Rear Access

What Is a Rear Access Mailbox?

A rear access mailbox is a residential mailbox that opens from the side opposite the incoming mail slot, so you retrieve your mail without facing the street. Mail enters one side and comes out the other: the carrier inserts it from the front, and you collect it from the back.

You’ll find a mailbox with rear access in post mount, wall mount, column mount, and pedestal configurations. Homeowners on busy roads avoid stepping into the gutter, and fenced or gated lots keep retrieval inside the yard. Locking and non-locking builds are both available. 

MailboxWorks offers a wide selection of rear access models alongside the rest of our residential mailboxes.

Front Access vs Rear Access Mailboxes

Still deciding between the two? It comes down to which side you open, a choice driven by driveway orientation, traffic, and security preference. A front access mailbox opens on the street side, where the carrier delivers. A rear access mailbox opens opposite, so you collect mail from the yard, fence, column, or interior wall.

Front access suits quiet streets, short curb walks, and the widest style selection. Rear access earns its keep on busy roads, narrow shoulders, parallel driveways, fenced yards, and column or wall installations. Most major brands, including Bobi, Architectural Mailboxes, and Mail Boss, build both. A few combine the two: a front and rear access mailbox loads from the street and opens from the yard. If you want a mailbox with front and rear access on a single box, look for combo dual-access models.

	Front Access	Rear Access
Best for	Quiet streets, short curb walks	Busy roads, fenced yards, columns
Retrieval direction	Street side	Yard / interior side
Typical use case	Standard curbside pickup	Avoiding traffic, secure retrieval
Security profile	Standard	Often locking, anti-pry options
Brand availability	Wide	Bobi, Mail Boss, Architectural & more

Rear Access Mailbox Mounting Options

The right mount type follows your property layout more than your taste. Where the carrier delivers, where you’ll stand to collect mail, and what you’re mounting to, all point toward one of four options. Here’s how each one fits:

Post Mount for Curbside Delivery

Post mount models handle standard USPS curbside delivery and suit homeowners on busy roads or narrow shoulders. Mail enters from the street side; you retrieve it from the yard side, no traffic involved. We carry the Bobi Classic B and Grande B as rear access locking mailbox options, with non-locking builds also available. Browse our full range of post mount mailboxes to compare.

Wall Mount for Through-Wall or Fence Installations

A rear access wall mount mailbox suits walk-up delivery and through-wall, gate, or fence installs. The carrier deposits mail from outside; you collect it from inside the yard, garage, or interior wall. The Bobi Classic B and Grande B both work here. Choosing a rear access mailbox for fence-line installs is a specific, under-served use case: confirm your fence thickness and rear door swing clearance first. See all wall mount mailboxes for fit options.

Column Mount for Stucco, Brick, or Stone

A rear access column mailbox recesses into stucco, brick, or stone pillars. The carrier delivers at the column face; you retrieve from the rear, usually in a courtyard or driveway. QualArc’s Manchester, Fenwood, and Bloomsbury inserts are built for this and show up most often in renovation and new-build projects. Match the faceplate finish to your home’s exterior hardware. Our column mount mailboxes cover the common column sizes.

Pedestal Mount for a Freestanding Decorative Look

Pedestal models combine post and mailbox into one architectural piece, freestanding and decorative. The Ecco 8 Victorian Tower, Colonial Pedestal, and Victorian Pedestal all offer rear access. These suit homeowners chasing a high-end curb appeal statement rather than a purely functional install.

Our Top Brands for Rear Access Mailboxes

We carry rear access mailbox models from more than a dozen manufacturers, sorted here by how deep their rear access lineup runs. The short version: pick the brand that matches your style and security priorities, whether that’s a modern lock-equipped box or a heavy-duty security mailbox. Rear access is available from each one below.

Bobi

The Finnish brand has been building mailboxes since 1991 and makes up the largest share of our rear access lineup. Bobi is known for its rounded silhouette, cylinder lock security, weather-tight build, and a five-color palette. The Classic B is a popular locking rear access mailbox, and the large-capacity Grande B handles heavier mail volume. See the full Bobi mailboxes range.

