How do you receive mail without an address and when you are constantly moving locations? Well there is a way and it’s called General Delivery! I’ll walk you through exactly how to use General Delivery while living nomadically.
By Bekah Whitney
When I told my parents I was starting vanlife one of their first questions was, “how will you receive mail while living on the road?”. Luckily, Sawyer already knew all about General Delivery from reading about backpackers that would send themselves food at their next stop. Even though you might not have family that religiously sends birthday and holiday cards, the chances that you are going to want to order something online at some point in your travels is high. This FAQ-style guide will walk you through everything you need to know about receiving mail through General Delivery while traveling in the US.
General Delivery is a service provided by the United States Postal Service for people without permanent address or travelers. Anyone, who has government issued photo identification can use General Delivery.
The first step is to learn what carrier the company you are ordering from uses to ship items. This information can usually be found on their website, but is not always avaliable. If you cannot easily figure out this information it is best to enter the address of the Post Office that accepts General Delivery in the town or city you are sending the package.
If the carrier is the United States Postal Service (USPS) you can simply enter your address as follows below. Note: The zip code will be the post office zip code.
Your Name
General Delivery
City/Town, State, Zip Code
In this case you will have to find the address of the post office where you are trying to send your item. You will also have to make sure to add the label “General Delivery” or they will return the package to sender. In this case enter you address as follows below. Note; If there is more then one post office in the area you must learn which one accepts general delivery or your package will be returned to sender.
Your Name
General Delivery
Post Office Street Address
City/Town, State, Zip Code
If there is more then one post office in the area you must learn which one accepts general delivery or your package will be returned to sender. Unfortunately this information is either super easy to find or very difficult because many post offices list their phone number on google as the 1-800 number. Visiting their website might reveal the local branch phone number which then you can easily make a call and ask if their branch accepts General Delivery. When in doubt, wait until the next town you visit or until you can go into the branch and ask them in person.
To claim your package, you must visit the post office during operating business hours and speak to an attendant. Let them know you are there to pick up a General Delivery, give them your name, and show them your identification. Mail sent General Delivery is only held for 30 days, then will be returned to sender if unclaimed. Some post offices will only hold mail for 10 days so make sure to claim your mail sooner then later.
Everytime there has been a hiccup with General Delivery the mistake has been on my end and I have been able to get to the bottom of where my package is. Always get tracking information and tell your family to never put cash in card in case it doesn’t make it to you. Here are the methods I have used to correct mistakes and retrieve my packages.
Talking to someone in person at the post office is always a good place to start. You can show them the tracking information and explain that you have not received it yet. As the post office is staffed with government employees, I suggest being kind, but firm. If you are rude, they have other things to do and will not help you.
One time I wrote down the wrong Post Office’s address. The package was marked delivered, but the post office didn’t have it as they weren’t the office that accepted General Delivery. I went to the UPS shipment center, not the UPS store, and was able to receive my package by showing my ID
My mother sent me a Christmas Present and I didn’t realize she wasn’t sending it through USPS and just had her write General Delivery and didn’t include the Post Office address. When I realized the mistake when she sent me the tracking number she was able to call the company and have them correct the address.
Luckily, I have never had a lost package, but Sawyer has. His dad sent him a present that never showed up and never got returned to sender. His package was completely lost. Unfortunately, he did not pay for tracking or insurance so it was lost for good. I suggest never sending irreplaceable items through General Delivery, just in case.
We use general delivery all the time while living on the road. UPS & FedEx also have options like general delivery where you can get temporary locker or send it to their store.
I would like to also reference a wonderful article by a fellow nomad if you are also interested in mail forwarding services.
Let us know your experience with general delivery or any additional questions you have in the comments below!
Hi! I’m Bekah, but you can call me Beks, all my friends do! I travel full-time in a tiny home on wheels that my partner, Sawyer, and I built from a cargo trailer shell in 2019. We started out in beautiful Colorado and have been all over the United States over the years. This space is designed to inspire and guide the nature obsessed nomad, weekend warrior, and future roadlifer. I’m so excited you’re here!
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