------- | :--------------------------------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------- | :-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------------------------------ | :---------------------------------------- | | **Post Office retail counter** | No (can buy postage at window) | Any (hand to clerk) | 70 lb; 108 in (Priority Mail) / 130 in (Ground Advantage) length plus girth | Yes (counter acceptance scan and receipt) | Check locator | | **Post Office lobby drop / Package Drop Unit** | Yes (or metered postage) | 10 oz or less and 1/2 in or less | 70 lb; must slide in easily (108 in / 130 in length plus girth) | No (scan occurs when processed) | Check locator for lobby hours | | **Self-Service Kiosk** | No (prints Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express labels) | N/A (prints labels) | 70 lb | Not an acceptance point: print the label, then use the package slot | Check locator | | **Rapid Dropoff Station** | Yes (prepaid or Label Broker label) | No | 70 lb; must slide in easily | Yes (acceptance scan and printed or emailed receipt) | Check locator for participating locations | | **Blue collection box** | Yes (or metered postage) | 10 oz or less and 1/2 in or less | 70 lb; must slide in easily; never force it | No (scan occurs when processed) | Posted on box | | **Contract Postal Unit / Approved Shipper** | Varies (CPUs sell postage; Approved Shippers take prepaid) | Any at CPU (hand to clerk); check Approved Shipper | 70 lb; 108 in (Priority Mail) / 130 in (Ground Advantage) length plus girth | Ask the clerk | Check locator or store hours | | **Walgreens and CVS** | Not accepted | No | N/A | N/A | Not an accepted USPS drop-off | | **Free Package Pickup** | Yes (eligible prepaid services) | No (stamped pieces over 10 oz or 1/2 in excluded) | 70 lb; 130 in length plus girth | Tracking updates when USPS scans it | Mon-Sat, any time that day | Verified 2026-10-23 against [USPS FAQs](https://faq.usps.com/s/article/What-is-a-Collection-Box) and the [USPS locator](https://tools.usps.com/find-location.htm). ## Where can you drop off prepaid USPS packages? If your USPS package already has a prepaid electronic shipping label (printed through [USPS Click-N-Ship](https://trackingadvice.com/usps-click-and-ship/), Pirate Ship, eBay, or commercial returns), **you do not need to wait in the regular counter line.** You have several quick drop-off options: - **Lobby drops and Package Drop Units (PDUs):** Many Post Offices have wall drops or Package Drop Units for packages with prepaid postage, PC Postage, meter imprints or USPS return labels. - **Rapid Dropoff Stations:** At participating locations, you can scan your prepaid barcode or Label Broker code for an acceptance scan and receipt before placing the parcel into the secure drop drum. - **Street collection boxes:** You can drop a package with prepaid postage into any blue collection box if it slides in easily. - **Free carrier pickup:** You can schedule a letter carrier to collect prepaid parcels from your doorstep or mailbox at usps.com. Dropping a prepaid package into a lobby drop or collection box means your first tracking scan comes only after USPS collects and processes the package. If you need proof of drop-off, bring the parcel to the retail counter for a clerk acceptance scan or use a Rapid Dropoff Station receipt. For Priority Mail Express, the service guarantee does not begin until the item receives an acceptance scan. If you need a postmark that matches the mailing date, ask for a free manual postmark at the retail counter during regular business hours. Once it moves, follow it on our [USPS tracking](https://trackingadvice.com/carriers/usps/) page. ## Post Offices: the full-service option A USPS Post Office accepts every package you can mail, sells postage, ships international mail, and gives free manual postmarks. **USPS operated 30,972 retail offices in fiscal year 2025 according to USPS Postal Facts.** Use the [USPS locator](https://tools.usps.com/find-location.htm) to find the nearest location, its specific services, and retail counter hours. Retail counter hours vary by location, so check the locator before visiting. Post Offices close on postal holidays. ## Can you drop off packages in a USPS blue collection box? A USPS blue collection box will take your package at any hour, as long as it slides through the hopper and meets the postage rules. ### Which packages a collection box accepts 1. **Prepaid electronic shipping labels:** Packages bearing online postage labels (such as USPS Ground Advantage, Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, or commercial returns) with an electronic tracking barcode can go directly into a collection box with no stamp-style weight limit, provided the package fits easily. 2. **Stamps only:** A stamped package over 10 ounces or over 1/2 inch thick cannot go in a box (see the rules section below). 3. **Prohibited and restricted items:** Take packages with hazardous or restricted items to the retail counter (see the rules section below). 