Can I Pickup Package From USPS Before Delivery? What You Need to Do

I want to Pickup Package From USPS Before Delivery. This is one of the most often asked questions by customers.

Many people don’t know whether or not they can Pickup Package From USPS Before Delivery. The answer is yes, you can pick up your packages from USPS before the delivery but you will need a valid reason to do it. 

You can pick up your package before delivery but for different areas, locations, and post offices the condition may vary. But always check whether your package is in transit to the destination phase or not.

Can You Pickup Package From USPS Before Delivery?

Simply put the answer is Yes, you can Pickup Package From USPS Before Delivery. You just need to keep a few things in your mind before picking up a package early from USPS. You need to inform the USPS before you go for a pickup. You need prior notice from USPS before picking up the packages.

You need to give valid reasons for picking up the package early. Different programs and services of the U.S. Postal Service let you pick up your package before final delivery.

How do I know if my package is at the Post Office?

To know whether your package is at the Post Office or not, you need to navigate to www.stamps.com/shipstatus/. Enter your USPS tracking number to find your package easily in the search bar, avoiding including any dashes or spaces. Click on check status and you can easily see the status of your package.

This process will easily let you know whether your package is at the Post Office or not. You will receive the mail that says Arrival at Unit. It means that your package has arrived at the local Post Office and it is scheduled for delivery.

If your package arrives at the Post Office before 9:30 am then it will be delivered to you the same day or if the package arrives at the Post Office after 9:30 am then it will be delivered to you on the next business day.

Why is my USPS package available for pickup?

The “available for pickup” option means that your package has been sent to the local post office, but the post office won’t be delivering it to you; you have to pick it up yourself. This usually happens for two reasons:

• The delivery failed
• They did not attempt delivery

Failed delivery:

This can be for multiple reasons, like incorrect address provided, no one available to receive the package, or the non-availability of a safe spot to keep the package. If the driver’s access to your home was blocked or you paid the wrong shipping amount, the “available for pickup”option opens up. 

Since there are multiple reasons for this occurrence, when this happens, USPS provides a slip with the exact cause and the name of the post office in which the parcel will be available. 

Non-attempt to deliver:

There might be times when you have perhaps waited at your place for the whole day for the package, but no one came. Instead, the status of your package has changed to “available for pickup”! This means that USPS will not be delivering your package and expects you to pick it up. 

This unfortunate incident usually happens if the delivery person missed picking up your package in the morning. Since they have tons of mail to gather and transport each day, such an incident might happen. In such cases, you won’t receive a delivery slip or anything because the driver did not attempt delivery. 

However, you can launch a complaint with USPS, and they will run it for another delivery run, but it might take weeks to reach you, and in the worst-case scenario, your mail might get misplaced. Thus it’s advisable to go and pick yourself up.

Some of the methods are given below using which you can easily pick up your parcel before final delivery:

#1: HOLD FOR PICKUP:

This amenity is a quickened mail service that assures delivery to one of the selected Hold For Pickup locations. If you pick this service, then USPS will inform you on your registered phone, email, or via SMS.

If you pick up your freight in a short period of a day or two, then it’s okay, but if you do not, then it will again notify you after five days via a second automated email or SMS as a reminder. For a Priority Mail Express item, they will notify you after three days.

Hold For Pickup service is available with the items listed below:

• Priority mail express items at the retail post office location
• Priority mail and Priority mail express items when postage is paid through USPS click-N-ship
• Commercial mailings of Priority mail, Priority mail express, first class package service commercial, parcel select lightweight, parcel select ground and bound printed matter parcels when postage is paid by:
• Click-N-Ship
• The registered end user of USPS-approved PC postage products
• Permit imprint
• USPS-approved information-based indicia (IBI) postage meters
• A mailer’s centralized account processing system (CAPS) account when used with a parcel intercept request
• As Hold for Pickup, Intercept service permit you to stop the shipment at the local post office. In short, you can use it to hold the package at the post and pick up the box from there.

#2: USPS PACKAGE INTERCEPT:

The U.S. Postal Service parcel Intercept program is also useful to easily redirect a domestic shipment that has not been delivered for the final delivery or has already been delivered. Using this service, one can direct the package to a different location like a new domestic address, or Hold that for pickup describe in the above point.

It is available for letters, parcels, and flats, with a tracking barcode or extra service. For that, you have to verify whether your item is eligible for this program/service or not. To check it go to the link given below and enter your tracking number on the left side of the page:

https://retail-pi.usps.com/retailpi/actions/index.action

If the freight is acceptable for the Intercept, then submit the request online. To do so, log in to your USPS account and send your request. Once you do it, you will get an estimated total amount (intercept fees+postage charges). Next, they will redirect or intercept that shipment.

CONSTRAINTS:

The USPS Package Intercept program has some limitations, as given below:

• A customer doesn’t have to pay extra charges for the package if it wasn’t intercepted and in case of the parcel is intercepted, then the charges are applied to each request.
• Fees for intercepted are non-refundable.
• It is available for all domestic mail services, except Periodicals and USPS Marketing Mail.
• The size of a parcel does not exceed 108 inches in length and girth combined.
• It is also not feasible for the items redirected to a Commercial Mailing Receiving Agency or a PO Box or addressed.
• To know more about other restrictions, go to the official site.

#3: PLACE YOUR MAILED THING ON HOLD:

It is different from Hold for Pickup even though both work differently. If you wish that your parcel does not come to your home and you will pick it up from the post office each time, then you have to submit the request for it so that they will always hold your mail for pickup. For a one time, you can hold your parcel for a minimum of 3 days online, and request the form over the phone or post office. For the online option go to the link given below:

Even you can continue the regular mail delivery after you pick up all your accumulated mail & packages.

FEW MORE METHODS:

1. Put a signboard with the message “Do not leave packages at the door.” so a delivery person will not leave your package at your doorstep if no one is present at home or the office. They will take it back to the office so you can visit it and pick it up – you will need to take proof of ID with you.
2. While receiving the parcel signature confirmation is required, and if you are not at home, then they will hold the package at a local office, and you can visit it and pick up it before delivery.
3. If your package is out for delivery and you know the transmitter, then find him/her on the route. They will help you if they are nice.
4. It is also possible with the help of the postmaster’s permission only if there is an emergency.
5. If the post office is small or they do not have much work, then you can go to the place and ask the carrier to find out your parcel. He/she will hand it over to you.

Is USPS holding for pickup free?

The USPS Hold Mail service holds all of the mail, including packages and letters. This service is available for all people at their specified eligible address. The service is free, which is the best part. However, one address can have only one USPS Hold Mail in effect at a time. 

If my package is at the post office, can I pick it up? 

Yes, you can. However, you must provide an acceptable form of identification if you pick up your mail. 

Conclusion on Can You Pickup Package from USPS Before Delivery

Sometimes waiting for your package is not easy. Therefore you can easily pick up your package from your local Post Office. You just need to follow a few steps and you can get your package from the Post Office. Hold for pickup is also free of cost at USPS. Therefore you won’t have any difficulty while picking up your package from the Post Office.

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