MAIL FORWARDING OPTIONS IN LOS CABOS
By Baja Real Estate Guide
While snail mail might be a thing of the past for many of us, there are still some items that even the most environmentally conscious of us like to physically receive. Magazines, holiday cards, birthday cards, favorite catalogs and even some bills are just easier to manage when you have a paper copy.
Receiving snail mail in Los Cabos is actually super easy. There are several companies that will give you a dedicated PO Box in California and will truck your mail down one to three times a week. You stop by their shop in town and, with your own key, open your PO Box in Los Cabos that has mail from the US inside it! It’s a very nice taste of home.
Here is an overview of mail forwarding services offered by two of the most established companies in town.
DOCUMENTATION NEEDED TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT
MAILBOX CABO, Cabo San Lucas
- Current Passport
- Current Driver’s License (does not need to be from Mexico)
- $6 USD for deposit that you receive back at the end of the contract
MAILBOX STORE, locations in San Jose and Cabo
- 2 ID’s with pictures (can be from Mexico or outside of Mexico)
- 1 utility bill (recommended that it is one in your name!)
INSIDER TIP:
Only those whose names are on the account will be able to receive mail at that address. Make sure you include all relevant people on the contract.
PRICING
Following are the various price options current as of September 2017.
MAILBOX CABO, Cabo San Lucas
- 1 Person – 3 month contract – $22 usd/month
- 2 People (family or Friends) – 3 month contract – $30 usd/month
- 3 People (family or Friends) – 3 month contract – $32 usd/month
- 4 People (family or Friends) – 3 month contract – $42 usd/month
MAILBOX STORE, San Jose or Cabo
- 1 Person – 3 month contract – $21 usd/month
- 2 People (family or Friends) – 3 month contract – $32 usd/month
- 3 People (family or Friends) – 3 month contract – $39 usd/month
- 4 People (family or Friends) – 3 month contract – $49 usd/month
- 5 People Business Account – 3 month contract – $60 usd/month
If you’re comfortable paying 6 or 12 months at once time, there are discounts available.
RECEIVING YOUR MAIL
MAILBOX CABO, Cabo San Lucas
Mail arrives two times a week: Mondays & Fridays
MAILBOX STORE, San Jose or Cabo San Lucas
Mail arrives three times a week: Generally Mondays, Thursdays & Saturdays
BONUS
In addition to regular snail mail, you can also receive the following items:
MAILBOX CABO, Cabo San Lucas
- CD’s and DVD’s – 2 per month
- Magazines
- Books – 2 per month no more than 3lbs total
- License Plates
MAILBOX STORE, San Jose or Cabo San Lucas
- CD’s and DVD’s
- Magazines
- Books
- License Plates
IMPORTING, The Process
While both businesses focus on mail forwarding, they do also offer importation services. The pricing is slightly different between these two businesses, but the process is basically the same.
You’ll ship your items to their warehouse in San Diego, and you’ll need to email a copy of the receipt to the designated contact. This might be your local contact in town or your local contact might forward you to someone physically located in San Diego. If you want to insure your items, make sure to include that detail in the email you send.
You do not need to have a mailbox with either of these two companies prior to importing.
INSIDER TIPS:
Be careful to not make assumptions over what you can import. Some items are taxed more heavily than others. When importing an item for the first time, it’s a good practice to touch base with the local company to see if there are any restrictions or additional costs for that particular item.
Importation services may operate on a different schedule. For example a truck might only come down 1 time a week. If the item is time sensitive, check ahead as to when your items need to arrive to make that week’s truck.
IMPORTING, The Rates
MAILBOX CABO, Cabo San Lucas
General cost to import is 28% of the value of the item(s) to be imported, with the exception of:
- If the value is less than $25, there is a base rate of $7 dollars to import
If you want to insure your merchandise, the cost is 1% of the value of the items.
Mailbox Cabo does not charge extra for weight or volume. Their prices are based on the value of the item(s) to be imported.
MAILBOX STORE, San Jose or Cabo San Lucas
General cost to import is 26% of the value of the item(s) to be imported, with the exception of:
- If the value is less than $50 USD, there is a base rate of $15 dollars to import
- If the value is between $51-$100 USD, there is a base rate of $22 dollars to import
- For items heavier than 50 kilos (weight or volume), there will be a fee of $1 USD charged per extra kilo
If you want to insure your merchandise, the cost is 2% of the value of the items.
INSIDER TIP:
It can be helpful to put your name in the second address field as an “Attention to”. It helps the folks in the warehouse match up your package more quickly with the receipt you emailed.
SENDING MAIL TO THE UNITED STATES
Both these companies offer US postal mail service. Mailbox Cabo even sells stamps! You simply bring your addressed envelope to either of these businesses, they truck the mail up the US and enter your envelope directly into the USPS system! Mailbox Cabo charges 10 pesos per stamp and $40 pesos for the service. Mailbox Store charges by weight and volume.