The global response to the Corona Virus Pandemic has affected many people and businesses. This page will have updates about:

• Private Box Operations
  • Mail Pickups
  • Mail Processing
  • Mail Service
  • Free Automated Scanning
• NZ Post updates
  • Domestic
    • Business Redirections
  • International 
• Risk of infection from mail
• Are you or your business an essential service?

Private Box operations will be affected by the Current Covid-19 alert level for New Zealand which is currently at Level 2. 

Private Box Operations

Private Box is an essential service and is operating. Most staff are working from home. Online support is available via phone and email, Mon-Fri 9am-4pm GMT +12 (NZ Time).

We can receive postal deliveries at our Wellington Office from 9am-1pm Monday to Friday. 

Level 1 - 

• Office hours: Mon-Fri 9am-4pm
• Online and telephone customer support available Mon-Fri 9am-4pm GMT +12 (NZ Time)
• No restrictions on mail pickups

Level 2 -

• Office hours: Mon-Fri 9am-4pm
• Online and telephone customer support available Mon-Fri 9am-4pm GMT +12 (NZ Time)
• No restrictions on mail pickups
• Social Distancing restrictions in place.  Do not enter our office if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms.  Please use hand sanitiser and sign in using our Covid Tracing QR code or contact sign in sheet when visiting our office.

Level 3 -

• Office hours: Mon-Fri 9am-1pm
• Online and telephone customer support available Mon-Fri 9am-4pm GMT +12 (NZ Time)
• Mail pickups by appointment only.

Level 4 -

• No customer access
• Online and telephone customer support available Mon-Fri 9am-4pm GMT +12 (NZ Time)
• Mail pickups only available for essential services and strictly by pre-arranged appointment ONLY.

Mail Pickups

If you have any flu-like symptoms at any level - please do not visit our office.  We will be very happy to discuss any options that will be available for you to collect your mail.  The safety of our staff and other customers is our highest priority.

For any pickups that occur, we have a visitors log on the table in our reception area. We have a digital sign in option available using a QR code which you can scan on your phone, or you can simply sign our visitor sheet.

Please be sure to use the hand sanitiser we have available, both before and after signing the visitor sheet to make sure any possibility of transmission is minimised as much as possible.

Mail Processing

Please login to your account at https://secure.privatebox.co.nz to request mail to be scanned, forwarded to your current location or to use "Parcel Collect" (to have it delivered to Z stations or a Countdown supermarkets if they are available).  We keep the Parcel Collect locations updated on a daily basis to ensure that our system is always up to date with the availability of this service.

Please note - Post Shops are closed and you will not be able to collect mail from them when using parcel collect, counter delivery or post restante services.

Mail Service

A summary of current service levels are detailed below: 

All PO Box services have an NZ Post mail redirection in place and will be processed as normal by the Wellington office. 

Free automated scanning

To help with receiving your mail digitally during the lock down all customers can now have mail scanned automatically without the 80c charge. To enable automatic scanning please go to https://secure.privatebox.co.nz/mailbox/rules > Folder Rules > Add Rule (or just email us and we can enable this for you). 

You may like to enable scan to email as well - this is enabled on the same page under Folder Rules (choose "when mail is scanned"). 

Please note - this only applies to the first 5 mail items or first 50 pages scanned during a calendar month. Whichever comes first.

For more info please see https://support.privatebox.co.nz/hc/en-us/articles/206297903-Setting-up-Automatic-Mail-Scanning

New Zealand Post Updates 

Domestic mail service

New Zealand’s mail services are operating with some minor changes:

• CourierPost has changed the way it delivers Signature Required parcels. Note that Private Box does not use the Signature Required service.
• Post Shops are closed and you will not be able to collect mail from them when using parcel collect, counter delivery or Post Restante services. If you usually use these services we recommend using Parcel Collect at a Z service station or Countdown supermarket.

For latest updates from NZ Post please see https://www.nzpost.co.nz/business/covid19updates

Business redirections

It is now possible to set-up NZ Post business redirections online using these steps

You can now continue as you would usually with an online Redirection Order application.

International Mail Service

NZ Post is adapting to the global response as it unfolds. Network disruptions can be expected for:

• Iran
• Somalia
• Syria
• Ukraine
• Yemen

For more NZ Post updates see: International Mail Updates

Please be advised that there have been significant delays experienced worldwide - even if your country is not listed above there could be unforeseen delays or restrictions on mail processing due to the postal services in each country.

Risk of infection from mail

The risk of infection from mail is low as the majority of the virus will die within a few hours in dry conditions. CDC.gov says "Currently there is no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with imported goods."

Practising good hand and sneeze/cough hygiene is the best defence ( wash your hands frequently with soap and water).

We are monitoring for further information around this area of concern and will take an evidence based approach to how we handle mail. 

Are you an essential service? 

To help with planning and prioritisation please let us know if you are operating an essential service and intend to stay open during the lock down. You can provide this information here - https://forms.gle/uqUiqzPFXGwFt4xr5