Are Any Types of Commercial Mailboxes Being Phased Out?

Today, all new commercial mailboxes, whether they be horizontal, wall-mount, recessed, or cluster, must be 4C units if they’re new installations, and they must meet USPS and Americans With Disabilities Act requirements.

4B mailboxes are currently being phased out for USPS delivery. These mailboxes usually consist of rows of square mailbox units and are, like their 4C counterparts, designed for centralized mail delivery. This makes them useful for commercial delivery in places such as retail stores and large office buildings. However, they cannot be installed for USPS delivery as part of a new construction project or as part of major renovations.

4C mailboxes are better able to meet current USPS requirements for delivery and often include parcel lockers. Horizontal units are also better able to handle mail such as magazines and large envelopes without bending and are also more efficient with space, allowing for more customer units in a space previously occupied by 4B mailboxes. Many 4C units also come with parcel lockers included to meet USPS requirements for one parcel locker per ten customer units.

If you are installing new, centralized mailboxes for USPS delivery, you must install 4C cluster, wall-mount, or recessed units. There is one exception, however: 4B mailboxes can be purchased to replace old mailboxes of the exact same type. However, these new mailboxes must be mounted in the same place as the old units, and they must not be part of any new construction or major renovation project.

4B mailboxes can also be purchased for use in non-USPS delivery. They may be useful if you’re planning to have an employee privately deliver mail from USPS delivery to each business or tenant. They can also be useful for settings such as universities where private delivery is the norm.