Mailbox Guidelines

Mailbox Placement Tips

The following are some mailbox placement tips to help reduce the chance of damage during winter plowing:

  • Place reflective material on the side of the mailbox.
  • Use four-inch high letters to identify the mailbox.
  • Mailbox post size must not exceed four feet by four feet for a wooden post, or two inches diameter for a steel pipe post.
  • Mailboxes should be installed at least 42 inches high to provide clearance for the snow plow wing. We recommend the use of an extended arm post as shown in the picture to the right.
  • For uncurbed roadways, set the mailbox back at the far edge of the road shoulder to provide the maximum possible roadway clearance. For curbed roads, the face of the mailbox should be 8 to 12 inches back from the curb.
Mailbox Placement
Mailbox Placement 2

Your participation and cooperation in complying with the above will be greatly appreciated by your rural carrier, postal service and City of Belfast Public Works Department.

Mailbox Damage

In the event your mailbox is damaged by the City plow, we ask you to make any needed temporary repairs.

If you are unable to make such repairs on your own, please call Public Works at 207-338-2375.

Please Note

The City will not replace or reimburse for custom-made mailboxes, ornate posts, or granite posts. Maine law views mailboxes as an encroachment in the public way, and the City is not legally liable for any damage or repairs to mailboxes due to plowing operations.