Massachusetts Lets Towns Set Mailbox Parking Rules, But Postal Service May Stop Delivery

In the fall, more cars are typically parked on the streets. This raises the question: Is it illegal to park in front of someone's mailbox?

Next time you visit friends or family in Massachusetts, be careful where you park. It's especially frustrating when a vehicle blocks a mailbox, especially since some of my relatives have mailboxes on the street.

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How I Find Parking

When looking for a parking spot during the day, I avoid parking in front of mailboxes so homeowners and mail carriers can deliver mail. It's frustrating to see so many drivers ignore this courtesy. Still, with a little awareness, we can all help create a more considerate community!

Tampering with mail delivery is a serious offense, but whether parking in front of a mailbox is legal is less straightforward. The answer depends on several legal considerations that vary by jurisdiction.

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In Massachusetts, is it illegal to park in front of a mailbox?

No federal or state laws prohibit parking in front of mailboxes, but towns and cities in Massachusetts may have local parking regulations that residents must follow.

Massachusetts has no laws against parking in front of mailboxes. As a result, vehicles may block mail delivery and make it difficult for carriers to reach your mailbox.

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Could a car parked in front of your mailbox delay your mail?

The U.S. Postal Service says mail carriers aren’t required to leave their trucks to deliver mail unless a package is too large to fit in the roadside mailbox. If a vehicle blocks your mailbox, the carrier may get out and deliver the mail, but they aren’t obligated to do so.

According to our policy, the city or rural carrier should get out of the vehicle to make delivery if the mailbox is temporarily blocked by a vehicle. However, if the carrier continually experiences a problem in serving curb line or rural boxes where the customer is able to control on street parking, the postmaster may withdraw delivery service

With local post offices closing and mail carriers taking longer routes, postal workers may not be able to stop when a car blocks your mailbox.

Read More: Flock Camera On Curran Highway In North Adams, Massachusetts

Mailbox with flag up against blue sky.

How can you keep people from blocking your mailbox?

There are few legal ways to stop people from blocking your mail. You can put signs near your mailbox asking drivers not to park in front of it, but ignoring those signs is not against the law.

If a car repeatedly blocks your mailbox and keeps your mail from being delivered, consider contacting the police. Even if local law doesn’t prohibit parking there, officers may speak with the driver and ask them to park elsewhere.