PO Box or Post Office Box is a premium paid service that collects your mail on your behalf and keeps it safe with them for you to collect it later. If you want to know how to close a PO Box, There are two ways to close a PO Box—Online and Offline. The online method is a little simpler and less time-consuming than the offline mode.
You just need an account with the USPS to manage your PO Box and send them an online cancellation request whenever you want to have it closed. But for the offline method, you have to go all the way to the Post Office to complete the paperwork.
However, you will have to go to the Post Office once, even after requesting your cancellation online, to have your mails collected and to hand over the keys.
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How to close a PO Box Online?
Closing a PO Box online is very simple if you have an online account with USPS. You can easily manage your account and make your cancellation request to close it. All you need to do is go to the Manage Account on their website, visit the Renew or Manage section, fill in the credentials, go to the PO Box Details, click on Cancel PO Box. State the reasons you want to close it and then confirm your cancellation with one final click.
To understand the process in greater detail, look at the steps below about How to Close a PO Box Online:
After you have initiated the cancellation process, you will be offered a 10 days’ grace, within which you will have to visit the post office to empty your PO Box and hand over the keys to them.
How to Cancel a PO Box Offline?
Closing a PO Box offline is a bit time-consuming, for you will have to go all the way to the Post Office to make the request. However, if you are not quite comfortable closing it online, you can simply go for the offline cancellation.
All you need to do is visit the Post Office, ask for the concerned person, answer a few verification questions, give written consent, and complete the paperwork. Now, you might be asked to empty your PO Box and hand over the key then and there, or they might ask you to return in a few days to do the same.
To understand the process in greater detail, look at the steps below about how to close a PO Box Offline:
How to get a Refund for PO Box Fees after Closing?
Before you request a refund for PO Box fees after closing, it is important to check if you are eligible to get a refund at all. Usually, you will get a 100% refund if you haven’t ever activated your PO Box.
However, if you have activated it, the policy will vary according to the months of usage. You will be able to check the company’s refund policies on their website itself. Otherwise, you can visit the Post Office to confirm it with the concerned person in charge of the refund policies.
Now, to request a refund online, follow the steps given below:
For offline refund requests, visit the Post Office personally and complete the paperwork.
After you have initiated the cancellation process, the Post Office will begin with the refund procedure if you are eligible for one as per their policies. The refund will be made within 5 business days to the same bank account used to pay the rent.
What happens in the case of the death of a PO Box Holder?
In case of the death or disappearance of a PO Box holder, there are two solutions—one temporary and another permanent.
Suppose the PO Box holder dies before the end of the PO Box period. In that case, the temporary solution will behave an administrator or an executor handle it by changing the name and address to keep getting the mails.
The permanent solution would be to have another person become the regular customer of the PO Box. That person would then have to file for a new PS Form 1093 and supply identity proof to be the primary customer of the PO Box.
Else, one can also choose to cancel or close the PO Box if they no longer feel the need to continue receiving the deceased person’s emails. In any of the above cases, the person will have to provide the necessary documentation to prove the death of the PO Box Holder and the identity verification to prove the person’s relation to the deceased.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about How to close a PO Box
1. Do you have to return the post office box keys?
Yes, once you decide to close your PO Box, you will have to visit the Post Office personally to empty your PO Box and then hand over the keys, irrespective of whether you applied for online or offline cancellation.
2. How do I cancel my PO Box with USPS?
To cancel your PO Box with USPS, you will have to visit their online website and request a cancellation through your account; otherwise, you can pay a personal visit to the Post Office to complete the paperwork and apply for cancellation.
Conclusion
Renting a PO Box can be very convenient, safe, and beneficial. But if you are no longer willing to handle your PO Box, you must have it closed. For that, you should go through the proper procedure of cancelations instead of just waiting for your rental period to expire. It will not only allow other people on the waiting list to rent a PO Box but might as well get you a refund!
