Key:post_box:type

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post_box:type
Description
The physical style (size/shape) of the post box, and how it is mounted. Show/edit corresponding data item.
Group: properties
Used on these elements
may be used on nodesshould not be used on waysshould not be used on areasshould not be used on relations (except multipolygon relations)
Requires
Status: de facto
More details at taginfo
Tools for this tag

The physical style (size/shape) of the post box, and how it is mounted.

Usage

This is a properties tag and should be used in combination with post box:

For other tags that can be used in combination with post box see Extended Usage.

Values by country or operator

Canada

Value Description Example picture
pillar A freestanding box, square in shape.
community Community mailboxes contain individual mailboxes, plus an outbound mailslot. See Canadian tagging guidelines#Community mailboxes.

United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland

Value Description Example picture
pillar A freestanding box, taking the form of a column. Usually cylindrical in shape in the UK, but rectangular forms can also be seen.

pillar box

lamp A self-contained box, smaller than a pillar box, and designed to be mounted above ground level. Usually attached to a pole, slim pedestal, lamp post, or telegraph pole in the UK, but can be mounted on (or very rarely within) a wall.

lamp box

wall A box designed to be set into a wall. Can be found mounted in walls, walls of buildings, and also in free-standing brick pillars.

wall box

meter A special type of post box that was originally designed to only accept pre-paid business mail (known as "meter mail" or "franked mail" in the UK). The special adaptations may include a larger aperture and/or mechanisms to prevent unauthorised persons from using the box.

While this value is about the physical appearance/design of the box rather than the mail types accepted, it was normally used on boxes that only accepted this special type of mail.

Since this classification is distinct from, and in some sense orthogonal to, the other post_box:type=* values, it has been suggested that a different key should be used for this attribute, leaving post_box:type=* to tag the box with the best fit from pillar, lamp, and wall.

In the UK these "meter" boxes are normally larger square pillar boxes with a larger mechanical aperture that is locked outside specified opening hours.

Since 2019 Royal Mail has changed the role of these meter boxes to also accept parcels, they added a "P" to the end of the reference, extended the opening hours of the box and stuck decorations on the box to advertise that they now accepted parcels.

The strategy for tagging these existing boxes is evolving. Previously, the strategy had evolved to use:

The recommended tagging scheme has evolved further to use:

In April 2026, Royal Mail started installing 600 new Parcel Postboxes across the UK.

These new boxes are similar in size and shape to the existing Parcel Postboxes, but they are solar-powered and have a barcode scanner, and apertures for parcels and letters. They are therefore similar in functionality to the solar-powered converted Type A and Type B boxes.

The strategy for tagging these new boxes is evolving.

Example picture is not available.
* In 2025, Royal Mail started converting 3500 existing post boxes into Parcel Postboxes across the UK.

The conversion involves removing the door off-site to cut and bolt-on a large aperture for parcels and a top-cap with a solar panel powering a controller capable of reading QR codes and unlocking the parcel chute via an app. Consensus for tagging these Parcel Postboxes in the UK is still forming, however as the base box remains unchanged with the same door, cypher, type, etc., then this conversion should be indicated by adding new tags. The recommended tagging scheme leaves post_box:type and post_box:design unchanged.

These tags should always be set:

These tags may optionally be set:

Note: The reference, collection times and other details may remain unchanged, are displayed on a new smaller collection_plate moved to the side. (collection_plate=* values for these boxes include CP5/CP5D.)

Red UK post box (NE64 176D) with a EIIR royal cypher, and modified door with a parcel aperture, collection place on the right side, and solar top-cap, on a street next to a brick wall.

United States

The United States Postal Service operates multiple types of collection boxes. [1][2] As of November 2022, post_box:type=pillar is the most common value in the United States, most likely denoting any freestanding collection box.

Japan

Some boxes in Japan can be classified as either pillar or lamp.

However, most boxes are on the halfway between pillar and lamp.

Other countries

Pillar Boxes:

Type France Poland
pillar

See also

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