Title and introductory text
Post Office Act 1953 (repealed) 1953 c.36
Propose a changeLaw
Post Office Act 1953 (repealed)
United Kingdom · statute
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In force since 2001-03-26, as the publisher states.
Copy read on 2026-11-08. The page it was read from
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.
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Contents: 86 provisions
- Title and introductory text
- 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 8 Conditions of transit of postal packets.
- 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 10 Cash on delivery service.
- 11 Prohibition on sending by post of certain articles.
- 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 16 Application of customs Acts to postal packets.
- 17 Power to detain postal packets containing contraband.
- 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 19 Post Office mark evidence of amount of postage, etc.
- 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 21 Special provisions as to postal orders.
- 22 Issuing money orders with fraudulent intent.
- 23 Forgery and stealing of money orders.
- 24 Arrangements with other countries as to money orders.
- 25 Outward bound ships.
- 26 Inward bound ships and aircraft.
- 27 Owners’ letters.
- 28 Retention of postal packets after delivery of part thereof to Post Office.
- 29 Carriage of parcels by coasting ships.
- 30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 32 Penalty for opening of mail bag by master or commander of ship or aircraft.
- 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 41 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 44 †Power to require services by tramways and certain public service vehicles.
- 45 Additional provisions as to conveyance of mail bags by tramways and public service vehicles.
- 46 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 50 Indemnity on account of extending Post Office accommodation.
- 51 Power of local authority to contribute towards new post office or extra postal facilities.
- 52 Stealing mail bag or postal packet.
- 53 Unlawfully taking away or opening mail bag.
- 54 Receiver of stolen mail bag or postal packet.
- 55 Fraudulent retention of mail bag or postal packet.
- 56 Criminal diversion of letters from addressee.
- 57 Stealing, embezzlement, destruction etc. by officer of Post Office of postal packet.
- 58 Opening or delaying of postal packets by officers of the Post Office.
- 59 Carelessness, negligence or misconduct of persons employed in carrying or delivering mail bags, postal packets, etc.
- 60 Prohibition of placing injurious substances in or against post office letter boxes or telephone kiosks.
- 61 Prohibition of affixing placards, notices, etc. on post office letter boxes, etc.
- 62 Prohibition of imitation of post office stamps, envelopes, forms and marks.
- 63 Prohibition of fictitious stamps.
- 64 Prohibition of false notice as to reception of letters, etc.
- 65 Obstruction and molestation of officers of the Post Office.
- 65A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 66 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 67 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 68 Endeavouring to procure the commission of any felony or misdemeanour.
- 69 Summary proceedings.
- 70 Prosecution of certain offences in any jurisdiction of British postal area.
- 71 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 72 Evidence of thing being postal packet, and of consent of Postmaster-General to prosecution.
- 73 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 74 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 75 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 76 Recovery of sums from officers of Post Office.
- 77 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 78 Provision as to post office letter boxes.
- 79 Surrender of clothing by officer of Post Office on ceasing to be officer.
- 80 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 81 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 82 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 84 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 86 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 87 Interpretation.
- 88 Application to Northern Ireland—general.
- 89 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
- 90 Application to Isle of Man—general.
- 91 Repeals and savings.
- 92 Short title.
- FIRST SCHEDULE
- SECOND SCHEDULE Section sixty-five of the Post Office Act 1908, as originally enacted.
- THIRD SCHEDULE
Proposed changes to this act
No one has proposed a change to this act yet.
86 provisions
1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change8 Conditions of transit of postal packets.
(1), (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3) If any postal packet is posted or sent by post in contravention of this Act or of any . . . regulation made thereunder, the transmission thereof may be refused and the packet may, if necessary, be detained and opened in the post office and may be returned to the sender thereof or forwarded to its destination, subject in either case to any . . . regulations as to additional postage or other charges, or may be destroyed or otherwise disposed of as the Post Office may direct. (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change10 Cash on delivery service.
(1), (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3) Where a cash on delivery packet is delivered in the British postal area . . . without the sums payable in respect thereof having been paid, the Post Office may by notice in writing require the addressee within the time specified in the notice either to pay the said sums or to redeliver the packet intact to the Post Office, and if the addressee fails to comply with the notice the Post Office shall be entitled to recover the said sums . . . from the addressee. (4), (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change11 Prohibition on sending by post of certain articles.
