You are probably wondering what side of the driveway your mailbox should be on. We have researched all about this for you. Here you will find out which side of the driveway is recommended for your mailbox and more.
It is recommended that if you have a curbside mailbox, the door of it should be six to eight inches from the curb when it is closed. The mailbox needs to be on the right-hand side of the road and must face outward to be accessible and efficient. If your mailbox is on the side of the road and not near a curb, the suggested distance is forty-one to forty-five inches from the road surface to the bottom of the mailbox.
Keep reading to learn more about how far away from the driveway your mailbox should be, whether or not you need permission to move your mailbox, whether or not you can move a mailbox.
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Where To Locate Your Mailbox
Mailboxes come in a wide variety of shapes and colors. Mailbox numbers can be located on the front or side of your mailbox. If the numbers are located on the front of your mailbox, you can only read them when the mailbox door is closed.
Be Aware of Number Placement
When the numbers are located on the side of the mailbox, they are easier to see, but it would not hurt to put them on both sides so that anyone looking for your address has an easier time spotting it. Likewise, when your mail carrier approaches from the right-hand side, the numbers should face them so that they can easily be read from there.
Mailbox Size Matters
The size of an average mailbox is about nineteen inches long, six and a half inches wide, and eight and a half inches high. However, they vary in size and can be up to about two feet long for those who prefer a larger mailbox.
In reference to bigger mailboxes, they are usually about eleven inches wide and thirteen inches high. This allows for more mail and bigger packages to be delivered without needing to be walked to your front door. Whatever the size of your mailbox is, it needs to be placed on the right-hand side of the road. This is so the mail carrier can put your mail into your mailbox without leaving their vehicle.
Safety Issue for the Carrier
Living in certain towns and cities will cause you to be limited on how big your mailbox can be. Your local postmaster also can request and require you to have your mailbox at the end of your driveway or walkway. It is not as safe for mail carriers to deliver mail to a mailbox attached to someone’s house.
You are not likely to be fined for having a mailbox on your house, but the mail carrier can refuse to deliver your mail if it has been requested that you move it out to the street. Some mailboxes even have a mounting system on top for the house number to go on. The house numbers on your mailbox need to be at least one inch in height.
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How Far Away From The Driveway Should A Mailbox Be?
Your mailbox should stand between three and four feet from the surface of the road to the bottom of your mailbox. If you have a curb, your mailbox should sit six to eight inches back away from the curb. If you live somewhere that curbs are not present, leaving fifteen feet leading up to your mailbox and an additional fifteen feet beyond your mailbox is preferred. This method makes it so that mail carriers can deliver mail safely.
Do You Need Permission To Move Your Mailbox?
While you don’t technically need permission to move your mailbox, you should ask your local postmaster first. Under certain conditions, you can move your mailbox to the other side of the road. It’s possible to get permission from the local post master. Mailboxes are specifically up so that they are in the mail carrier’s line of traffic. As always, ensure that the numbers face the line of travel.
Can You Move A Mailbox To The Other Side Of The Road?
Sometimes a mailbox is on the other side of the road to sort and deliver the mail a faster and easier process. If you decide you would like to move your mailbox to the other side of the road, it is good to contact your local post office to inform the postmaster about the change. Doing so leads to an easier transition for your mail carrier.
How to Set a Mailbox Post
There are a few options available for when you need to set a mailbox post. Concrete is a surefire way to set your mailbox post. This will make it so that your mailbox is sturdy. A fifty-pound bag of concrete is the average size that people use to get this job done. Concrete is not a requirement, though. There is a similar process involved regardless.
Dig a hole
There are kits available that come with a crossbar that you put into the ground. To use this kind of kit, you will need to start by digging a hole with the same length or width as the crossbar. If you are using concrete, you will need about one gallon of water for the mixture. This method requires support beams to stay in place for four to six hours while the concrete dries.
Set the Post
If you are setting your mailbox post without concrete, there will be a bracket in the kit for your post to attach to. First, the anchor should be screwed into the ground, followed by setting your wood post on the bracket. You finish this process by connecting the bracket using five lag bolts.
Mount the Box
The bracket that comes in your kit will more than likely have pre-drilled holes in it, and bolts will be included. Mounting accessories are required to not project beyond the front of the mailbox and not present any potential hazard to the mail carrier.
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Does It Matter What Color Your Mailbox Is?
It does not necessarily matter what color your mailbox is. You can paint it by hand or with spray paint. You have the right to choose whatever color suits you best. Mailboxes that match the color of the front door of the house are visually aesthetic.
For some people, color has a significant impact on their lives. If you are one of these people, it would be a good idea to get paint swatches to look through compared to the color of your house, front door, and trim.
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Mail Carrier Signal Flags
Most mailboxes have a red flag on the side of them. These indicate that you need the mail carrier to pick something up out of your mailbox and take it to the post office for you. Fluorescent orange is an alternative preferred color for the flag on your mailbox.
The point of red or fluorescent orange being the color of your flag is because it will stand out to the mail carrier. It is not a requirement to use one of these two colors, though. You can not have the mail carrier signal flag be green, brown, white, yellow, or blue, though. The main thing is that the color of the flag needs to be in clear contrast to the color of your mailbox.
When you want your mail carrier to take mail out of your mailbox, raise this flag. They will put the flag back down upon receiving the mail that you left for them. Most of the time, they remove the mail you left for them in exchange for the incoming mail. If your envelope is already stamped, you all ready to send it out.
In Closing
Mailboxes in the United States of America should be on the right-hand side of the road. This makes it so your mail carrier can drive up to your mailbox and deliver your mail without getting out of their vehicle.
Before you go, check out the following relevant links about mailbox posts and carriers:
How Deep Should A Mailbox Post Be? [A Complete Guide]
Do You Tip Carpet Installers And Cleaners?
