General Delivery: A How-To Guide
What is General Delivery?
Post Office General Delivery is a worldwide service provided by the United States Post Office for people to get mail without a permanent address. If you have been displaced or don’t have a permanent address, General Delivery service allows you to pick up your mail for up to 30 days at a designated Postal identified location in your current community. Make sure the senders of your mail use the ZIP Code for the area’s designated Post Office.
Step 1
Find a nearby Post Office that offers General Delivery
OPTION 1
To find the Post Office that handles General Delivery in any area, call 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) and request “Customer Service.”
OPTION 2
You can also obtain the proper General Delivery address information at any Post Office, or by using the ZIP Code lookup tool on the USPS website. When using the tool, type “General Delivery” in the address line, followed by the City and State, and click “Find.” The General Delivery location’s ZIP Code will be provided.
OPTION 3:
Download the USPS mobile app, choose location and under “Services Available” look for “General Delivery.” If it is not listed, pick another location.
Step 2
Confirm with local Post Office
Once you pick out a location, it's always a good idea to confirm with the local post office directly if possible. Make sure even if you do not live in the area, you can still receive mail with general delivery.
Step 3
Format your address
There is no specific address, use “GENERAL DELIVERY.” Also, “9999” must follow the zip code, this number indicates it is a General Delivery package. In order for the letter or package to be sent General Delivery, you MUST address it in the following manner. An example of a properly-formatted General Delivery address looks like this:
JOHN DOE
GENERAL DELIVERY
ANYTOWN, NY 12345-9999
Step 4
Pick up the package
You must pick up the package within 30 days or it will be returned.