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# How to avoid rates for PO BOX addresses?

If you're planning not to allow shipping to **PO Box** addresses, you could use our [area rules](https://support.postcodeshipping.com/en/article/area-rules-16yqywo/) to avoid this from happening.

Essentially, what you need to do is add `address_1:[po box]` and `address_2:[po box]` in the exclusion rule of your region where you want to apply this exclusion, so your customers aren't given any rates at check-out if a **PO Box** is used in the shipping address. 

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/7ca8b3cc1d2b7c00/image_c5m7ue.png)

For you to apply it on your set up, follow these steps:

1. From the Postcode Shipping dashboard, go to Shipping zones
2. Select a Region, and enable the Add Exclusion rules
3. Paste `address_1:[po box]` and `address_2:[po box]` on the mentioned field and click on **Save**.

This needs to be added to each of the Region where you want to apply the exclusion of PO Box. 

|| **NOTE: **If you have a catch all regions set up, to add these exclusions you may want to:
||  🡺 Create a new region; its name should reference the PO Box exclusion, so you know.
||  🡺 On the **Match rules** field, add:
||    `address_1:[po box]`
||    `address_2:[po box]`
|| 🡺 Then save it without adding any rates to it. This will limit your customers to checkout using the PO Box when you have a catch all region set up.

![](https://storage.crisp.chat/users/helpdesk/website/7ca8b3cc1d2b7c00/image_9zb6cs.png)