Post Office Box Numbering

[Pete]

Is it possible to have the same PO Box number in the same city (in this case, OKC) but a different zip code?

For example, can you have PO Box 123456 OKC, OK 73102 and also have PO Box 123456 OKC, OK 73132?


I know you cannot have the same physical address in the same city, regardless of zip code. For example, you couldn't have 123 Oklahoma Drive 73102 and 123 Oklahoma Drive 73132.

Just wondered if it applies the same way with PO Boxes.

[Martin]

For example, you couldn't have 123 Oklahoma Drive 73102 and 123 Oklahoma Drive 73132.

are you sure about that? i checked oklahoma and cleveland county assessor's sites and found:

3000 n. santa fe 73106 (okc)
3000 n. santa fe 73160 (moore)

-M

[Pete]

^

Right but those are in different cities.

[Martin]

gotcha... i took your original post to mean two identical addresses where the first three digits of the zip match.

i think what usps cares about is zip code and they can handle two identical addresses as long as they are not in the same zip code... and i'd think p.o. box numbering works the same way. since the +4 on a box's zip code is the p.o. box number, that leads me to believe that p.o. boxes are unique by zip. -M

[kevinpate]

It may be possible Pete. I know in Norman, the PO boxes at the main station on Gray use 73070-XXXX, the XXX being the box number. If memory serves, the boxes available at the Union on OU are 73019-XXXX and the boxes over near Sooner Mall at the UPS facility on 36th are 73072-XXXX. I can't see any reason there could not be a box 1234 at each of the three locations.

[OKCDrummer77]

It may be possible Pete. I know in Norman, the PO boxes at the main station on Gray use 73070-XXXX, the XXX being the box number. If memory serves, the boxes available at the Union on OU are 73019-XXXX and the boxes over near Sooner Mall at the UPS facility on 36th are 73072-XXXX. I can't see any reason there could not be a box 1234 at each of the three locations.

That lines up with what I was thinking. With so many PO locations around town, it doesn't seem practical to avoid duplicating numbers. The ZIP indicates which PO the number belongs to, so I would think it is possible.

[Jim Kyle]

they can handle two identical addresses as long as they are not in the same zip code.

Not always true, Martin. It took me most of a year, and three consecutive corrections of their database, to get them to stop sending me (in 73162) mail addressed to a business in Moore (73010) that had the same five digits of street address, but was on South Western Avenue instead of Western View Drive (which is far northwest). And during that time, I also received a few large checks meant for a nursing home with the same five digits on North Western Avenue. The competence of those maintaining the postal service's database is comparable, in my experience, to that of the average American voter, as described by Boss Tweed quite a long time ago: impossible to underestimate.

I will agree that they do seem to have finally corrected the problem, but I'm not at all confident of their ability to handle addresses that are even slightly similar, much less "twin."

[Zuplar]

are you sure about that? i checked oklahoma and cleveland county assessor's sites and found:

3000 n. santa fe 73106 (okc)
3000 n. santa fe 73160 (moore)

-M

^

Right but those are in different cities.

You know ironically according to the PO website where you put in zip codes and find what city it is, Oklahoma City is the preferred city for 73160.

[OKCDrummer77]

Not always true, Martin. It took me most of a year, and three consecutive corrections of their database, to get them to stop sending me (in 73162) mail addressed to a business in Moore (73010) that had the same five digits of street address, but was on South Western Avenue instead of Western View Drive (which is far northwest). And during that time, I also received a few large checks meant for a nursing home with the same five digits on North Western Avenue. The competence of those maintaining the postal service's database is comparable, in my experience, to that of the average American voter, as described by Boss Tweed quite a long time ago: impossible to underestimate.

I will agree that they do seem to have finally corrected the problem, but I'm not at all confident of their ability to handle addresses that are even slightly similar, much less "twin."

When I lived on Hasley Drive in The Village, I would occasionally receive mail intended for the same house number on South Harvey Avenue in Moore.

[windowphobe]

If you ask me, and the USPS obviously didn't, they never should have changed Moore from 73060, which is what its original assignment was. (Moore boxes are in 73153.)

That said, within the 731xx range, there are no duplicate box numbers: post offices have ZIP-specific box ranges. (For instance, boxes 10001 through 10999, 30001 through 30999 and 50001 through 50999 are all assigned to ZIP 73140 -- Midwest City branch.) In the 'burbs, old ranges are supplemented by new ones; Yukon, for example, has an 850000-series.