(1) A person shall not send or attempt to send or procure to be sent a postal packet which— (a) save as the Post Office may either generally or in any particular case allow, encloses any explosive, dangerous, noxious or deleterious substance, any filth, any sharp instrument not properly protected, any noxious living creature, or any creature, article or thing whatsoever which is likely to injure either other postal packets in course of conveyance or a person engaged in the business of the Post Office; or (b) encloses any indecent or obscene print, painting, photograph, lithograph, engraving, cinematograph film, book, card or written communication, or any indecent or obscene article whether similar to the above or not; or (c) has on the packet, or on the cover thereof, any words, marks or designs which are grossly offensive or of an indecent or obscene character. (2) If any person acts in contravention of the foregoing subsection, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £100 or on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months. (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (4) The detention by the Post Office of any postal packet on the grounds of a contravention of this section or of any regulations having effect by virtue thereof shall not exempt the sender thereof from any proceedings which might have been taken if the packet had been delivered in due course of post.
Propose a change12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change16 Application of customs Acts to postal packets.
(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, the enactments for the time being in force relating to customs or excise shall apply in relation to goods contained in postal packets to which this section applies brought into or sent out of the United Kingdom by post from or to any place outside the United Kingdom as they apply in relation to goods otherwise imported, exported or removed into or out of the United Kingdom from or to any such place. (2) The Treasury, on the recommendation of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise and the Secretary of State, may by statutory instrument make regulations— (a) for specifying the postal packets to which this section applies; (b) for making modifications or exceptions in the application of the said enactments to such packets; (c) for enabling persons engaged in the business of the Post Office to perform for the purposes of the said enactments and otherwise all or any of the duties of the importer, exporter or person removing the goods; (d) for carrying into effect any arrangement with the government or postal administration of any other country with respect to foreign postal packets; (e) for securing the observance of the said enactments and, without prejudice to any liability of any person under those enactments, for punishing any contravention of the regulations; and different regulations may be made for foreign and inland postal packets respectively. (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change17 Power to detain postal packets containing contraband.
(1) Without prejudice to the last foregoing section, the Post Office may detain any postal packet suspected to contain any goods chargeable with any duty charged or imported goods (whether a customs or an excise duty) which has not been paid or secured or any goods in the course of importation, exportation or removal into or out of the United Kingdom, . . . contrary to any prohibition or restriction for the time being in force with respect thereto under or by virtue of any enactment and may forward the packet to the Commissioners of Customs and Excise. (2) Where any postal packet has been forwarded to the said Commissioners under this section they may— (a) in the presence of the person to whom the packet is addressed; or (b) if, after notice in writing from them requiring his attendance left at or forwarded by post to the address on the packet, the addressee fails to attend, or if the address on the packet is outside the British postal area, then in his absence, open and examine the packet. (3) Where the said Commissioners open and examine a postal packet under this section, then— (a) if they find any such goods as aforesaid they may detain the packet and its contents for the purpose of taking proceedings with respect thereto; (b) if they find no such goods, they shall either deliver the packet to the addressee upon his paying any postage and other sums chargeable thereon or, if he is absent, forward the packet to him by post.
Propose a change18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change19 Post Office mark evidence of amount of postage, etc.
(1) The official mark of any sum on any postal packet as due in respect of that packet, whether the mark is the mark of the Post Office or of any other postal administration and whether the sum is marked as being due to the Postmaster-General or otherwise, shall in every court in the British postal area be sufficient proof of the liability of the packet to the sum so marked unless the contrary is shown, . . . (2) In any proceedings for the recovery of postage or other sums due in respect of postal packets, the production of the packet in respect of which any such postage or sum is sought to be recovered having thereon a stamp or other endorsement of the Post Office or any other postal administration indicating that the packet has been refused or rejected or is unclaimed or cannot for any other reason be delivered, shall be sufficient proof of the fact indicated unless the contrary is shown. (3) In any such proceedings as aforesaid, a certificate of the Post Office that any mark, stamp or endorsement is such a mark, stamp or endorsement as is mentioned in the foregoing provisions of this section shall be sufficient proof thereof unless the contrary is shown. (4) In any such proceedings as aforesaid, the person from whom any postal packet in respect of which any postage or sum is sought to be recovered purports to have come shall, until the contrary is proved, be deemed to be the sender of the packet.
