Acquiring a post office account, UPS, FedEx - Belize & Ambergris Caye Help

I am moving to Ambergris Caye to retire there. I wish to provide a forwarding address to family and business associates. Am I able to open an Postal Box (PO Box) account or address via internet or telephone? Is there any cost to me for this? Am I correct that the sender would calculate the cost of sending the item to San Pedro?

Do you know whether FED EX and or UPS will deliver to the above address? Is there an equivalent of a zip code like they use in the U.S.?

You can have folks send things General Delivery under your name and pick things up at the Post Office.

They would send to

Your Name Here

General Delivery

San Pedro, Belize

There is no zip code, there is a Fed Ex on the island, no UPS. The FedEx is a separate building than the post office.

There is no cost to you for the postal service, but there can be duty charged depending on the items...

Belize Postal Service is an area of question that often comes up, folks want to know what options are available for mail delivery and in some cases need to have a change of address set up in advance.

Our mail system is general delivery and we have no zip/postal codes, something that always mystifies people trying to send you mail. If you opt for this route your new mailing address would be your name followed by; Pescador Dr. Post Office General Delivery, San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize. (If I am on a website needing my address and it will not accept all zeros for a zip code, I use the ever popular 902010.

If you don’t want to stand in line waiting for the post guy to check all the mail in the box that is designated for the first letter of your last name, you do have the option to go private. It used to be that there was a waiting list for private mailboxes, now that the post office moved to Pescador Dr. (Middle St.) they have increased the number of boxes available for rent. There are 2 options small and large both have a $25 deposit. Small ones are $65 for the first year then $40 after that big ones (none available) are $105 for year one and $80 annually after that. Pricing in Belize currency.

You can also get private mailboxes with Quicksilver Messenger service. This is the option I used because Dianne calls me and tells me politely to get my hiney to my mailbox asap and pick up my package slip(s). If you let them sit too long you run the risk of the post office sending back your package(s). Click through to Quicksilver Messenger site to see annual pricing on private mailboxes. She has a few locations around town.

As for customs and duty, the post office has their official “blue book” of pricing. I have still found no real rhyme or reason for the customs prices on my stuff. The first picture is a good example of that. I got charged $7.65 BZD for my plastic owl bento box from Hong Kong (cost $5.62 BZD) and only $4.20 BZD for my Olympus Stylus Tough 8010 battery charger (cost $7.98 BZD). Reason for buying a new charger from China: King, our pool guy helped me work out that it was not a faulty wiring that made my old charger start acting up, it was because the inside had rusted out.