What is a PO box? A PO box is a numbered UK mailbox service from Royal Mail that lets people and businesses receive post at a box number instead of a home address. Royal Mail holds the mail for collection or delivers it on. Prices and rules checked 28 October 2026.

Key takeaways

• A PO box is a numbered Royal Mail mailbox that holds mail for collection or delivers it elsewhere.
• Royal Mail charges £416.40 for 12 months of PO Box Collect and £499.80 for Deliver, including VAT.
• A PO box cannot be a limited company’s registered office address, under rules in force since 4 March 2024.

What Is a PO Box and How Does It Work?

A PO box, short for post office box, gives mail its own address. Mail addressed to the PO Box number reaches Royal Mail, which then holds it for collection or delivers it on. Every box holder must choose between Collect and Deliver when applying.

Feature	PO Box Collect	PO Box Deliver
Where mail goes	Held at a Royal Mail Customer Service Point	Delivered to the address on the application
What the holder does	Collects the mail when it suits	Receives the mail at that address
Price for 12 months, including VAT	£416.40	£499.80

For a small business, the practical difference is where the post ends up. Collect keeps mail away from the home or office entirely, while Deliver keeps the home address off the envelope and still brings the post to the door. The next question is which situations call for a PO box at all.

What Is a PO Box Used For?

A PO box is used to keep a home address off everyday mail and to give a business a more professional mailing address. Royal Mail promotes the service for privacy, and its business page says a PO box can look more professional to customers than a residential address.

• Home address privacy: The service suits anyone who prefers not to share a home address.
• Online buying and selling: A PO box can give online sellers a separate mailing address for customer post.
• Shared accommodation: A PO box can provide a personal mailing address for people who share a property.
• Home-based businesses: A business run from home can keep that address off customer mail.
• Separate business post: A dedicated box separates business mail from personal mail, which helps with sorting.

In each case, the box acts as a stand-in for the holder’s usual address.

What Is a PO Box Address in the UK, and What Is a PO Box Number?

A PO box address is a mailing address that uses “PO Box” and a number in place of a street address. The PO box number identifies one specific box, and senders must copy it exactly.

A PO box address has no street name or building number, so it is a mailing address, not a location. It works as a correspondence address: it receives post but shows nobody where the holder lives or works. An illustrative layout, with placeholders only, follows.

Business or personal name
PO Box [number]
[Post town]
[Postcode]

Use the exact wording supplied when the box is set up. Copy the PO box number carefully, because an incorrect number can prevent mail from reaching the intended box. What that address costs depends on the service and the rental period.

How Much Is a PO Box in the UK? Royal Mail Prices for 2026

A Royal Mail PO Box costs from £50.40 a month including VAT, or from £416.40 for a 12-month PO Box Collect term. The price depends on the rental period, and longer terms cost less per month.

Monthly payment is by Direct Debit only and carries a minimum term of three months. Royal Mail’s PO Box page lists every tier, and the table below shows both the VAT-inclusive and VAT-exclusive figures.

Service	Term	Price including VAT	Price excluding VAT
PO Box Collect	Monthly (Direct Debit, minimum 3 months)	£50.40	£42.00
PO Box Collect	6 months	£243.00	£202.50
PO Box Collect	12 months	£416.40	£347.00
PO Box Deliver	Monthly (Direct Debit, minimum 3 months)	£50.40	£42.00
PO Box Deliver	6 months	£276.60	£230.50
PO Box Deliver	12 months	£499.80	£416.50

A 12-month PO Box Collect term costs £416.40 including VAT, which works out at £34.70 a month. Paying monthly instead costs £50.40, so the annual term saves £188.40 over twelve months. Royal Mail’s business page lists the same Collect term at £347.00 excluding VAT.

Royal Mail’s business page quotes prices excluding VAT, which is charged at the standard rate. The personal page figures are exactly 20% higher, which matches VAT-inclusive pricing.

A VAT-registered business may be able to reclaim the VAT on a box bought wholly for business purposes, provided it keeps valid VAT invoices and records; if the box is also used personally, only the business proportion can normally be reclaimed.

Royal Mail PO Boxes carry a rental fee for every term. Several UK guides still quote older tariffs, so a figure that matches neither column is out of date. Applying for one is the next step.

How to Get a Royal Mail PO Box

You can apply for a Royal Mail PO Box online, and set-up takes up to 7 working days.

1. Choose Collect or Deliver. Decide whether mail should wait for collection at a Customer Service Point or arrive at the address on your application.
2. Choose a rental period. Pay monthly by Direct Debit, which needs a separate mandate form, or pay upfront for 6 or 12 months.
3. Apply online. Pay by debit or credit card, and make sure the card is registered to the address on your application.
4. Or apply by post. Send the completed form with a cheque and proof of ID, because postal applications require proof of identity.
5. Allow for set-up time. Online applications take up to 7 working days, and postal applications take at least 10.

