Sending mail to APO – FPO – DPO addresses is the same as sending domestic mail. There are some special guidelines for Military mail that is going overseas. In this article, I will explain.
How to Address Military Mail
Here are examples of how to address military mail – it could be 2 or 3 lines for the address:
CPT JOHN DOE
UNIT 2050 BOX 4190
APO AP 96278-2050
SGT ROBERT SMITH
PSC 802 BOX 74
APO AE 09499-0074
SGT ROBERT SMITH
Company, Troop or Battalion
Unit 2050 Box 4190
APO AP 09499
All mail must be addressed to a specific person. Your soldier can provide you with the correct address. Be sure to put your return address.
How Much Postage?
Since all Military mail is considered domestic, you pay the regular price of a stamp. If you are sending a letter, just place a stamp like you normally would.
If you are sending a package, you will have to weigh the package and place the appropriate amount of postage on the package.
Flat Rate Priority Mail
If you are sending care packages, flat rate priority mail is the best way to go. You can put up to 70 pounds in the box and pay a flat rate.
Note that some boxes have a Military or APO logo on the box BUT you do not need to use that particular box to get the Military flat rate pricing. The regular flat rate priority box without a Military or APO log is fine.
You can get the boxes for free at the post office. You can also have the boxes sent to your home at no charge.
To order supplies, request your FREE Military Care package kit by calling 1-800-610-8734. Select your language (1 is English, 2 is Spanish). Select option 1 (it states it is for Express Mail, Priority Mail or Global Express Guaranteed products).
When you reach a live agent, request CAREKIT04, the “Military Kit. Allow 7-10 days for delivery. You can request up to 4 kits.
How to Fill Out the Customs Form for Military Mail
Even though all APO/FPO/DPO addresses are considered domestic mail for pricing purposes, some of this mail goes overseas. In this case, you must fill out a customs form for packages (if your package is NOT going overseas, you do not need this form). You can get these forms at the post office. If you order the care package kit (see above) they are included.
Here is the correct way to fill out the form (fill in all highlighted areas). The current form may not have red lines but the information is the same.
Jo Anderson says
I noticed you didn’t put any weight for the items on your customs form, and that you put many items on a line. Is that ok to do? I was told by my postmaster that each item had to be listed separately and I had to have a weight, just like the form asks. Well you can imagine what a pain that is. I lumped all the candy together on 1 line and added all the weights together for them. Some things don’t have a weight on them so I got a kitchen scale to weigh each item, sometimes it took 5 to 7 forms for each package. If I sent magazines and CD’s, I weighed them. Everything got weighed and listed along with prices, just like the form asks. I would love to just do what you do on your form. I am curious to find out what others do. Maybe I should just go to a different Post Office to mail my packages. On # 10, if non-deliverable, we always choose X Redirect to Chaplin. We never ask to get a package back, if it makes it there, someone should get the contents so they don’t spoil. Out soldier told us to do this, does anyone else do this?
Kay says
Thank you for this information. I was wondering how to send packages!
Tina says
I’m sick to my stomach because the post lady had me fill out the customs form different than your example… For example she had me put his unit number under city instead of APO…
Do you think my package will still get to its destination if the priority mail form is correctly filled out but the customs form isn’t?
Pamela Gordy says
I just sent a package to my son’s in South Korea and another in Italy. Note that when you fill out a customs form; the post office will give you a copy to keep. On your copy, you may refer to the tracking number and start tracking your package immediately, either online or via text.