# Lockboxes

In addition to creating [Check Deposits](/documentation/check-deposits) directly via the API, lockboxes are a convenient way to deposit checks received in the mail into your Accounts.

A [Lockbox Address](/documentation/api/lockbox-addresses) is a physical mailing address that receives mail. Checks received at a Lockbox Address can be deposited into any of your Accounts.

To automate routing mailed checks to an Account, you can create [Lockbox Recipients](/documentation/api/lockbox-recipients) at a Lockbox Address. Each Lockbox Recipient is identified by a unique `mail_stop_code` that senders include in the mailing address. Checks addressed to a Lockbox Recipient are automatically deposited into its Account. A single Lockbox Address can have many Lockbox Recipients.

## Getting started

1. Create a [Lockbox Address](/documentation/api/lockbox-addresses#create-a-lockbox-address). It is created in a `pending` status and transitions to `active` once it is ready to receive mail.
2. Optionally, create [Lockbox Recipients](/documentation/api/lockbox-recipients#create-a-lockbox-recipient) for the Lockbox Address to route checks to specific Accounts.

## Processing mail

When mail arrives at a Lockbox Address, an [Inbound Mail Item](/documentation/api/inbound-mail-items) is created and an `inbound_mail_item.created` webhook is sent.

The Inbound Mail Item's status depends on what happens next:

- If the mail contains no checks, or if the Lockbox Address, Recipient, or Recipient's Account is not active, the Inbound Mail Item will be `rejected` and contain a `rejection_reason`.
- If the mail is routed to a Lockbox Recipient, each check is deposited into the Lockbox Recipient's Account and the Inbound Mail Item will be `processed`.
- If the mail is not routed to a Lockbox Recipient, the Inbound Mail Item will be `pending`. You can then [action the mail item](/documentation/api/inbound-mail-items#action-an-inbound-mail-item) to specify which Account each check should be deposited into.