#MAILBOX MASTER KEY HOW TO#

#MAILBOX MASTER KEY HOW TO#

The USPS handbooks state that, while there is a certain set of instructions for how to proceed when you’ve lost a key, the most important thing stressed is that you need to report it and stay safe. Therefore, they may not notice it’s gone and you’ll still have access to a key that will work for your route.Īnother more likely reason that you don’t need to worry about losing your job is that USPS values people. The first reason is, depending on the post office you’re working at, arrow key security can be more lax than it should be and the post office often has multiples of each key on hand. It’s unlikely you’ll get fired for losing a USPS arrow/master key, and there are several reasons for this. Can You Get Fired For Losing A USPS Master Key? When the arrow keys aren’t on a carrier’s person or being counted by a clerk, they’re kept in locked safes at the post office, typically with both alarm codes and cameras on standby past the regular lock system.

Therefore, in order to maintain the safety of mail carriers and the integrity of the arrow key system, carriers with arrow keys are required to wear them on a chain attached to their clothes at all times.Ĭarriers are also required to sign out keys every morning and sign them back into their place in the evenings so that they could all be accounted for. This largely depends on the route a mail carrier is working- for example, a carrier on a more rural route wouldn’t need an arrow key if they’re delivering mail to residential boxes along a country road.įor more densely populated, urban areas, however, an arrow key becomes more critical because there are more apartment buildings, mailbox panels, and collection boxes a carrier would need access to. Not all USPS mailmen or carriers have master keys on hand all the time, though many of them do. Material theft, breaking and entering and stalking are also possibilities. In the wrong hands, however, arrow keys can result in thousands of cases of stolen identities using the personal information in someone’s mailbox. This can contain hundreds of mailboxes, as well as the blue collection boxes along their route and even gated communities and restricted buildings.Īn arrow key allows for the fast, accurate, and efficient dispersal of mail by a mail carrier and enables millions of Americans the comfort and ease of a timely, reliable postal service. The arrow key for any given route allows the carrier access to a myriad of places, such as apartment and condo mailbox panels. There’s a lot of power behind just one key, so be sure to keep reading to find out how these keys are protected and who is allowed to have one! What Does A USPS Master Key Do?Ī USPS master key is also referred to as an arrow key, which is arguably one of the most important things a carrier can have on them, as it allows them access to all of the places on their route.Īrrow keys are designed specifically for a given route in a certain geographic area, and the arrow key for each route will always be different. The arrow key for a given route gives the carrier access to gated communities and restricted buildings, as well as all of the blue collection boxes and apartment/ condo mailbox panels on the route. 1.5 Conclusion What Is A Master Key At USPS In 2022?Ī USPS master key (also known as an arrow key) is a special type of key that’s specific to a certain postal route and geographical area in 2022.

Mailbox master key