Postal Standards
The "Milk Box": Your Mandatory Delivery Compartment
On a compliant Swiss mailbox, the delivery compartment, famously known as the "milk box," isn't an option—it's a requirement. It measures at least 15 × 25 × 35.5 cm and is designed to receive small parcels, newspapers, and printed materials too bulky for the letter slot. Without it, your mailbox isn't up to standard.
What is the Delivery Compartment For?
While the letter compartment handles everything that fits through the slot—envelopes, letters, bills—a significant portion of modern mail, including small parcels, newspapers, catalogs, and printed materials, simply won't fit into a 2.5 cm high slot. This is where the delivery compartment comes in: it offers a more generous, enclosed space where the postman can deposit these items without needing to leave a delivery notice.
It receives small parcels, packages, rolled newspapers, catalogs, and advertising flyers. Essentially, anything that exceeds the letter slot's dimensions but remains reasonably compact.
By having a compliant delivery compartment, the postman can directly deliver most small items. This means fewer trips to the post office for you and more mail received on the first attempt.
Delivery Compartment Dimensions
Source: Official La Poste brochure 221.04 + Postal Ordinance (OPO), Annex 1. Dimensions to be cross-referenced with the current version. See also the complete table on the dimensions page.
- — Minimum Height: 15 cm
- — Minimum Width: 25 cm
- — Minimum Depth: 35.5 cm
- — Opening: 15 × 25 cm
Delivery Compartment or Parcel Box?
While both are complementary, they serve different purposes. The delivery compartment is an integral part of a compliant mailbox. A parcel box, however, is an additional, larger piece of equipment, recommended but not mandated by Postnorm, and particularly relevant in the age of e-commerce.
- — Delivery Compartment: Mandatory (Postnorm), receives small parcels, newspapers, printed materials, volume ≥ 15 × 25 × 35.5 cm.
- — Parcel Box: Recommended, optional, for bulky parcels, larger, often custom-sized.
- — For apartment buildings, we offer collective parcel lockers integrated into the mailbox battery. Details can be found on the building mailbox batteries page.
Two Compartments: Compliant and Durable
We offer delivery compartments built to the correct dimensions, with the option of parcel lockers for apartment buildings. We custom-manufacture and install. Get a free quote within 48 hours.
See also: dimensions Postnorm · building mailboxes · custom-made.
Helvabox: Custom mailboxes, manufactured and installed in French-speaking Switzerland. Guaranteed compliance with postal standards. Over 20 years of experience in mailboxes.
Our Services: Custom Mailboxes, Building Mailbox Batteries, Property Management & Agencies, Compliance Upgrades, Postal Standards, Compliance Test, Dimensions & Regulations, Collective Buildings.
Contact: French-speaking Switzerland and Canton of Vaud.
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FAQ
Is the delivery compartment really mandatory?
Yes. The Swiss postal standard requires two compartments: one for letters and one for delivery ("milk box"). A mailbox with only a letter compartment is non-compliant, regardless of its quality (OPO art. 73 / La Poste brochure 221.04).
What is the difference between a delivery compartment and a parcel box?
The delivery compartment is part of a compliant mailbox: it receives small items and printed materials too bulky for the slot (opening 15 × 25 cm, depth 35.5 cm). A parcel box is a separate, larger locker designed for bulky parcels, recommended but not mandated by Postnorm.
What are the dimensions for the delivery compartment?
At least 15 × 25 × 35.5 cm (H × W × D) internally, with an opening of 15 × 25 cm. These are the same minimums found in La Poste's 221.04 brochure and Annex 1 of the OPO.
Why is it called a "milk box"?
This is the popular historical name for the delivery compartment, inherited from a time when milk bottles were also deposited there. Today, it is primarily used for small parcels, newspapers, and printed materials.
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