Currently, where a mail item or untracked parcel is addressed to a non-serviced address, we manually forward these to the addressee’s correct PO Box or Private Bag address, where known, to achieve delivery. We will be phasing out forwarding of these mail items, and they will be returned to the sender.

As we implement this change, letters will be sent to impacted customers, advising details of the change and when this likely to occur in their area.

Determining the correct PO Box or Private Bag address and then forwarding items to ensure delivery currently requires extra manual handling processes. This change enables NZ Post to remove/reduce rework and the associated extra processes.

Mail items that are posted into our network with the correct PO Box or Private Bag address at lodgement will allow NZ Post to process and deliver to the correct location and achieve planned service standards.

If you are currently receiving items that have been forwarded to your PO Box or Private Bag number, then we recommend you contact the sender and provide them with your PO Box/Private Bag address. We also advise you to update your contact details highlighting your PO Box or Private Bag address to others e.g., on your website, business cards, letterheads, mailing lists, Google My Business etc.

If you don’t know what the correct PO Box address is for someone you are sending to, or if you have had an item returned, and you know the name of the business and the town you are sending mail to, use our PO Box Finder to search for the correct PO Box number.

Please note: Due to Privacy Act requirements, Private Bag numbers and some PO Boxes are not provided within the PO Box finder.

The rollout has been grouped by urban postcode and will be rolled out in the order below:

3 June 2024

Urban Postcodes starting with 3*** (Hamilton, Cambridge, Rotorua, Taupo, Te Awamutu, Thames, Whakatane, and Tauranga)
Urban Postcodes starting with 7*** (Nelson, Rangiora, Richmond, Timaru, Ashburton, Blenheim, and Greymouth)
Urban Postcodes starting with 9*** (Dunedin, Invercargill, Mosgiel, Oamaru and Queenstown)

30 September 2024

Urban Postcodes starting with 4*** (Feilding, Gisborne, Hastings, Napier, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Whanganui)
Urban Postcodes starting with 5*** (Levin, Porirua, Upper Hutt, Carterton, Featherston, Greytown, Kapiti, Martinborough, Masterton, Te Puni)
Urban Postcodes starting with 6*** (Karori, Francis Place, Johnsonville, Kilbirnie, Wellington Central, Wellington South)
Urban Postcodes starting with 8*** (Christchurch North, East Christchurch)

10 February 2025

Urban Postcodes starting with 0*** (Henderson, Hibiscus Coast, New Lynn, Porana Road, Rosedale, Westgate, Whangarei)
Urban Postcodes starting with 1*** (Marua Road, Maungawahu, Ponsonby, Waiheke)
Urban Postcodes starting with 2*** (Beachlands, Eastside, Manukau Central, Papakura, Pukekohe, Waiuku)

You will receive a letter with more detail outlining how this will impact you and your business. We recommend you follow the sending customer advice above. We will be phasing out this service by postcode range, and you will receive an update as we move through each postcode range, so that you can make relevant business decisions and where possible, update your client records.

To support this change within the Lodgement Manager tool, we have changed the FORWARDED_ADDRESS reason in the downloadable Address Data File.

Now the FORWARDED_ADDRESS AAP (Address Accuracy Percentage) reason is being split into FORWARDED_URBAN and FORWARDED_RURAL. You can find this in the returned reasons in your Lodgement Manager Address Data File, and this file can be downloaded from Lodgement Manager.

FORWARDED_URBAN covers urban addresses that receive ‘No Standard Mail Delivery’ when you view the address in our online ‘Address and Postcode Finder’ tool. These are the addresses that will be affected by the change to PO Box forwarding.

FORWARDED_RURAL covers rural addresses that receive ‘No Standard Mail Delivery’ when you view the address in our online ‘Address and Postcode Finder’ tool because they do not have a signed RD contract. The usual processes for these items will continue.

These details are included in the email sent directly to you. If you have questions or concerns, please get in touch with your Business Manager.

Use our tools to support on time delivery

• For more information on how to address mail items correctly, visit the NZ Post addressing standards
• To check the correct delivery address, use our Address and Postcode Finder
• Set up a profile in Google my Business. This enables customers to find your business contact and address details when using Google Search and Google Maps

Please note: Items that are courier ticketed (i.e., tracked packets/parcels) will continue to be delivered as per the address on the label.

For information on which addresses do not receive ‘standard mail delivery’ view Section 3 of the NZ Post Postal Users' Guide, or check your address with our Address and Postcode Finder.

For information on which addresses do not receive ‘standard mail delivery’ view Section 3 of the NZ Post Postal Users' Guide, or check your address with our Address and Postcode Finder.

If you believe that your address meets the conditions for physical delivery, you see a Delivery Agent delivering down your road, and you also have a letterbox, please fill out the application for an urban mail delivery service form or contact the Customer Call Centre on 0800 501 501

For more information: If you would like to know any details specific to your business or just have a general question, get in touch with your Business Manager, or get in touch online.