[Pete]

That said, within the 731xx range, there are no duplicate box numbers: post offices have ZIP-specific box ranges. (For instance, boxes 10001 through 10999, 30001 through 30999 and 50001 through 50999 are all assigned to ZIP 73140 -- Midwest City branch.) In the 'burbs, old ranges are supplemented by new ones; Yukon, for example, has an 850000-series.

I really thought that was the case -- thanks so much for the info.

How do you know this? Is there somewhere on-line to figure out what box numbers are assigned where?

[boscorama]

My PO box has, on two occasions, received letters addressed to the same box #, but at a city in Ohio.

[Pete]

OK, I think I've figured this out.

In most cases, the PO Box numbers in the OKC area start with the last two digits of a five-digit zip code.

For example, if you have a PO Box in the Shartel Post Office (73154) your box number starts with 54. That post office sits in the middle of 73118 (73154 is only for the post office) and therefore some of the boxes start with 18, although they still have a 73154 zip.

If you have a PO Box in Yukon 73085, your PO Box will start with 85.

Edmond and Norman seem to do it a bit differently, but all the 731XX zip codes have PO Boxes that start with the corresponding XX.



So, to answer my own question: "Can you have two post office boxes with the same number in Oklahoma City?", the answer is no.

[Zuplar]

Kind of weird because I know ours at the bank in Mustang are just 3 or 4 numbers.

[boscorama]

I had two boxes at the 73157 station; one corresponds to this theory. The other, not.

OK, I think I've figured this out.

n most cases, the PO Box numbers in the OKC area start with the last two digits of a five-digit zip codeFor example, if you have a PO Box in the Shartel Post Office (73154) your box number starts with 54. That post office sits in the middle of 73118 (73154 is only for the post office) and therefore some of the boxes start with 18, although they still have a 73154 zip.

If you have a PO Box in Yukon 73085, your PO Box will start with 85.

Edmond and Norman seem to do it a bit differently, but all the 731XX zip codes have PO Boxes that start with the corresponding XX.



So, to answer my own question: "Can you have two post office boxes with the same number in Oklahoma City?", the answer is no.

[Pete]

I had two boxes at the 73157 station; one corresponds to this theory. The other, not.

I bet one starts with 57 and the other with 12.

It seems the PO Boxes in OKC either start with the last two digits of the post office's zip code (in this case, 73157) or corresponds with the zip that surrounds the post office (in this case, 73112).

[windowphobe]

How do you know this? Is there somewhere on-line to figure out what box numbers are assigned where?

One of my daily routine chores is to work with the full-sized (takes up a DVD) postal database; eventually some of it rubs off.

Oh, and when I lived way out NE 10th last century, I had a Midwest City box, so I saw all those numbers.

[Mel]

Kind of weird because I know ours at the bank in Mustang are just 3 or 4 numbers.

Mine is only 3 digit. I use one at the Post Office in Mustang.

[boscorama]

Bingo!

I bet one starts with 57 and the other with 12.

It seems the PO Boxes in OKC either start with the last two digits of the post office's zip code (in this case, 73157) or corresponds with the zip that surrounds the post office (in this case, 73112).

[Zuplar]

Mine is only 3 digit. I use one at the Post Office in Mustang.

So I wonder what numbering philosophy it goes by.

[Just the facts]

Are you guys seriously trying to figure out the logic of the Post Office? Good luck with that. I suspect that over the years they have used multiple strategies with the old strategies being grandfathered in.

[ctchandler]

From 1975 till the early 80's my address was Route 3, Box 193A, Edmond, Ok. 73013. I have no idea what the significance of the rural route or box number was. JTF, I do think there was logical reasoning when they moved from zones to zip codes but it escapes me at the moment.
C. T.

[windowphobe]

To the extent possible, the old postal zones were preserved in the ZIP code; the old Spiegel catalog house, oft advertised as "Chicago 9, Illinois," duly switched to "Chicago, Illinois 60609."

Rural routes still exist, but to the extent possible, they've been switched to street addresses for 911 reasons.

[Snowman]

...

If you have a PO Box in Yukon 73085, your PO Box will start with 85.

...

I looked into this a little, since I have never known any houses in Yukon mailing area to use the 73085 area code, found a sorce that implies 73099 is for general use in Yukon mailing area and 73085 is exclusively used for PO boxes

[windowphobe]

73099 is for general use in Yukon mailing area and 73085 is exclusively used for PO boxes

That is correct. 73070 in Norman and 73083 in Edmond work similarly.