4. **International mail:** Priority Mail Express International and Priority Mail International items prepared fully online (where the label, customs data, and postage were completed electronically) are permitted in collection boxes if they fit. Any international shipment with a handwritten customs form, or any international item bearing stamps that requires a customs form or exceeds 10 ounces or 1/2 inch in thickness, must be presented to a retail counter clerk. ### Blue collection box size limits **A package must slide in easily; never force it.** If your parcel does not slide through easily, bring it inside a Post Office or use free Package Pickup. ## Self-Service Kiosks and Rapid Dropoff Stations USPS Self-Service Kiosks and Rapid Dropoff Stations let you weigh packages, print labels, or get an acceptance receipt without waiting for a clerk. Automated Self-Service Kiosks are located primarily in Post Office lobbies, with a few in select shopping centers. Kiosks let you weigh packages, buy postage, print Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express labels, and buy stamps. Drop packages with kiosk labels into the package slots, not mail slots. Lobby access varies by location, so check the [USPS locator](https://tools.usps.com/find-location.htm) for hours. **Rapid Dropoff Stations provide an automated acceptance scan and receipt for prepaid packages without requiring postage purchases.** USPS lists more than 130 Rapid Dropoff Stations on its [Rapid Drop app page](https://www.usps.com/apps/rapid-drop.htm). According to the [USPS Rapid Dropoff Station FAQ](https://faq.usps.com/s/article/Rapid-Dropoff-Station), a station handles parcels with prepaid shipping labels or USPS Label Broker QR codes. The machine scans the barcode, displays the tracking number, and gives a printed or emailed acceptance receipt with no payment required. The free USPS Rapid Drop app lets you combine up to five prepaid shipping labels into a single QR code for faster scanning. If a package contains hazardous, prohibited, or restricted items, the station instructs you to bring the parcel to the retail window. Once scanned at an RDS, you deposit the parcel into the parcel drum or in-wall drop. ## Can you drop off USPS packages at Walgreens or CVS? Walgreens and CVS do not take USPS packages, even though both sell USPS stamps. The misconception stems from other carrier partnerships and stamp sales: 1. **Walgreens partners with FedEx:** Walgreens stores handle package drop-off and pickup for FedEx-labeled packages through [FedEx at Walgreens](https://local.fedex.com/en-us/ny/bronx/hpnlc). 2. **CVS partners with UPS:** Many CVS Pharmacy locations operate as [UPS Access Point](https://www.cvs.com/store-locator/cvs-pharmacy-locations/Illinois/Chicago/ups-access-point) locations for UPS packages. 3. **Stamp sales do not equal package acceptance:** Under the USPS Stamps to Go program, National Retailers such as Walgreens, CVS, and Office Depot sell stamp booklets. Selling stamp booklets does not make a retail store an authorized USPS package drop-off point. (A book of stamps is the whole USPS menu there.) ### Where to go instead of pharmacies If you need an alternative to a traditional Post Office, use an official location through the [USPS Approved Postal Provider program](https://trackingadvice.com/usps-approved-postal-provider-program/): - **Contract Postal Units (CPUs):** Located inside partner businesses, CPUs offer full USPS retail products and services at standard USPS prices. - **Approved Shippers:** Independent shipping and mailing companies that display official USPS signage. They sell USPS services alongside competitor products. USPS does not limit the extra fees they may charge, so ask about fees first. - **Village Post Offices (VPOs):** Located in local retail stores or community libraries, offering a limited selection of postal products. ## How to drop off USPS packages after hours Dropping off a USPS package after hours comes down to using open Post Office lobbies, outdoor collection boxes, or partner shipping stores. 1. **Extended-access Post Office lobbies:** Many Post Offices keep their outer lobby doors open after counter hours. These lobbies house automated Self-Service Kiosks and Package Drop Units or lobby drops that accommodate prepaid parcels. Lobby hours vary, so check the [USPS locator](https://tools.usps.com/find-location.htm). 2. **Outdoor blue collection boxes:** Street boxes are physically accessible 24 hours a day. Collection times are posted on each box; mail dropped after the last posted collection time remains in the receptacle until the carrier collects it on the next postal business day. USPS says collections should happen within about 30 minutes of the posted time. 3. **Approved Shippers and partner locations:** Some independent shipping stores operating as Approved Shippers have different operating hours than local Post Offices. Verify their operating hours and whether they charge drop-off fees before visiting. The box is open all night. The mail inside it does not move until the next posted collection. ## Can you drop off USPS packages on Sunday? **You can drop USPS packages in blue collection boxes and open Post Office lobbies on Sunday, but they leave only at the next collection time posted on the box.