Read Royal Mail’s PO Box terms and conditions before paying. Check Royal Mail’s current terms for any restrictions on the items or volumes a PO Box can receive. Confirm any limits on the items a box can accept there, because item limits are set by Royal Mail and are not covered here.

Once the box is live, the next question is whether a business can use it as its official address.

Can You Use a PO Box as a Business Address in the UK?

A PO box can serve as a business mailing address, but it cannot be a limited company’s registered office address. GOV.UK states that a registered office must be a physical UK address in the company’s home country.

The address must also be “appropriate”, which in practice means a physical address where post can be delivered and confirmed. A PO box can no longer be used as a registered office address, and the restriction extends to similar services from other companies.

Claim seen in UK business guides	What the primary sources say
A PO box works as a registered office if the sorting office’s full address is added	GOV.UK says a PO box can no longer be used as a registered office address
A PO box can stay on file as the registered office if a physical address is listed too	GOV.UK requires the registered office itself to be a physical UK address that is appropriate
A PO box is banned for every kind of business use	The GOV.UK rule concerns the registered office and does not address customer correspondence

The duty sits in section 86 of the Companies Act 2006, which the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 rewrote. The main change took effect on 4 March 2024. A company without a compliant address risks being struck off the register, according to GOV.UK.

The rule covers the registered office only. It does not describe a ban on using a PO box for customer correspondence, though individual banks, platforms and payment providers may apply their own address checks. A company that needs a private address therefore needs another route.

How Can a Company Keep Its Address Private Without a PO Box?

A company keeps a home address off the public register by registering a different, compliant address as its registered office. GOV.UK says the registered office address appears on the online register at Companies House, and it advises against using a home address when privacy matters.

• Use an accountant’s or solicitor’s address. Get their permission first, and check that the address meets every requirement.
• Appoint an agent. A formation or company secretarial agent can supply an address for you to use as the registered office.
• Check virtual addresses carefully. Any service provider’s address you use must pass the same tests as any other registered office.
• Sort it out early. Have the address in place before you register the company.

Sole traders do not register at Companies House, so the registered office rule does not apply to them. A PO box can still keep a home address off customer mail, which is the use Royal Mail’s business page highlights. That leaves one decision: whether a PO box is worth paying for.

Is a PO Box Worth It for Your Business? A Four-Step Check

A PO box is worth paying for when it solves a specific problem, such as keeping your home address private on customer mail.

1. Check your business structure. If you run a limited company, you need a compliant registered office address, so a PO box cannot fill that role. If you are a sole trader, confirm directly with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) before registering with a PO box.
2. Check how you sell. If you sell online, the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 require you to give a geographical address, and the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 set similar disclosure duties. Ask Trading Standards whether a PO box alone meets that wording.
3. Check who else needs an address. Find out whether your bank, marketplace or payment provider requires a physical address, and confirm their rules before relying on a PO box.
4. Match the service to the need. Choose Collect to leave mail at a Customer Service Point, or Deliver to receive it at home, while a PO box number keeps your home address private. Budget for £416.40 or £499.80 a year, including VAT.

If the checks are satisfied, a PO Box can work as a business mailing address that separates business mail from personal mail. Short answers to the questions people search most about PO boxes follow.

Conclusion

What is a PO box? It is a numbered Royal Mail mailbox that costs from £416.40 a year for Collect, including VAT. How a PO box works depends on the choice between Collect and Deliver. Can you use a PO box as a business address? Yes for customer mail, but not as a limited company’s registered office.

FAQs

What is a PO box, and is it the same as an address?

A PO box is a numbered mailbox service, not a street address. A PO box address has no street name or building number, so it cannot show where a person lives or works.

Are PO boxes free in the UK?

No, Royal Mail PO boxes are not free. Each term carries an ongoing rental fee, starting at £50.40 a month including VAT. Some private providers advertise free virtual PO box addresses, so check their charges for handling or forwarding mail.

How much is a PO box for a year?

A 12-month Royal Mail PO Box costs £416.40 for Collect and £499.80 for Deliver, including VAT. The same terms cost £347.00 and £416.50 excluding VAT.

Can you use a PO box as a business address?

Only in part. A PO box cannot be a limited company’s registered office address, according to GOV.UK. The rule does not address customer correspondence, and sole traders should confirm HMRC’s requirements directly.

How long does it take to get a PO box?

Online applications take up to 7 working days. Postal applications take at least 10 working days.

Disclaimer: The pricing, rules, and regulations mentioned in this article are based on 2026 Royal Mail and GOV.UK data; always verify current terms directly with official providers before applying.