Hamilton Post Office

About the Hamilton Post Office

The post office at 380 Hamilton Avenue is the one most people mean when they talk about the downtown Palo Alto post office. USPS lists it under the name Hamilton, with the ZIP code 94301 and the phone number 650-321-1423, the same number the other Palo Alto offices show. OpenStreetMap simply calls it the Palo Alto Post Office, a reminder of the years when this was the city's main office.

It is still the most complete counter in town for everyday mail. Money orders, held mail, PO boxes and the kiosk are all here. The counter also opens half an hour earlier than the other two Palo Alto offices on weekdays. It has the longest retail hours of the three Palo Alto post offices and is the only one with a Saturday counter. USPS lists street parking, which downtown means metered or time-limited spaces and nearby city garages.

A Birge Clark landmark

The building is a piece of local history as well as a working post office. According to Wikipedia, it was built in 1932 and 1933 to a design by Palo Alto architect Birge Clark. During the Depression, the Post Office Department hired local architects for some new buildings rather than drawing them in Washington, which is how a Palo Alto designer got the job.

Clark chose the Mediterranean Revival style he used across the city. Look for the tile hip roof in mixed shades of red, the open arcade with round arches along the front and the arched entries at each end. The entries keep their bronze frames and decorative bronze transoms, though the original bronze doors were replaced. The building joined the National Register of Historic Places on April 5, 1981. Our page on Birge Clark covers more of his downtown work. Our list of historic landmarks includes other listed buildings nearby.

Hours

USPS lists these hours for the Hamilton office:

Everything is closed on Sunday. USPS lists PO box mail as delivered by 11 a.m. Monday through Saturday. Check the USPS location page before a holiday.

Services

USPS lists the same core services here as at the Cambridge branch:

• A self-service kiosk, Priority Mail International and the Retail Label Broker for labels created online
• PO boxes, with online rental and renewal
• Domestic money orders and money order inquiries
• Pickup of held mail, accountable mail and items with a notice left, including on Saturday
• Burial flags for the funerals of eligible veterans
• Gift cards and greeting cards
• In-Person Proofing, by appointment or invitation

USPS lists no passport services here. For a passport, book the main post office on East Bayshore Road.

Tips for a quicker visit

• Saturday is the busiest time for many downtown errands. Come early if you need the counter.
• The kiosk is listed as running all day Monday through Saturday, so late postage is possible after the counter closes.
• Collect held mail on Saturday morning if weekdays are hard. Bring photo ID and the notice.
• Pair the trip with errands nearby. Chase on Hamilton Avenue is on the same street.

Other post offices nearby

The Cambridge branch near California Avenue is the closest alternative in south Palo Alto, with weekday counter hours only. The main post office on East Bayshore Road handles passports and keeps its kiosk open into the evening. The Stanford post office in White Plaza is scheduled to close on October 31, 2026, so campus users may shift here. Our downtown guide covers parking and the blocks around the office.

Location and getting there

Hamilton Post Office is at 380 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301, in the Downtown area of Palo Alto. Our Downtown guide covers what else is around.

The nearest train stop is the Palo Alto Caltrain station, about 0.4 miles away. That is roughly a 9 minute walk.

Parking: street spaces and city garages with posted limits (see parking in Palo Alto).

Hours

Hours from the business's own website, checked October 30, 2026.

What is nearby

• Tai Pan, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
• Curry Up Now, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
• Bella Beauty Salon, salon or spa, under 0.1 mi
• Zola + BarZola, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
• Ramen Nagi, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
• King Plaza and City Hall, 0.1 mi
• Downtown Library, 0.1 mi
• Pacific Art League, 0.1 mi

Other everyday services nearby: Chase Hamilton Avenue (under 0.1 mi); The UPS Store Bryant Street (under 0.1 mi); U.S. Bank University Avenue (0.1 mi); Wells Fargo University Avenue (0.1 mi). Browse the full everyday services list.

Before you go

• Call ahead to confirm hours and whether you need an appointment.
• Ask for a written estimate before any repair work starts.
• Bring an ID and any paperwork you may need, such as a receipt or account number.

About this listing

Checked October 30, 2026 against USPS location page: Hamilton Post Office; Wikipedia: United States Post Office (Palo Alto, California). How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Frequently asked questions