Propose a change20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change21 Special provisions as to postal orders.
(1), (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3) Any person acting as a banker in the British postal area who, in collecting in that capacity for any principal, has received payment or been allowed by the Postmaster-General or the authority established by section 6 of the Post Office Act 1969 in account in respect of any postal order, or of any document purporting to be a postal order, shall not incur liability to anyone except that principal by reason of having received the payment or allowance or having held or presented the order or document for payment; but this subsection shall not relieve any principal for whom any such order or document has been so held or presented of any liability in respect of his possession of the order or document or of the proceeds thereof. (4), (5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change22 Issuing money orders with fraudulent intent.
(1) If any person engaged in the business of the Post Office grants or issues any money order with a fraudulent intent, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanour and be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years. (2) If any person engaged in the business of the Post Office re-issues a money order previously paid, he shall be deemed to have issued the order with a fraudulent intent for the purposes of this section.
Propose a change23 Forgery and stealing of money orders.
(1) A money order shall be deemed to be an order for the payment of money and a valuable security within the meaning . . . of the Forgery Act 1913 . . . andof any otherenactment relating to forgery orstealing which is for the time being in force in any part of the British postal area. (2) If any person with intent to defraud obliterates, adds to or alters any such lines or words on a money order as would, in the case of a cheque, be a crossing of that cheque, or knowingly offers, utters or disposes of any money order with such fraudulent obliteration, addition or alteration, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanour and be liable to the like punishment as if the order were a cheque.
Propose a change24 Arrangements with other countries as to money orders.
Where an arrangement is made with a government or postal administration of any other country for the transmission of small sums through post offices under the charge of the Post Office and the postal administration of the other country by means of orders for the payment of money, the four last foregoing sections shall, so far as is consistent with the tenor thereof, . . . , apply in like manner as if an order issued in pursuance of the arrangement, whether by a person engaged in the business of the Post Office or by an officer of the other postal administration, were a money order . . . : . . .
Propose a change25 Outward bound ships.
(1) Every master of a ship outward bound shall receive on board his ship every mail bag tendered to him by a person engaged in the business of the Post Office for conveyance, and having received it shall deliver it, on arriving at the port or place of his destination, without delay. (2) If the master of any such ship fails to comply with this section he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.
Propose a change26 Inward bound ships and aircraft.
(1) The three next following subsections shall apply in relation to a ship or aircraft inward bound carrying any postal packets within the exclusive privilege of the Post Office, not being packets to which the next following section applies. (2) The master of the ship or commander of the aircraft shall collect all such postal packets on board his ship or aircraft and enclose them in some bag or other covering sealed with his seal and addressed to the Post Office and shall without delay deliver them to the proper person engaged in the business of the Post Office demanding them or, if no demand is made by that person, then at the post office with which he can first communicate. (3) If the master of the ship or the commander of the aircraft does not duly comply with the provisions of the last foregoing subsection he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale. (4) The master of the ship or commander of the aircraft shall not break bulk on board his ship or aircraft in any port or place before he has complied with the provisions of subsection (2) of this section and if he does so he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale. (5) An officer of customs and excise may refuse to permit bulk to be broken on board any inward bound ship or aircraft until he is satisfied that any postal packets brought in that ship or aircraft which are required to be delivered under subsection (2) of this section have been so delivered. (6) An officer of customs and excise may search any inward bound ship or aircraft for, and seize, any postal packets within the exclusive privilege of the Post Office and forward any such packets seized to the nearest post office; and subsection (3) of section eight of this Act shall apply in relation to any packet so forwarded.
Propose a change27 Owners’ letters.
(1) The two next following subsections shall apply to any letter addressed to the owner, charterer or consignee of a ship or aircraft inward bound or to the owner, consignee or shipper of any goods carried in such a ship or aircraft, being a letter which, not being excepted from the exclusive privilege of the Post Office, complies with the following conditions, that is to say— (a) that the addressee is described in the address or superscription on the letter as such owner, charterer, consignee or shipper; and (b) in the case of a letter addressed to an owner, consignee or shipper of goods, that it also appears by the ship’s manifest or by the manifest and declaration of the aircraft that the addressee has goods on board the ship or aircraft. (2) Any such letter required to be delivered to a person at the place of arrival of the ship or aircraft shall be delivered to that person by the master of the ship or the commander of the aircraft free of inland postage and that person shall be entitled to the delivery thereof before the delivery of any other postal packets to the Post Office. (3) Any such letter required to be delivered to a person at any other place in the British postal area shall be delivered by post on payment of inland postage only. (4) If any person with intent to evade any postage falsely superscribes any letter as being for the owner, charterer or consignee of the ship or aircraft conveying the letter or for the owner, consignee or shipper of goods carried in that ship or aircraft, he shall for each offence be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale.
