Items that need ID

When you pick up an item at the post office, you must show acceptable identification.

Items or services that need acceptable identification at the post office:

Pick up

  • Mail
  • Community mailbox keys
  • Proof of Age items such as alcohol
  • Any item requiring in person proofing using the digital Proof of Identity service (dPOI)

Purchase

  • Mail Forwarding
  • Hold Mail
  • Postal box or general delivery services
  • Any purchase of money orders totalling $3,000 or more in one transaction or a series of transactions in a 24-hour span
  • Paying by cheque 
  • Cashing money orders of $3,000 or more in separate transactions for the same customer

What to bring if you’re picking up your own item (additional items are required when picking up an item for another person, business, or organization – see the following pages for details):

Acceptable identification must:

  • Be original (not a copy of the document)
  • Be valid (for example, an expired driver’s licence wouldn’t be acceptable)
  • Be government-issued
  • Have a photograph
  • Have a unique identifier number
  • Identify the jurisdiction of issuance (province or country)

If the photo identification doesn’t contain the address (for example, a passport), we need proof of residency (for example, a credit card statement or utility bill). Some personal ID isn’t acceptable because of certain provincial or federal restrictions.