What to do if your USPS package is lost.
In just one hour, the US Postal Service processes an average of20.2 million mailpieces. In a year, that adds up to more than 146 billion mail items sent through the USPS. While most of that mail will arrive safely to its intended destination, some packages will unfortunately get lost in transit.
Typical Causes of Lost USPS Packages
The most common reason packages get lost by the USPS is because the address label falls off or the shipping label becomes smeared or illegible. The U.S. Postal Service and other national carriers suggest you include an extra address label with the delivery and return address inside the package in the event this problem occurs. This way, the Post Office staff can open the package and recreate a shipping label without having to send the package back to the sender.
When is a package officially lost with USPS?
A piece of mail must be considered lost by the USPS before you can submit a search request to find it, and there are specific time requirements for different kinds of lost mail. For most mail classes, the package must be lost for at least 7 days from the date of mailingbefore you can initiate a request to have the USPS search for the missing mailpiece.
When is a USPS Package Considered Lost?
Mail Class
Delivery Standard
Guaranteed Delivery
Submit a Missing Mail Search Request
Mail Class:
When is a USPS Package Considered Lost?:
First Class Mail
Delivery Standard:
Mail Class:
1, 2, or 3 days
Guaranteed Delivery:
:
No
Submit a Missing Mail Search Request:
:
7 or more days from the date of mailing
Mail Class:
When is a USPS Package Considered Lost?:
First Class Package Service
Delivery Standard:
Mail Class:
1, 2, or 3 days
Guaranteed Delivery:
:
No
Submit a Missing Mail Search Request:
:
7 or more days from the date of mailing
Mail Class:
When is a USPS Package Considered Lost?:
Priority Mail
Delivery Standard:
Mail Class:
1, 2, or 3 days
Guaranteed Delivery:
:
No
Submit a Missing Mail Search Request:
:
7 or more days from the date of mailing
Mail Class:
When is a USPS Package Considered Lost?:
Priority Mail Express
Delivery Standard:
Mail Class:
1 or 2 days
Guaranteed Delivery:
:
Yes
Submit a Missing Mail Search Request:
:
When Guaranteed Delivery Date/Time is Missed
Mail Class:
When is a USPS Package Considered Lost?:
USPS Retail Ground
Delivery Standard:
Mail Class:
2 to 8 days
Guaranteed Delivery:
:
No
Submit a Missing Mail Search Request:
:
14 or more days from the date of mailing
Mail Class:
When is a USPS Package Considered Lost?:
Parcel Select Ground
Delivery Standard:
Mail Class:
2 to 8 days
Guaranteed Delivery:
:
No
Submit a Missing Mail Search Request:
:
14 or more days from the date of mailing
Mail Class:
When is a USPS Package Considered Lost?:
Media Mail
Delivery Standard:
Mail Class:
2 to 8 days
Guaranteed Delivery:
:
No
Submit a Missing Mail Search Request:
:
14 or more days from the date of mailing
How to submit a Missing Mail Search Request
What if the worst does happen and your package doesn’t arrive as planned? For most classes of mail, you’ll be able to request a search from USPS after 7 days from the date of mailing. The request is called aMissing Mail Search Request.
To submit a Missing Mail Search Request, you’ll need the following:
- The Sender’s mailing address
- The Recipient’s mailing address
- Identifying info, such as your USPS Tracking number(s), mailing receipt, or label print date from your online postage provider
- The documented mailing date (typically the first scan on your tracking number)
- Description of the package contents, including receipts and pictures (if you have them)
- Description of the envelope or packaging of the item (in case it was damaged in transit)
Once you have the necessary details, you cansubmit your Missing Mail Search Request online at USPS.com. Note: You’ll be required to set up an online account with the USPS to file the claim.
How a Missing Mail Search Request works
After the USPS receives your submission, they’ll send an email confirming they have received your Missing Mail Search Request.
To process the request, the USPS will use your tracking number and check all of the times your package was scanned in transit to pinpoint where it dropped off the radar. Once the USPS can gather more info on your package, you’ll receive updates on your package via email.
USPS will then do their best to package the item and send it to the address you provided on your Missing Mail Search Request.
What happens if my lost package is not found?
After you submit your request online, the USPS will begin searching for your lost mailpiece. The USPS will continue looking for your Missing Mail Search Request through their system until the search expires, typically 3 months after the request was submitted. If they’re unable to locate your item, they’ll send you an email notification to let you know the search has ended unsuccessfully.
USPS Mail Recovery Center
The Postal Service has its own “lost and found” department in Atlanta called the Mail Recovery Center (MRC), which some may recognize by its older name, the “Dead Letter Office.” The staff at the Mail Recovery Center is dedicated to reuniting lost letters and packages with their recipient or sender.
As you can imagine, that involves some serious detective work to get the job done. The USPS processing centers send all their undeliverable mail to the Mail Recovery Center. They scan and open the packages to look for identifying info that may help get the package to its rightful owner if the item has a value of $25 or more. Packages under $25 in value are disposed of and/or recycled. If there’s no way to identify the package’s intended delivery address or sender, then the USPS discards, donates, recycles, or auctions the item off.
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