How to Restrict PO Box Addresses in Your Shopify Store

Many merchants need to restrict shipping to PO Box addresses, whether it's because their products are too large, their shipping carrier doesn't support PO Boxes, or they need a physical delivery address for signature confirmation. While Shopify doesn't offer this functionality out of the box, you can easily set it up using Better Shipping's text match rules.

Why Restrict PO Box Addresses?

Before diving into the setup, let's understand why you might need to restrict PO Box addresses:

• Oversized Items: Large products like furniture often can't be delivered to PO Boxes
• Carrier Requirements: Some shipping services don't deliver to PO Boxes
• Signature Required: Items requiring signature confirmation need a physical address
• Perishable Products: Food or temperature-sensitive items need direct delivery
• Insurance Requirements: Some shipping insurance policies exclude PO Box deliveries

Setting Up PO Box Restrictions

The process is straightforward with Better Shipping. Here's how to implement it:

1. From the main shipping rates page, click "Edit shipping rules"
2. Click "Create new rule"
3. Give your rule a name (e.g., "PO Box Restriction")
4. In the Conditions section, choose "Text match" from the dropdown
5. Select "Address Line 1" in the field to match dropdown
6. Choose "contains" in the match type dropdown
7. Set case sensitive to "No"

The Complete PO Box Match List

Copy and paste this comprehensive list into the text match field:

po box, p.o. box, p.o box, po. box, pobox, p.o.box, p o box, p. o. box, p. o box, p.obox, po.box, p.0. box, p.0 box, p0 box, post office box, p/o, p / o

This list covers the most common variations of PO Box addresses. Each format is separated by commas, making it easy for the system to check against multiple possibilities.

Finalizing the Rule

After adding the PO Box variations:

1. In the "choose what happens" section, select "Disable shipping rate"
2. Click "Save" at the bottom of the page
3. Make sure this rule is last in your rule queue (highest number)

Testing Your Setup

Always test your PO Box restrictions before going live. Try addresses like:

• PO Box 2133
• P.O. Box 500
• Post Office Box 1234
• Regular street addresses

The shipping rate should disappear when a PO Box address is entered but remain available for regular addresses.

Advanced PO Box Restriction Strategies

Multiple Address Lines

Some customers might try to enter PO Box information in Address Line 2. To prevent this:

1. Create a second rule similar to the first
2. Select "Address Line 2" instead of "Address Line 1"
3. Use the same PO Box variations list
4. Set it to disable the shipping rate

Combining with Other Restrictions

You can combine PO Box restrictions with other shipping rules:

• Product-Specific Restrictions: Only restrict PO Boxes for large items
• Location-Based Rules: Apply PO Box restrictions only in certain regions
• Order Value Rules: Allow PO Box delivery for smaller, lower-value orders

International Considerations

Different countries format PO Box addresses differently. For international shipping, you might need additional variations:

• UK: PO Box, Post Box
• Australia: PO Box, Locked Bag
• Canada: CP, Case Postale

Common Questions and Solutions

"Customers are getting around the restriction"

If customers find ways to bypass your PO Box restrictions:

1. Check if they're using alternate address lines
2. Add any new PO Box variations you discover to your list
3. Consider adding a note on your checkout page about PO Box restrictions

"The rule isn't working"

If your PO Box restriction isn't working:

1. Verify the rule is enabled
2. Check that case sensitive is set to "No"
3. Confirm the rule is in the correct order in your rule queue (disable rate rules should be last)
4. Test with different PO Box formats to ensure the text match is working
5. If you are still having trouble, let us know and we are happy to jump in and take a look for you!

"Some orders need PO Box delivery"

For flexibility, create multiple shipping rates:

1. Keep your main shipping rate with PO Box restrictions
2. Create a separate rate for special cases without restrictions
3. Use shipping rules to control when each rate appears

Best Practices

1. Clear Communication: Add a notice on your product pages about PO Box restrictions
2. Regular Updates: Add new PO Box variations as you discover them
3. Customer Service: Have a process for handling PO Box-related inquiries
4. Testing: Regularly verify your restrictions are working
5. Documentation: Keep track of which products can't ship to PO Boxes

Alternative Solutions

If you need more flexibility, consider:

1. Manual Review: Allow PO Boxes but review orders before shipping
2. Product-Based Restrictions: Only restrict certain items
3. Customer Groups: Create special rules for trusted customers

Getting Started

Ready to implement PO Box restrictions in your store? Here's your checklist:

1. Install Better Shipping from the Shopify App Store
2. Create or edit your shipping rate
3. Add the PO Box restriction rule
4. Test with various address formats
5. Add customer-facing notifications about the restriction

Conclusion

Restricting PO Box addresses doesn't have to be complicated. With Better Shipping's text match rules, you can easily ensure your products only ship to physical addresses. This protects your business from shipping issues while maintaining a smooth customer experience.

Want to try it yourself? Install Better Shipping for free on the Shopify App Store. Need help setting it up? Contact us - we're always happy to help!

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Sources: Shipping carrier guidelines and PO Box format variations compiled from USPS, FedEx, and UPS documentation (2025).