** - Check the collection times on the box label. If it shows no Sunday time, mail dropped on Sunday waits for the next postal business day (Tuesday if Monday is a postal holiday). - **Priority Mail Express on Sunday:** The Priority Mail Express guarantee starts at the USPS acceptance scan. Check our [USPS holiday schedule](https://trackingadvice.com/usps-holidays/) to plan around closures. ## Dropping off USPS packages during the 2026 holidays Dropping off USPS packages around postal holidays means closed retail counters, paused carrier pickups, and earlier shipping deadlines. Post Offices close on postal holidays. For the remainder of 2026, Post Offices will be closed on Wednesday, November 11 (Veterans Day), Thursday, November 26 (Thanksgiving Day), and Friday, December 25 (Christmas Day). **On postal holidays, collection boxes and lobby drops accept items, but shipments remain in place until the next postal business day.** For delivery by December 25, 2026 within the contiguous United States, USPS recommends shipping by the following dates: | Service | 2026 ship-by date (contiguous U.S.) | | :------------------------ | :---------------------------------- | | **USPS Ground Advantage** | Thursday, December 17, 2026 | | **First-Class Mail** | Thursday, December 17, 2026 | | **Priority Mail** | Friday, December 18, 2026 | | **Priority Mail Express** | Saturday, December 19, 2026 | Verified 2026-10-23 against the [USPS holiday shipping dates release](https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2026/0922-usps-recommends-2026-holiday-mailing-shipping-dates.htm). For complete military cutoffs and international dates, review our [2026 holiday shipping deadlines](https://trackingadvice.com/holiday-shipping-deadlines-2026/) guide and [USPS holiday closures](https://trackingadvice.com/usps-holidays/). According to an [October 22, 2026 USPS announcement](https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2026/1022-postal-service-prepped-to-deliver-for-2026-holiday-season.htm), the Postal Service will prioritize morning parcel delivery, enhanced scanning technology, and extended retail and pickup delivery hours at popular Post Office locations. 2026 Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve Post Office hours: not yet announced (checked 2026-10-23). ## Free carrier pickup: the easiest option **USPS Package Pickup lets a letter carrier collect prepaid packages directly from your door or office, and it is free no matter how many packages you have.** You can schedule, edit, or cancel a pickup at [usps.com](https://tools.usps.com/schedule-pickup-steps.htm) Monday through Saturday until 2:00 AM Central Time on the day of the pickup. Your carrier can collect the items at any time that day. What to know about free Package Pickup: - **Eligible services:** Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, return merchandise services, Priority Mail Express International, Priority Mail International, and First-Class Package International Service. First-Class Mail items can go along with at least one eligible package. - **Preparation requirements:** Packages must have prepaid postage attached. International packages qualify only if the shipping label, customs declarations, and postage were completed online. - **Size and weight limits:** Each package can weigh up to 70 pounds and measure up to 130 inches in combined length plus girth. - **Eligibility:** Not all addresses are eligible for Package Pickup. Check your address when scheduling online. - **Express service note:** If you need the Priority Mail Express service guarantee on a specific item, you must present the parcel at a Post Office retail counter. - **Pickup on Demand:** If you require a scheduled two-hour pickup window, USPS offers Pickup on Demand for a fee of $26.50 per stop (scheduled by 5:00 AM local time on the day of pickup). For a complete walkthrough of scheduling steps and pickup rules, see our [USPS Package Pickup guide](https://trackingadvice.com/usps-package-pickup/). ## What counts as "prepaid" for drop-off purposes A USPS package counts as prepaid when its postage came from online postage, a postage meter or PC Postage, not from stamps. A valid prepaid package meets these criteria: - Postage was purchased and generated online (such as through [USPS Click-N-Ship](https://trackingadvice.com/usps-click-and-ship/), Pirate Ship, Stamps.com, Shippo, eBay, or commercial returns), or printed via an authorized postage meter or PC Postage system. - The label displays a valid tracking barcode. - The package weight, dimensions, and mailing zone entered on the label match the physical item. Under the [Automated Package Verification (APV) Program](https://faq.usps.com/s/article/Automated-Package-Verification-Program), USPS processing equipment measures packages. **If package characteristics on the label do not match what USPS equipment measures, USPS can charge the difference to your postage account.