Propose a change28 Retention of postal packets after delivery of part thereof to Post Office.
If any person, being the master or commander, one of the officers or crew, or a passenger, of a ship or aircraft inward bound, knowingly has in his baggage or in his possession or custody any postal packet, except a postal packet not within the exclusive privilege of the Post Office, after the master of the ship or commander of the aircraft has sent any part of the postal packets on board the ship or aircraft to the Post Office, he shall for every such packet be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale; and if he detains any such packet after demand made either by an officer of customs and excise or by any person authorised by the Post Office to demand the postal packets on board the ship or aircraft, he shall for every postal packet detained be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale.
Propose a change29 Carriage of parcels by coasting ships.
(1) . . . In the case of any mechanically-propelled ship which carries on regular communications between a port in the United Kingdom and any other port or place in the United Kingdom, or within the limited European trading area, not being a ship owned or worked by railway undertakers, the Post Office may require the person by whom that ship is owned or worked to carry parcels in that ship. In this subsection “the limited European trading area” means the same as in regulations under section 47 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 (2) The remuneration for any services rendered by a ship under this section shall be determined by agreement between the Post Office and the person owning or working the ship or, in default of agreement, by the Transport Tribunal; and any remuneration so determined shall be paid direct to that person.
Propose a change30 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change32 Penalty for opening of mail bag by master or commander of ship or aircraft.
(1) If the master of a ship or the commander of an aircraft— (a) opens a sealed mail bag with which he is entrusted for conveyance; or (b) takes out of a mail bag with which he is entrusted for conveyance any postal packet or other thing, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale. (2) If any person to whom postal packets have been entrusted by the master of a ship or the commander of an aircraft to deliver to the Post Office, breaks the seal, or in any manner wilfully opens them, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale.
Propose a change33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change35 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change36 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change39 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change41 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change42 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change43 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change44 †Power to require services by tramways and certain public service vehicles.
(1) Subject to the provisions of the next following section, the Post Office may by notice in writing require— (a) . . . (b) the British Railways Board and London Regional Transport in respect of any services of public service vehicles provided by them; (c) any local authority in Great Britain authorised to run public service vehicles under Part V of the Road Traffic Act 1930, in respect of services of such vehicles on any route authorised under the said Part V, to perform such reasonable services with regard to the conveyance of mail bags as the Post Office may from time to time direct. (2) The remuneration for any services performed in pursuance of this section shall be such as may be from time to time determined by agreement between the Post Office and the person performing the services or, in default of agreement, by the Transport Tribunal. (3)—(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Propose a change45 Additional provisions as to conveyance of mail bags by tramways and public service vehicles.
(1) Where any . . . , in Great Britain, any public service vehicle is conveying or intended to convey passengers only and not goods or parcels, nothing in the last foregoing section shall authorise the Post Office to require mail bags to be conveyed therein either— (a) unaccompanied by a person engaged in the business of the Post Office travelling as a passenger; or (b) in excess of the maximum weight for the time being fixed for the luggage of ordinary passengers. (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3) Where . . . , in Great Britain, any public service vehicle is conveying or intended to convey both parcels and passengers but not goods, nothing in the last foregoing section shall authorise the Post Office to require mail bags to be carried therein in excess of the maximum weight for the time being fixed for ordinary parcels, or for the luggage of ordinary passengers, whichever is the greater. (4) Mail bags carried . . . in Great Britain, in a public service vehicle shall be so carried as not to inconvenience the passengers, so, however, that the custody of the mail bags by any person engaged in the business of the Post Office accompanying them shall not be interfered with. (5) Nothing in this section shall be taken as prejudicing the operation of section two of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act (Northern Ireland) 1930 (which relates to the conveyance of mails by public service vehicles in Northern Ireland).
Propose a change