Whoever owns the cluster mailbox is responsible for it. For most HOA, apartment and condo units, that is the property owner or association. USPS rules make the customer responsible for buying, installing, maintaining, repairing and replacing mail receptacles. USPS is responsible for its own master lock and for delivering the mail. Only units that USPS itself bought and installed are postal-owned. Those are less common, and repairs to them are a question for your postmaster.
Below we explain how to find out who owns your cluster mailboxes, who fixes what, and what to do when a unit is damaged or broken into.
What the USPS rules say
Three USPS documents settle most questions:
- Postal Operations Manual 632.11: "Purchase, installation, and maintenance of mail receptacles are the responsibility of the customer." (Postal Bulletin 22334)
- POM 632.12 (the exception): USPS "may elect, under certain conditions, to purchase, install, and maintain" curb-mounted receptacles or cluster box units.
- Handbook PO-632 (July 2020): builders and developers are responsible for buying and installing mailbox equipment, and property owners are responsible for ongoing maintenance, repairs and replacement. The builder or property owner provides lock and key service for CBUs, and USPS supplies its own master access lock.
Put simply: the customer owns and looks after the box, unless USPS chose to buy it.
Who is responsible for what
| Task | Customer-owned CBU (HOA, apartment, condo) | Postal-owned CBU |
|---|---|---|
| Buying and installing | Developer, builder or property owner | USPS |
| Approving location and equipment | USPS (growth manager or postmaster) | USPS |
| Master lock for the carrier | USPS | USPS |
| Customer door locks and keys | Property owner or HOA | Local post office |
| Repairs and replacement | Property owner or HOA | Ask USPS; see below |
| Keeping the approach clear (snow, vehicles, landscaping) | Customer / property owner | Customer / property owner |
| Investigating mail theft | U.S. Postal Inspection Service | U.S. Postal Inspection Service |
PO-632 section 3-1 puts clearing the approach to the mailbox on the customer, which matters after snowstorms and when cars park in front of the units.
How to tell who owns your cluster mailbox
- Read the governing documents. HOA CC&Rs, the plat or the developer turnover package often list mailboxes as common elements.
- Ask the HOA or property manager. If they hold the customer keys and hand them to new residents, the units are almost certainly customer-owned.
- Look at the unit. Licensed CBUs sold to the public come in colors such as sandstone, bronze, black, green or white. Units USPS buys for its own regular delivery are postal gray. Gray is not proof, because gray is also sold for replacement units, but it is a reason to ask.
- Ask the post office. The postmaster can tell you whether USPS bought the units on your route.
In many communities nobody has written this down. If the post office says the units are not postal-owned and your documents are silent, the property owner or association is responsible under POM 632.11.
Postal-owned cluster boxes: what changed
For years many residents assumed USPS fixed every cluster box. In 2023, residents in San Antonio, Texas and Sacramento County, California reported that USPS was shifting the repair of cluster boxes it had long maintained onto neighborhoods and their HOAs. Members of Congress wrote to the Postmaster General about it in September 2024. A bill to have USPS keep maintaining units it has historically maintained (H.R. 2825) was introduced in April 2025.
If your units are postal-owned and broken, report it to the postmaster in writing, keep photos and dates, and ask for a written answer on who will repair them. If USPS declines and the community decides to replace them itself, see our HOA cluster mailbox replacement guide.
Who fixes a damaged cluster mailbox?
Broken lock or lost key
On customer-owned units, the HOA or property manager replaces the customer door lock and issues keys. On postal-owned units, ask the local post office. Either way, a resident cannot just call a locksmith to open someone else's compartment. Our guide to getting a new mailbox key covers both routes, and mailbox lock replacement covers the hardware.
Break-ins and mail theft
Report mail theft or a forced unit to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and your local post office, and file a police report. Then the owner repairs or replaces the unit. If the master door was forced, USPS has to repair or replace its master lock before delivery resumes.
Vehicle damage
When a car or snowplow knocks a unit over, the owner arranges the repair and usually claims against the driver's insurance. Get a police report at the scene. A bent pedestal on a Salsbury unit can be replaced on its own: the replacement pedestal for CBU 3305, 3308 and 3312 fits those models.
Wear, rust and fading
Routine upkeep is on the owner: tightening hinges, lubricating locks, touching up paint and keeping the pad clear. When parts are no longer available, or doors and the master door are failing, replacing the cabinet usually costs less over time than repeated repairs.
When repair is not worth it
Replace rather than repair when:
- The cabinet is bent so doors will not close or latch.
- The unit is an older neighborhood delivery unit (NDCBU), which USPS no longer allows for new or replacement delivery.
- Parts for the model are no longer made.
- You need more compartments or parcel lockers than the old unit has.
New Salsbury units in our cluster box unit collection are USPS-licensed, built to the USPS-B-1118 CBU specification, and ship with the pedestal, customer locks and three keys per door. Our CBU buying guide explains how to choose types and parcel lockers.
Need to replace your community's mailboxes?
Send us your unit count and we will quote the full project, including parcel lockers, pedestals and anchor kits. Request a quote, and always confirm the equipment and location with your local postmaster before you order.
Frequently asked questions
Is the HOA responsible for cluster mailboxes?
Usually, yes. If the HOA or developer bought the units, they are customer-owned and the HOA maintains, repairs and replaces them under POM 632.11. Check your CC&Rs to see how the cost is shared.
Does USPS repair cluster mailboxes?
USPS does not repair customer-owned units. It installs and maintains its own master lock. For postal-owned units, contact your postmaster in writing, because responses have varied by office.
Who do I call if my cluster mailbox is broken?
Start with your HOA or property manager. If they say USPS owns the unit, contact your local post office. For a break-in, also report it to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the police.
Who replaces a cluster mailbox lock?
The HOA or property manager on customer-owned units. The post office on postal-owned units. USPS changes only its own master lock on customer-owned units.
Who pays if a car hits the cluster mailbox?
The unit's owner arranges repair and normally claims from the driver's insurance. File a police report and tell the post office, since delivery may stop until the unit is secure again.
******It is always recommended to contact your local postmaster prior to installation. While most of our mailboxes are USPS-approved your local postmaster may have specific preferences in terms of mailbox types and installation location******
