Other Products and Services
- Hold Mail

Service Description

Hold Mail is a service that enables customers to have their mail held by Canada Post because they are going on an extended holiday or will be away from their home or their business for a period of time.

Fees for Hold Mail service

Hold Mail Service Options

On-line

Submitting Hold Mail Requests On-line

Submitting Hold Mail requests electronically is a secure and convenient way to ensure that mail delivery is suspended temporarily and mail is held at the delivery post office for a specific period of time. To use this service, customers will need the following:

• A current address
• A valid credit card (VISA, MasterCard or American Express)
• A valid e-mail address
• A web browser that supports 128-bit encryption
• Authority to act on behalf of those individuals or businesses listed on your request.

More information about the minimum requirements.

Please allow 3 business days to process requests. Confirmation of the service requested is sent to customers by email.

In the following situations where legal documentation is required, Hold Mail requests cannot be processed on-line:

• Schools, Military installation
• Requests on behalf of a deceased person
• Guardian or trustee
• Disputes regarding the receipt of mail

Only four individuals, four families, or two businesses (or a combination of 2 Individuals and 2 Businesses) can use the same on-line request form. When a business and individual share the same request, the business rate applies.

More information about the terms and conditions of this service.

Get started. Submit your Hold Mail Request on-line today!

At the Post Office
Customers can obtain a Hold Mail request form from any local Postal Outlet. Two pieces of acceptable identification, preferably with photo ID, are required to purchase the Hold Mail service.

The completed form, which indicates the period of time that the mail should be held, is sent to the customer's normal delivery office to inform the postal employees to hold the mail. The mail will be held for the period of time specified by the customer.

Only four individuals, four families, or two businesses (or a combination of two individuals, two families and two Businesses) can use this form. When a business and individual share the same form the business fee applies.

Expiry

When the Hold Mail Service expires, mail delivery to the customer's current address is resumed.

Service Features
The service is available for various periods depending on the type of customer (residential, businesses or schools). The minimum service period is 2 weeks (10 business days) for residential customers, 5 business days for businesses and one year for schools. However, Hold Mail Service can be requested for a shorter period of time. The service can be extended, providing the extension is requested before the expiry date of the service. There are no limitations on the additional periods of extensions applied for, although the extension price will be the current price at the time the application is filed.

Customers, who submit their Hold Mail service on-line can change, amend or cancel this service by signing in to the on-line service with their Reference Number, First and Last Name and Password.

Customers who complete a Hold Mail request form at a post office can change, amend or cancel this service by presenting their receipt copy to any postal outlet.

Schools may combine Hold Mail Service with Redirection Service.

The service is non-refundable if cancelled after the service start date.

Restrictions
A Hold Mail request cannot be accepted if the customer receives mail through, or in care of, an institution such as a business, hotel, motel, rooming house, nursing home, hospital, school or similar institution, through privately managed mail boxes, or if the customer shares a postal address (where several businesses share a common postal address.)

In cases of dissolved partnerships, marriages, etc., if there is a dispute over who should receive the mail, a joint written agreement, signed by both parties, is required.

Priority Courier, Xpresspost, Expedited Parcel and Regular Parcel items will be held where possible.

Right of Refusal
Canada Post reserves the right to refuse to hold mail and to end the arrangement at any time.

Enquiries
General enquiries concerning the Hold Mail service should be directed to Customer Service during regular business hours at 1 800 267 1177 (from outside of Canada 1 416 979 8822) or send us an email.

Privacy Act
Use of customer information gathered by Canada Post is governed by the Privacy Act.