Non-Residential Delivery of Physical Card

[DSBABC]

Does anyone have a suggestion for receiving the physical credit card, when they insist on sending via USPS to the Residential Address -- but where you won't be able to receive mail at that address?

Here is my situation:

I use a P.O. Box for mail related to financial accounts, and other critical things.

I won't be able to receive mail at my Residential Address -- and so, I also arranged for USPS Forwarding of that (Residential) mail to my P.O. Box instead.

While I understand that the address on my Driver's License is deemed my official address for many purposes; changing that address is (currently) not practical, due to on-going work travel, and uncertainty of timeline, etc.

My other accounts have forwarded to P.O. Box without issue; or were willing to send via UPS (and which allows to intercept, and redirect delivery, or to hold for pickup).

I was approved for a Petal Card, but they insist on sending the physical card (via USPS mail) to my Residential Address -- which I won't be able to receive.

(Also, if I ultimately cannot receive the physical card; what happens to the CC account on my credit report?)

Any suggestions or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

[core]

If Petal is already in the process of mailing your card, then any suggestions seem rather irrelevant at this stage.  You'll either receive it or you won't.  USPS occasionally forwards stuff they're not supposed to, so you still might get it at your PO Box?  I see very little you can do at this point except hope.

There are plenty of sneaky ways around address issues like yours, but the time to employ those methods is before applying.  Not after approval when the card has already been mailed (?).  My favorite is changing my address with one of my existing creditors, letting it report, then quickly apply for the new account before my next existing creditor re-reports the older legit address.

I'm curious why you "can't" receive mail at your residential address?  Yeah I get that you travel for business and you may not be able to receive it in a timely manner, but what about months down the road?  Or do you not even have access to your "residence" anymore because it's no longer your residence?  I guess the details matter here.

[Tdatb64]

Can't you just go to your local post office and put a hold on your mail delivery? That way the post office keeps your mail there until you go in and remove the hold, picking-up the mail you got in the interim.

[UncleB]

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@Tdatb64 wrote:

Can't you just go to your local post office and put a hold on your mail delivery? That way the post office keeps your mail there until you go in and remove the hold, picking-up the mail you got in the interim.

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+1

I would definitely check into having an official hold placed on your home mail.

There's another option, but it's expensive... USPS Premium Forwarding Service.  https://www.usps.com/manage/forward-premium.htm 

[Drifter73]

I've been using a ups physical address at the local ups store for the last 4+ years (I've filed taxes with the same address all 4 years too) and have had over 10+ cards sent to it with no problems. The only issue I've hit so far is some big banks like Wells Fargo won't accept the suit# + box# together in the application. Ups is good about still getting mail in my box without a box# though.

To each there own. What works for one may not work for another.

For me, 4 year track record of working.

Note: the Petal card was one that arrived just fine.

[righthererightnow]

I used the physical address of the post office + My box number.

ie

511 East Walnut Street, #002

City, State, Zip


Post office told me to do this. So thats what I do.

Did have a customer service rep at Apple get upset about it but.... it is what it is.

(I live in a rural area and PO Box is how I get my mail.
There are many of us that have to go that route).

[UncleB]

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@righthererightnow wrote:

I used the physical address of the post office + My box number.

ie

511 East Walnut Street, #002

City, State, Zip


Post office told me to do this. So that' what I do when they get upset about physical addy's.

Did have a customer service rep at Apple get upset about it but.... it is what it is.

(I live in a rural area and PO Box is how I get my mail.
There are many of us that have to go that route).

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What you are describing is the free USPS "Premium PO Box Service Street Addressing Service."  I've signed up for the service with my own PO Box so I'm familiar with it.

You're not supposed to use that address for things which the government requires a physical home address (such as banking); the USPS customer agreement even states

"You may not use the street address option as your physical residence or place of business in legal documents. Misuse of your street address in this manner may result in closing your P.O. Box and may be in violation of civil and criminal laws." 

While the bank's tech might not catch it, if/when they do there could be negative consequences.

I would not recommend the OP to use this option to trick the bank into delivering his card to his PO box.

[Anonymous]

In the past, I have been able to do the following and it was acceptable:

Name
Physical Street Address
PO Box XXX
City State Zip Code

Postal sorting equipment used to read the bottom from right to left, then move to the next higher address and then physical and name, It worked and included the required adressing. In fact one of the local post offices instructed me to use this format and my state accepted it for the mailing of my drivers license which insisted on their being a physical address on the DL.

In fact I lived in a community that had no postal delivery service. You had to have a post office box (the town still has the same USPS situation today). The above was the prescribed proper method.

[righthererightnow]

@UncleB 
I live in a rural area, too close to the post office to receive delivered mail.
The PO Box is all that I have for USPS mail.
thats it, all of it. It's tied to my apt and location.

My PO Box is my home address. Not a trick.

I am not sure what will work for the OP, but commented
as I wanted to show that there are those of us who have to rely on getting physical mail at a PO Box.
Sometimes it is what it is.


@Anonymous 
Exactly! Isn't it weird?!
Living here is my first time ever experiencing this and...
feel like I've lost years of my life explaining it (forms, people, and more).
Future moves will be to a location where I can get physical mail at my door.
I took it for granted before.

[UncleB]

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@righthererightnow wrote:

@UncleB 

I live in a rural area, too close to the post office to receive delivered mail. 

The PO Box is all that I have for USPS mail. Thats it, all of it. It's tied to my apt and location.

My PO Box is my home address. Not a trick.

I am not sure what will work for the OP, but commented
as I wanted to show that there are those of us who have to rely on getting physical mail at a PO Box.
Sometimes it is what it is.

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Oh I get that, but our OP does have a working home address so this really isn't an option for him even if he does have a PO box.

I know things can definitely get wonky in cases like yours when the USPS doesn't provide carrier delivery to one's physical address, though.