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Locking Mailbox and Installation Costs

$170 – $450, Installed

The average cost of a locking mailbox installed is $290. Secure mailboxes that mount to the wall cost slightly less than post mounted units due to lower installation costs. Pricing breaks down to an average of $140 for a USPS approved secure mailbox and $125 for installation.
Average DIY
$90
Average Pro
$290
Typical Range
$170 – $450
Low End
$35 (DIY)
High End
$950 (Pro)
Updated: November 17, 2023

How Much Does it Cost to Buy and Install a Secure, or Locking Mailbox?

Low
$35 – $165
Average Cost
$170 – $450
High
$455 – $950
Mailbox Cost $20 – $150 $35 – $425 $250 – $700
Installation DIY or Pro DIY or Pro Pro
Installation Cost $0 – $145 $0 – 350 $95 – $250
Type Mostly Wall Wall or Post Mounted Mostly Post Mounted
Quality Cheap to Average Average to Good Good to Premium
Size Small to Medium Small to Large Medium to Large
Numbers/Letters $0 – $15 $0 – $45 $25 – $75

Sections: Overview | Product Costs | Installation Cost | DIY or Pro

locking residential mailbox installed on post for 290

Overview of Locking Mailboxes

With identity thieves and porch pirates becoming more brazen, homeowners want to know their mail and packages will be secure from the time they’re delivered until they can be retrieved, without having to put a combination lock or padlock on their current mailbox. That’s why locking mailboxes, also called secure mailboxes, are trending among security-conscious homeowners who are often replacing standard or brick mailboxes to replace with a secure mailbox.

Securing your mail is just as important as having a strong lock on your entry doors. Mailboxes on posts near the road remain the norm in most neighborhoods in the United states, but wall-mounted mailboxes near front doors are growing in popularity as more homeowners consider security for their mail.  Homeowners feel they are more secure and can be installed on a porch or garage in view of a security camera. Your options also include a few high security free-standing curbside locking mailboxes, usually with steel pedestals, which are among the most expensive models.

This cost estimate for a locking mailbox covers cost factors such as size, type and material, and how they impact price. Retail costs for boxes and installation materials are listed plus the installation labor cost to have the work done professionally. These are single-family mailboxes.

Costs from top estimating sites are included plus prices submitted by homeowners. You’re invited to share your cost, whether you install the mailbox yourself or hire a contractor to do it.

Product Cost Details

Locking Mailbox Price Factors

Before we get to pricing, here is a look at your range of options available in residential locking mailboxes and how they affect cost.

  • Size – Typically, the larger the mailbox, when other factors are the same, the more it will cost.
  • Type – Mailboxes on posts have a higher total price than wall mailboxes due to higher material and installation costs. Free-standing pedestal mailboxes that sit on a footing or a porch are usually high-end, costly units.
  • Style – There are plenty of options to fit well with your home’s architectural style, from classic and antique to contemporary with modern styling. Those with more elaborate styling such as stamped metal or wrought iron components tend to cost more.
  • Material and Construction — Most are steel, though there are a few plastic resin models. Cheap locking mailboxes are thin steel. Those that cost more are made from high-impact steel of a thicker gauge. Copper locking mailboxes are stylish, but keep in mind that copper is a softer metal than steel. Boxes with welded seams are tougher and cost more than those with folded or crimped seams.
  • Security Features – Advanced security features can add to the cost of a locking mailbox. Heavy duty anti-pry locking mechanisms and spring-loaded, push-in doors that hinder attempts to fish out mail are among the security features to consider as you shop for and compare secure mailbox costs.
  • Accessories – For mailboxes on posts, your options include wood or steel posts, sheaths to cover wood posts or even house the entire box. The cost of the accessories can affect cost by up to 33%. There are few accessories for wall-mounted mailboxes.
  • DIY vs Hiring the Installation – Labor costs for a handyman are discussed below, so you can see potential savings of DIY.