** For Click-N-Ship users, an account alert or Postage Due message will display. If postage is short, the package is either returned to the sender or delivered with postage due for the recipient to pay. ## Rules that catch people off guard USPS enforces specific rules on stamped packages, weight limits, and hazardous materials that catch everyday shippers off guard. The stamp limit is 10 ounces, not 13. **Under the Aviation Mail Security rule, any package paid solely with physical postage stamps that weighs more than 10 ounces or measures more than 1/2 inch thick cannot be deposited into a collection box or lobby drop.** Under [DMM 507.7.2.2](https://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/507.htm), stamped items over these thresholds cannot be collected via Package Pickup or handed to a letter carrier; you must hand them directly to a clerk at a Post Office retail counter. The previous 13-ounce threshold ended on October 1, 2019. If an over-limit stamped item is dropped in a collection box, it will be returned to you with a label that explains the rule. Take packages with hazardous or restricted items to the retail counter, where a clerk can check them. USPS's own Rapid Dropoff Stations send these packages to the window. Review our [USPS shipping restrictions guide](https://trackingadvice.com/usps-shipping-restrictions/) for packaging and acceptance rules. Packaging materials count toward total weight. Always weigh your parcel with the box, bubble wrap, tape, and packing slip included before purchasing your label. ## When to go to the counter vs. drop in a box **Go to a USPS retail counter if you require an immediate acceptance scan, a same-day manual postmark, or have a stamped parcel exceeding the Aviation Mail Security rule.** Use the retail counter when: - Your package needs postage (you have not purchased a shipping label). - Your parcel has only stamps and is over the stamp limit in the rules section above. - You need an immediate physical receipt with clerk acceptance confirmation. - You want the Priority Mail Express guarantee to start at the moment of drop-off. - You need a free manual postmark matching the mailing date. - You are sending international mail with customs declarations that were not prepared online. - Your package contains restricted, regulated, or hazardous items requiring window inspection. Use a blue collection box, lobby drop, or carrier pickup when: - You have an eligible prepaid electronic shipping label. - Your package weighs 70 pounds or less and slides in easily without forcing. - You are dropping off outside Post Office retail counter hours. ## FAQ ### How do I drop off a prepaid package at USPS? You can skip the retail counter line entirely. Attach your prepaid label and drop the package into a Post Office lobby drop, a Package Drop Unit, a Rapid Dropoff Station, a blue collection box (if it fits), or schedule free Package Pickup at usps.com. ### Can I drop off a USPS package at The UPS Store? The UPS Store is a UPS location. It handles USPS packages only if that specific store is a USPS Approved Shipper displaying official USPS signage, and it may charge a fee. Ask the store first, or use a Post Office, collection box, Rapid Dropoff Station, or free Package Pickup. FedEx or UPS packages dropped into USPS boxes or Post Offices must wait for that carrier to collect them at their convenience. ### Can I drop off a USPS package without a label? You can drop off a package without a pre-printed label at a Post Office retail counter or a Contract Postal Unit, where a clerk can weigh the package and sell postage. You can also weigh parcels and purchase Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express postage at an automated Self-Service Kiosk in a Post Office lobby. ### Can I drop off USPS packages at CVS? No. CVS Pharmacy locations do not accept USPS package drop-offs. Many CVS stores serve as UPS Access Point locations for UPS packages, and the USPS locator lists CVS only as a seller of stamp booklets. ### What is the weight limit for blue USPS collection boxes? For packages bearing only physical postage stamps, the Aviation Mail Security rule limits parcels to 10 ounces or less and 1/2 inch or less in thickness. For packages with prepaid electronic labels, USPS sets no stamp-style weight limit up to the 70-pound postal maximum, provided the package slides in easily without being forced. ### Is carrier pickup really free? Yes. Standard USPS Package Pickup is free regardless of the number of packages. Schedule online at usps.com by 2:00 AM Central Time on the day of pickup. If you need a scheduled two-hour pickup window, USPS offers Pickup on Demand for $26.50 per stop. ### Do I need to be home for carrier pickup? No. You do not need to be present when the carrier collects your shipment. When scheduling online at usps.com, you can choose where you will leave the packages: on the porch, at the front door, or in your mailbox. ### Why hasn't my tracking updated after dropping my package in a collection box? Blue collection boxes and lobby drop chutes provide no immediate scan at deposit. Your first tracking event does not appear until USPS collects the package and scans it. If you need proof of mailing at drop-off, use the retail counter or a Rapid Dropoff Station. For more details on daily transit cycles, check our [USPS delivery hours](https://trackingadvice.com/usps-delivery-hours/) guide.