Can I use a P.O. Box for my car insurance? (2025)
How can you get car insurance if you don't have a permanent address? Is listing a P.O. box for car insurance an option? Read on to find out if you can use a P.O. box when registering for car insurance.
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Tracey L. Wells
Licensed Insurance Agent & Agency Owner
Tracey L. Wells is a licensed insurance agent and Farmers insurance agency owner with 23 years of experience. He is proud to be a local Farmers agent serving Grayson, Georgia and surrounding areas. With experience as both an underwriter and agent, he provides his customers with insight that others agents may not have. His agency offers all lines of insurance including home, life, auto, RV, busi...
Licensed Insurance Agent & Agency Owner
UPDATED: Sep 19, 2024
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Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.
Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from top car companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.
UPDATED: Sep 19, 2024
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.
Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from top car companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
Can I use a P.O. Box for my car insurance? What if I need car insurance without a permanent address? Car insurers only allow you to use a P.O. box for car insurance as a mailing address,
Learn the address requirements for buying car insurance to maintain the right coverage for your vehicle.
- You can only use a P.O. Box as a mailing address for car insurance
- You need a garaging and mailing address to purchase car insurance
- You must use a physical address for the garaging address
Can I use a P.O. Box for my car insurance?
You can list a P.O. box as a mailing address on your car insurance, but you cannot register a P.O. box as your physical address.
Car insurance rates in the U.S. depend on where you regularly keep your vehicle. Since you can’t keep your car in the P.O. box for car insurance, it doesn’t meet the physical address requirement for car insurance. Therefore, P.O. box registration for your garaging address is not allowed.
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Garage Address vs. Mailing Address
A garage address, or garaging address, is where you physically garage your car most of the time. Whenever you request a car insurance quote or purchase a new policy, your insurance company will ask you where you typically park your car.
Your garaging address is usually the same as your home or permanent address, but there are a few common exceptions. These include:
- Car insurance for college students in another state from their permanent address
- Car insurance for people who split their time between two homes
- Car insurance for active-duty military members
Insurance companies allow you to list a mailing address and a garaging address on your car insurance policy. Your garaging address must be a physical location, but your mailing address for car insurance can be a P.O. box.
Why does car insurance require a physical address?
Insurers consider the physical location of your car when setting auto insurance rates, assessing your risk based on location-related factors such as:
- Collision rates
- Vehicle-related theft
- Prevalence of natural disasters
- Percentage of uninsured drivers
Even if you’re moving to a different location in the same city or state, it’s important to update your garaging address with your insurance company. This way, you get the most accurate rates and avoid losing your car insurance coverage. If you have a P.O. box in another state as your mailing address, you still need to list your garaging address where the car will most often be parked. (For more information, read our “How do I get car insurance when moving to the USA?“).
Read more: Why does my car insurance need my work address?
How to Get Car Insurance Without an Address
You can still get car insurance with no fixed address. You just have to let your insurance company know where you are staying most of the time.
For instance, if you stay with family for a few months, you can list their location as the garaging address while maintaining a different mailing address.
It’s important to update your physical address with your insurance company every time it changes. Listing the incorrect address on your policy is considered auto insurance fraud, which could lead to losing your coverage or facing charges if not updated on time. You should never list a fake address for car insurance to get cheaper rates.
Case Studies: Securing Car Insurance with P.O. Box and Address Challenges
Case Study 1: Using a P.O. Box as a Mailing Address
John recently moved to a new city and opted for a P.O. Box for his mailing address. However, he is uncertain if he can use the P.O. Box as his address for car insurance purposes.
While John can list a P.O. Box as his mailing address on his car insurance, he cannot register it as his physical garaging address. Car insurance rates in the United States are influenced by the location where the vehicle is primarily kept, and a P.O. Box does not meet the physical address requirement.
John should provide his current physical address to ensure accurate rates and compliance with insurance regulations.
Case Study 2: Securing Car Insurance Without a Permanent Address
Sarah is a digital nomad who frequently moves from place to place, which means she does not have a permanent address. She wonders if it’s possible to obtain car insurance without a fixed location.
Even without a permanent address, Sarah can still obtain car insurance by providing the address where she stays most of the time as her garaging address. For instance, if she stays with family for a few months, she can list their location as her garaging address while maintaining a different mailing address.
It is crucial for Sarah to update her physical address with her insurance company whenever it changes to avoid potential penalties and ensure accurate coverage.
Case Study 3: Relocating to a Different State With a P.O. Box
Alex recently moved to a new state and decided to maintain a P.O. Box as their mailing address. They are unsure if they can use their P.O. Box as the garaging address for car insurance purposes.
While Alex can use a P.O. Box as their mailing address, it cannot be used as the garaging address on their car insurance policy. Car insurance rates are influenced by the physical location where the vehicle is regularly parked.
To ensure accurate rates and compliance with insurance requirements, Alex should provide their new physical garaging address in the new state where their car will most frequently be parked.
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Can I use a P.O. box for my car insurance? The Bottom Line
You can use a P.O. box as a car insurance mailing address, but you cannot use a P.O. box as a garaging address on your policy.
A physical garaging address is important in determining car insurance rates. If you don’t have a permanent address, list your current physical address to avoid penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a P.O. Box for car insurance?
You might be wondering, “Can you use a P.O. Box for car insurance?” You can use a P.O. Box as a car insurance address, but you cannot use a P.O. Box as a garaging address on your policy.