Locking Mailbox Sizes and What They Hold

Locking mailboxes start small, sized for envelopes, newspapers and small parcels.

Mid-size secure mailboxes can accommodate a shoe box-size parcel.

The largest are big enough for a couple shoe boxes or a 12-inch cube package. Many large locking mailboxes have an upper chamber for general mail and a lower chamber for packages.

These extra-large models are also called architectural mailboxes and mail vaults. Secure wall mailboxes tend to be taller with less front-to-back depth than those that fit on a traditional mailbox post. The largest post-mounted units have more internal capacity than the largest wall-mounted lockable mailboxes.

Retail Cost of Locking Mailboxes

Secure mailboxes are available from a wide range of sources. The most affordable are found at local big box stores and online at Amazon, Wayfair and other big retailers. Online specialty stores typically stock mid-range to high-end locking mailboxes.

  • $20 – $700 | Wall-mounted Locking Mailboxes. Most homeowners pay $60 to $135 for a medium-sized welded steel secure wall mailbox.
  • $40 – $550 | Post-mounted Lockable Mailboxes. The best-selling models ranging from medium to large cost $75 to $200.
  • $160 – $800 | Secure Residential Pedestal Mailboxes. An average cost is about $240 for this type.

Installation Supplies Costs

If you install your locking mailbox, this list give you an idea of the cost of supplies. Most are for post and mailbox installation. The last two are for wall mounted locking mailboxes.

  • $12 – $18 | Wood Post – treated pine or cedar
  • $28 – $45 | Wood post and metal stake combination
  • $5 – $12 | Wood or metal post plant for mounting the box to the post
  • $18 – $30 | PVC mailbox post, which can be used by itself or as a sheath for a wood post
  • $60 – $100 | Plain steel post with mounting platform
  • $75 – $250+ | Decorative posts and mailbox enclosures
  • $1 to $15 each | Numbers and letters for the box or post. Options range from sheets of cheap, peel-n-stick numbers and letters to individual units that are nailed or screwed to a mailbox post.
  • $5 – $7 | 40lb bag of concrete mix – sufficient for most mailbox post installations
  • $10 – $30 | Spade or mid-grade post-hole digger
  • $7 – $15 | Masonry drill bit for installing a wall mailbox in concrete or brick
  • $2 – $4 | Pack of plastic anchors for wall-mounting screws

Permits, Inspection, Related Costs and Installation Time

Permits and Inspection Cost

  • $0 | No permit is required for installing a locking mailbox.

Related Costs and Installation Time

When hiring the labor for installation, most homeowners choose a handyman. It’s exactly the kind of work they specialize in doing.

Here are costs you can expect when you get locking mailbox price estimates for installation. Large handyman services tend to charge more than the “neighborhood” guy that works for himself.

  • $60 – $125 | Minimum charge with up to one hour of labor included
  • $45 – $80 per hour | Additional labor rates

Wall-mounted mailboxes take less time to install than a post-mounted unit when installation of the post is included.

  • Up to 1 hour | Installation of most wall-mounted mailboxes and switching out a post-mounted model without changing the post
  • 1-2 hours | Installation of a post and mailbox including the time to dig the hole, mix concrete and install the materials

DIY or Hire a Pro?

It’s your call, based on your skill level and time.

Installing either type is an easy to moderate DIY job. Most homeowners save $80 to $125 by doing the work.

The most important step is to make sure the installation fits US Postal Service regulations. This USPS page includes information about mailbox size, construction, placement from the road, height and more.

Regulations for wall mailboxes are on the USPS page too.

Now, a few words about installation:

Post-mounted mailboxes usually don’t have instructions, at least not for the entire job. There are many how-to videos like this one available.

Any locking wall mailbox you buy should include thorough installation instructions. Video tutorials for that job are available too.

In our opinion, if you have the time, then locking mailbox installation is a DIY project you will like succeed with.