What is Hold Mail?
If you know you'll be away from home for a couple of weeks or even a couple of months, Canada Post will hold your mail for you so you can rest assured it is safe and sound.
Hold Mail is an inexpensive service that you can request at your local Post Office or online. You can even extend the service while you're still on the road.
See the table below to determine the cost* of Hold Mail:
| Residential addresses | Business addresses |
|---|---|
| $14.00 for the first 10 business days | $32.50 for the first 5 business days |
| $7.00 per additional week (5 business days) | $6.50 per additional business day |
How to sign up for Hold Mail online?
It's easy! To sign up for Hold Mail online you will need:
- Current address
- Valid credit card (VISA, MasterCard or American Express)
- Valid email address
- Web browser that supports 128-bit encryption (Note: If your internet connection is encrypted, an icon such as a closed padlock or key will be visible in the right-hand corner of your browser's window when the connection is active. An open lock or broken key icon indicates that your connection is not encrypted.)
On every Hold Mail online application form you can request the service for:
- Up to four families or individuals
- Up to two businesses
- A combination of up to two businesses and up to two families or individuals
If you are requesting mail to be held for a business on your online request form, you will be asked if you have the consent of that business. It is a criminal offence to make a Hold Mail request on someone else's behalf without authorization.
Please allow 3 business days for your Hold Mail request to be processed. You will receive a confirmation by email.
Once you've signed up for Hold Mail you can change, modify or cancel* the service at any time. This can be done online or by showing a copy of your receipt at any Canada Post location.
For Your Information
Not sure how long you'll be away from home? If your original temporary change of address request was for 3 months and you've decided to stay at your new address longer, you will already have paid for mail redirection for up to three months. Simply notify Canada Post about your decision to have the service continued before the expiry date of the original service request.
When you should request Hold Mail at a Post Office?
In certain situations, legal documentation is required and Hold Mail requests must be completed at a Post Office. These situations include requests for:
- Schools
- Military installations
- A deceased person
- Guardians or trustees
How to receive your mail once you return?
When your requested Hold Mail service has ended, regular delivery of your mail will resume and Canada Post will deliver your held mail to your address. If there are too many items to fit into your mail receptacle, you will receive a card by mail indicating which Post Office you can pick up your mail from. Be sure to bring one piece of government issued photo ID (address on ID or proof of residency required).
How to renew Hold Mail?
If you're still travelling and need to extend the Hold Mail service, go ahead! Hold Mail can be continued for as long as you need. Just be sure to request the extension before the service expires. Extension prices are the same as those in effect when you initiated the service.
What is temporary mail redirection?
If you'll be staying at another address for three to six months and prefer not to wait until you get home to read your mail, fill in a Change of Address form and temporarily redirect your mail to an alternative address. This service is available to Canadians while they are travelling for an extended time within Canada, the United States or abroad.
You can request temporary mail redirection at your local Post Office or online. If you need your mail redirected for less than three months that's okay, just be aware that a three-month minimum fee will apply. After the mail redirection service expires, delivery to your original address will resume.
View change of address rates.
How to renew your mail redirection service
If you're not ready to return home you can renew your temporary mail redirection for however long you need. Just be sure to request a renewal before the expiry date of the original service.
You can also renew, modify or cancel temporary mail redirection at any time-both online or by showing a copy of your receipt at any Canada Post location.
* Please note that the Hold Mail service is non-refundable if you decide to cancel after the start date.