Florence Commercial

Florence Corporation 4B horizontal units add rear loading access for the carrier, built for multi-tenant residential and small commercial settings. You’ll find them in surface mount and recessed configurations.

dVault

dVault makes heavy-duty drop vaults for households that receive frequent packages. The Deposit Vault and Full Service Vault pair secure parcel storage with rear access retrieval.

Special Lite, Architectural Mailboxes, AMCO, Ecco, and QualArc

These specialists round out the category. Special Lite builds solid cast aluminum curbside boxes with notably thick walls and classic two-door rear access. Architectural Mailboxes offers galvanized steel security models with locking rear access. AMCO Victorian leans decorative for curb appeal. Ecco’s 8 Tower pedestal brings a cast aluminum Victorian motif with a rear door. QualArc covers column mount inserts (Manchester, Fenwood, Bloomsbury, Kingsbury) sized for stucco and brick.

Available Features for Rear Access Mailboxes

Once you’ve settled on a mount type, these are the features that separate one model from the next. Use them to compare builds on the page and shortlist the ones that fit your security needs and mail volume.

• Locking vs non-locking: Cylinder locks (Bobi), 12-disc wafer locks with anti-pry latches (Mail Boss), or non-locking for lower-risk yards. Nearly all models here are locking, so a rear access locking mailbox is the category norm. See all locking mailboxes.
• Anti-pry and reinforced construction: Tool-steel hook cams and reinforced door frames make a serious security mailbox; rear access dVault vaults lead here.
• Mail capacity: Standard for daily pickup, large or extra large for parcel-heavy households and frequent travelers.
• Parcel capability: Dedicated drop vaults (dVault) and oversized models for steady package delivery.
• Construction materials: Powder-coated galvanized steel, stainless steel, or cast aluminum. A steel mailbox with a rear access door is the workhorse pick; coastal lots benefit from stainless or marine-grade powder coat.
• Finish and color options: Black, white, bronze, red, grey, stainless, and architectural finishes across Bobi, Architectural Mailboxes, Special Lite, and QualArc.
• USPS approval status: Most residential rear access models are USPS approved (some Bobi Jumbo sizes excluded).
• Mounting versatility: Many models ship in more than one mount config (Bobi Classic in wall or post; QualArc Manchester in column or wall).
• Weather sealing: Rubber gaskets and weather-tight rear doors keep rain, snow, and humidity off your mail.
• Front and rear access combo: A subset is a true front and rear access mailbox, including certain Architectural and Special Lite models, opening from both sides.

How to Pick the Right Mailbox Size

Match capacity to how you actually get mail. Standard sizing handles daily-pickup households just fine. Step up to large if you shop online often or travel, and pick an extra large mailbox with rear access for week-long absences and small-package delivery. The Bobi Classic B covers everyday volume while the Grande B adds room; Mail Boss builds large-capacity security models; and dVault’s parcel-capable vaults suit anyone drowning in deliveries. For a high-capacity mailbox with rear access door, compare large mailboxes or dedicated parcel mailboxes to size up.

Materials Built to Last Outdoors

Material choice comes down to climate and purpose. Powder-coated galvanized steel (Mail Boss, Architectural Mailboxes) is the workhorse for security-focused buyers, and a steel mailbox with rear access door gives you the toughest everyday option. Stainless steel (Bobi) and marine-grade powder coat hold up best on coastal and high-humidity properties. Cast aluminum (Special Lite, AMCO Victorian) fits decorative installs where weight isn’t a concern.

USPS Approval and Installation Tips

Most residential rear access mailboxes in our assortment are USPS approved, including Bobi, Mail Boss, and Architectural Mailboxes models (some Bobi Jumbo sizes excluded). For any new installation, confirm placement with your local postmaster under USPS Domestic Mail Manual 508, especially for column-mount or fence-mount setups, and review the USPS mailbox standards on height and setback. One practical check before you buy: make sure the rear door has clear, unobstructed room to open fully.