Community mailboxes are exactly what they sound like shared mailbox structures offering different compartments for individual residents’ mail. You may have encountered them in apartment and condominium lobbies, a collection of individual vertical or horizontal boxes with locks, allowing the carrier to drop off the mail and the residents to pick it up. But other kinds of outdoor community mailboxes exist, each with multiple rules and regulations about their use and construction, so it’s wise to keep them in mind. Here are four things to know about community mailboxes.

The USPS Lays Down the Law

A mailbox is more than a container with a lid. All mailboxes must follow certain rules regarding their design, and the United States Postal Service is the entity that creates these rules. Community mailboxes, or cluster mailboxes, must be in a location where a carrier can easily reach them. They must also be of certain heights and widths that allow the carrier to access and deliver the mail whether on foot or from their vehicle. Check with the local post office about the requirements before you build a community mailbox. Otherwise, the residents cannot receive their mail. Most reputable postal supply companies already construct mailboxes according to USPS standards, so there’s usually little to worry about there.

Community Mailboxes Must Be Accessible

Community mailboxes are also subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Housing Act (FHA), to make mail accessible to those with disabilities. Mailboxes must provide a clear path and space to the box, and mailboxes should have a reach limit of no more than 48 inches and no less than 15 inches from the ground, curb, or floor in consideration of individuals in wheelchairs. All Americans are entitled to have their mail delivered to them in an accessible place, and those with accessibility needs are no exception.

Keys, Locks, and Cluster Boxes

The property owner of a privately owned community mailbox must provide lock and key service to their community residents to ensure the safety and security of their mail. Residents must get their keys from the owner or the owner’s representative upon moving in. Though, often, the landlord will provide it. Mail carriers cannot take keys for private mailboxes and the buildings that house them, except with the permission of the property’s owner.

Packages and Names

The regulatory bodies that manage community mailboxes advise community property owners that they identify individual mailboxes by number for added security and easy delivery. Doing so also allows for an easier transition when the resident moves. Many cluster mailboxes provide lockers in the lower part of the unit for package deliveries, though not always. Otherwise, property owners should arrange for package drop-offs and storage areas on the premises to protect their residents’ mail.

Those are just four things to know about community mailboxes. Contact your local post office for more information.