# Can you send mail to a US Post Office to pick up later? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 6, 2010, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-send-mail-to-a-us-post-office-to-pick-up-later/538503 "2010-05-06T13:03:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-send-mail-to-a-us-post-office-to-pick-up-later/538503/1 "2010-05-06T13:03:14Z")
We’re going camping in Colorado this summer. Back in ye olden days, we just tossed our gear in our backpacks and went. But now we’re car camping with kids and we need quite a bit of stuff. Is it possible to send packages to, say, a Denver post office even when we don’t live there or have a PO box? I know there used to be General Delivery but I don’t know if that stopped since 9/11–would they worry about boxes sent to the post office? If the USPS won’t accept packages, would one of those Fedex, UPS, Mailboxes, Etc.-type places take them? ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-send-mail-to-a-us-post-office-to-pick-up-later/538503/2 "2010-05-06T13:09:45Z")
[USPS still does this](http://www.usps.com/receive/choicesfordelivery/receivemailinotherplaces.htm) > [@](#): > > General Delivery is available for customers if carrier service or a PO Box is not an option. Individual mailpieces will be held for up to 30 days and can be conveniently picked up by presenting identification. This is also a great option if you don’t have a permanent address. To find which office is designated for General Delivery at your location, please contact your local Postmaster. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-send-mail-to-a-us-post-office-to-pick-up-later/538503/3 "2010-05-06T13:16:51Z")
Greyhound Lines, what used to be the large bus company, ships packages or did lots of years back. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-send-mail-to-a-us-post-office-to-pick-up-later/538503/4 "2010-05-06T13:21:04Z")
My inlaws have a fifth-wheel caravan thingy and head south for the winter. They get their mail forwarded to the local post offices on a General Delivery basis. ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-send-mail-to-a-us-post-office-to-pick-up-later/538503/5 "2010-05-06T13:36:49Z")
That’s good to know. I guess I’ll have to call to ask specifically about packages. I can see letters would be okay, but packages could have explosives or something in them, right? I’m wondering if they would see that as a security issue. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-send-mail-to-a-us-post-office-to-pick-up-later/538503/6 "2010-05-06T13:42:42Z")
No more than with packages sent to someone. I don’t know how does USPS do it, but mail elsewhere gets X-rayed. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-send-mail-to-a-us-post-office-to-pick-up-later/538503/7 "2010-05-06T13:46:12Z")
My brother-in-law frequently camps for long periods of time as part of his job, and picks up his mail via General Delivery at the local post office. I have sent him largeish packages this way with no problems. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-send-mail-to-a-us-post-office-to-pick-up-later/538503/8 "2010-05-06T13:55:55Z")
> [@Ceejaytee](#): > > That’s good to know. I guess I’ll have to call to ask specifically about packages. I can see letters would be okay, but packages could have explosives or something in them, right? I’m wondering if they would see that as a security issue. The USPS sees that issue as revolving around knowing who SENT the letter, not who is receiving it. Don’t sweat the package vs letter distinction in this. ---
**Author:** ![Ceejaytee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ceejaytee/32/2956_2.png) [@Ceejaytee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ceejaytee)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-send-mail-to-a-us-post-office-to-pick-up-later/538503/9 "2010-05-06T14:35:26Z")
Great! Thanks guys.