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Help Center - Why do APO/FPO/DPO requests have to have Requestor Conditions?

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Sending to  APO/FPO/DPO addresses requires a customs form and a trip to the PO (there can be other restrictions as well).  Senders may not wish to make the extra effort.  Because of this, requests that are to be sent to an APO/FPO/DPO address must have Requestor Conditions attached (the system attaches these automatically).

Requestor Conditions allow sending members to decline a request without penalty.

  • A sending member can click 
    • and that book will go back to the sending member's bookshelf in the same FIFO position as before
    • it will be the next copy of that ISBN to receive a request from the system
    • If the request is a Wish List offer, the sender can decline this way and the book will be offered to the next Wishing member, if there is one


We believe that most PBS members will want to support those who are serving our country abroad. However, that support may not include a willingness to complete customs forms and make trips to the Post office, if those are necessary.  This is a personal choice. We will not force any member to make the extra effort required to support our  APO/FPO/DPO members, and we will not penalize any member for declining to do so.

  • Customs forms for overseas addresses are brief and easy to fill out; they can be obtained from the PO
  • Packages being mailed to an APO/FPO/DPO address do need to be handed to a postal employee at the PO, for National Security reasons.

Our  APO/FPO/DPO members need not be overly concerned that their requests will be declined.

  • Most titles have multiple copies Posted in the PBS library, and the PBS system will pass your request automatically to another sender if it is declined.

  • Like any other member, you can request your book and relax, knowing that PBS will find a copy for you!

The Requestor Conditions that are applied to APO/FPO/DPO requests are shown below:

"This request was submitted to be sent to a US government/military address outside the USA. Postage will cost the same as within the USA. Packages sent to these addresses sometimes take longer than usual in transit, but if you use PBS Printed Postage, you will receive credit for sending the book before the book reaches its destination.

To send the book(s), you will need to fill out and attach a 2976-R customs form ("the white form") to the package. You can get the form at your post office.  You will also need to hand your package to a postal employee at the PO to mail it, for National Security reasons.

I hope you are willing to send your book to this address. However, if you do not wish to complete the short customs form and mail your book from the post office, please click "My book does not meet these conditions." This will cancel the request, and your book will stay at the front of the FIFO line."

A supply of the customs forms can also be delivered to your home, if you order them from your PO.


Related Links:

How to Use Requestor Conditions