Ever find yourself waiting for a package, wondering where it could be? The daily flow of the United States Postal Service (USPS) mail is enormous, but despite 371 million USPS packages moving every day, USPS knows exactly where each of them are. You can use the USPS tracking and informed delivery services to see what's being delivered and when it'll arrive.
By understanding these tools, you'll never be left wondering where your package is. Interested in learning more about USPS mail tracking? Read on to understand how this cornerstone of American logistics operates.
How can I track my USPS Mail?
USPS mail delivery status updates are available to keep you informed. This postal tracking guide will tell you exactly how the USPS Mail tracking solutions work.
What Can be Tracked?
Packages generally include tracking by default. This includes packages sent via extra services like:
- Priority Mail
- Priority Mail Express
- Ground Advantage
- Retail Ground
- Media Mail
When you send letters or flat packages through services like Certified Mail or Registered Mail, you'll receive USPS tracking. You can also add on Restricted Delivery signature confirmation.
If you're sending standard First-Class letters, these packages generally don't have a tracking option.
For international packages, those traveling to a location outside the US generally include tracking, but basic international letters will not. Be aware that international packages sometimes have a separate international tracking number, which is different from the domestic number.
Tracking Numbers
To find your USPS mail tracking number, you could look at one of the following:
- The shipping label receipts
- Your email confirmation
- Your marketplace order page
- The label itself on the package
- The tear-off portion of Certified or Registered Mail forms
If you have a tracking number, you can go to USPS.com and enter the number into the tracking box. If you set up an account, you'll be able to receive emails or text messages to provide updates on your incoming mail.
For easy tracking with no receipts to keep track of, use Send Certified Mail to send your First-Class, Certified Mail, Priority Mail, and Express Mail. Easily upload your letter, select your mailing options, and we will handle the rest. Just log in to your online archive to view a copy of your sent letter, tracking reports, and mailing information. All stored in one secure location, accessible from anywhere, for 10 years.
How to Read USPS Statuses
When you check the statuses assigned to your letter or package, you might notice something that you don't fully understand. Below is a list of the statuses that you may see on a tracking report:
Pre-shipment or label created
This is one of the earliest stages of the process. It means that a label for the item exists, but the item itself may not have been handed to USPS yet.
Accepted
The accepted label means that a physical scan at a local Post Office or other USPS facility has taken place. It means your package has been officially accepted into the USPS logistics system.
In Transit, Departed, or Arrived at the Facility
Either of these three labels means that the package is moving between USPS processing centers and offices. At this stage in the process, it is normal for the package to stop at multiple locations along the way if it has a long distance to travel.
Delivered
When the status on USPS changes to delivered, you will hopefully have your package in your possession. Or, if you are picking up the package from a third location, such as a parcel locker, you will have a locker number available. Usually, the delivered notification is the last one you will see.
Alert or exception
In some unfortunate circumstances, you might get an alert or exception in the status box, which means that something has gone wrong with the delivery. If there has been a severe weather warning, this could have prevented deliveries.
There may have been a mistake with your address, or the package may have been held at the Post Office for one of many potential reasons. If you see this in your status, you will need to contact USPS as soon as possible.
Additional Services
In some cases, you might add an additional service and this will potentially change what you see on the status page. For example, if you purchase the Electronic Delivery Signature confirmation, you will be able to see in the tracking updates when a signature has been successfully obtained. If you pick the Certified Mail option, you'll get a mailing receipt and a record of the attempted delivery.
And for Registered Mail, you will get the maximum possible detail about the status of your package.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a way to track when the mail comes?
Yes, there is. If you use Informed Delivery, you can get daily previews on a package dashboard, which shows images of any letter-sized mail that you have coming and a full list of packages that are expected to arrive soon. When it says out for delivery, it means it will probably arrive that day, but it doesn't guarantee it.
How to identify a fake USPS tracking number?
According to the Universal Postal Union (UPU), real domestic numbers are usually long string numbers, and international tracking numbers follow a 2-letter, 9-digit, 2-letter pattern. If you enter any number that you're suspicious about in the official tracker, you'll see if it returns any status.
If there is a status, that means USPS has this package in their system, confirming its legitimacy. But if it doesn't return anything, it suggests the code could be fake.
The Federal Trade Commission states that scammers frequently send phony shipping texts that mimic the USPS. You should check tracking directly on the official website or Send Certified Mail rather than clicking links.
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