A physical garaging address is important in determining car insurance rates. If you don’t have a permanent address, list your current physical address to avoid penalties.
What is a garaging address?
A garaging address is where you physically garage your car most of the time. Whenever you request a car insurance quote or purchase a new policy, your insurance company will ask you where you typically park your car. Your garaging address is usually the same as your home or permanent address, but there are a few common exceptions. These include instances where you stay with family for a few months or have a different location where you regularly park your car.
Why does car insurance require a physical address?
Insurers consider the physical location of your car when setting auto insurance rates, assessing your risk based on location-related factors such as crime rates, traffic congestion, and accident statistics.
Even if you’re moving to a different location in the same city or state, it’s important to update your garaging address with your insurance company. This way, you get the most accurate rates and avoid losing your car insurance coverage. If you have a P.O. Box in another state as your mailing address, you still need to list your garaging address where the car will most often be parked.
How can I get car insurance without a permanent address?
A top question readers ask is, “Can you get car insurance without an address?” You can still get car insurance without an address. You just have to let your insurance company know where you are staying most of the time.
For instance, if you stay with family for a few months, you can list their location as the garaging address while maintaining a different mailing address.
It’s important to update your physical address with your insurance company every time it changes. Listing the incorrect address on your policy is considered auto insurance fraud, which could lead to losing your coverage or facing charges if not updated on time. You should never list a fake address for car insurance to get cheaper rates.
Enter your ZIP code into our free quote tool below to instantly compare cheap car insurance with no fixed address from the top providers near you.
Can you register a car to a P.O. Box?
Many readers have asked, “Can I use a P.O. Box to register my car?” While you can use it as a mailing address, the DMV doesn’t allow drivers to register
Does your car insurance and registration address have to match?
Yes, it’s important to ensure your registration and car insurance home address are the same to avoid complications with your coverage. Having a car insurance address different to home address could lead to issues with claims or invalidated coverage.
Can you register a car to a P.O. Box in NY?
New York drivers may be wondering, “Can I register my car to a P.O. Box in New York?” No, New York residents must use a physical address for car registration.
Where should I insure my vehicle if I have two addresses?
You might be wondering which address to use for car insurance if you split time between two homes. Insure your car where your primarily keep your car or spend most of your time. Contact your insurance company if you’re still unsure.
Can you register a vehicle to a P.O. Box in Florida?
If you’re in FL, you might be wondering, “Can I register a car to a P.O. Box in Florida?” No, you must use a physical address for Florida vehicle registration.
Can I use a P.O Box for my car insurance with Geico?
If you have Geico and P.O. Box access, you might be asking yourself, “Can you get car insurance with a P.O. Box through Geico?” For your Geico address, a P.O. Box can be used for mailing purposes, but you still need a physical address where you plan to park the car.
Why can’t I have a Geico P.O Box address? You can’t have a Geico address P.O. Box since the company needs a physical address to assess your location’s risk level.
Can you register a car to a P.O. Box in Colorado?
A top question CO residents ask is, “Can I register a car with a P.O Box in Colorado?” If you’re looking for P.O Box car insurance in Colorado, you’ll be disappointed to learn that you can’t use a P.O. Box to register or insure your car in the state.
Can you register a car to a P.O. Box in California?
CA drivers may wonder, “Can you use a P.O. Box for car registration in California?” No, you can’t use a P.O. box to register a car in California.
Can you register a car to a P.O Box in Texas?
If you live in TX, you might wonder, “Can I use a P.O. for car registration in Texas?” No, you cannot register your car in TX with a P.O. Box, as you must use a physical address.
Can you use a P.O Box for car registration in AZ?
A top question Arizona drivers ask is, “Can you register a vehicle to a P.O. Box in Arizona?” No, you must register your car in AZ with a physical address.
Can I use a P.O. Box for health insurance?
With health insurance, a P.O. Box isn’t acceptable as a primary address, as most insurers require a physical address.
Can you use a P.O. Box to register a car if you live in it?
You might be wondering,”Can I use a P.O. Box for my car registration if I live in my vehicle?” Even if you live in your car, you’ll need to have a physical address where the vehicle is primarily stored to get it registered.
Can you register your car to a P.O Box if you frequently move between states?
A top question readers ask is, “Can I register my car with a P.O. Box if I have two homes?” Even if you live in two different states, you can’t register your car with a P.O. Box.
Can you register a car with a P.O. Box if you live off the grid?
Can I use a P.O Box for vehicle registration if I live off the grid? Even if you live off the grid, you’ll need a physical address to register your car.
Can I register a vehicle to a P.O Box if I’m temporarily relocating for work?
You may wonder, “Can you register a car with a P.O Box address if you’re temporarily moving for work?” No, even if you’re relocating for work temporarily, you can’t use a P.O Box for vehicle registration.
Free Car Insurance Comparison
Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap car insurance rates.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Tracey L. Wells
Licensed Insurance Agent & Agency Owner
Tracey L. Wells is a licensed insurance agent and Farmers insurance agency owner with 23 years of experience. He is proud to be a local Farmers agent serving Grayson, Georgia and surrounding areas. With experience as both an underwriter and agent, he provides his customers with insight that others agents may not have. His agency offers all lines of insurance including home, life, auto, RV, busi...
Licensed Insurance Agent & Agency Owner
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.