Can I pick up a package before delivery from USPS (2023 update) (2023)

Do you have a package that you urgently need and want to know if you can simply pick it up yourself?

Whether you won't be home or you just want your package as soon as possible, it can be worth going to the post office to pick it up yourself.

But does USPS allow this, and if so, what is required to collect it yourself?

In this article we cover everything you need to know!

Can you pick up a package from USPS before delivery?

Yes! USPS allows you to pick up packages that have yet to be delivered, as long as they've reached the local post office where you want to pick it up.

However, certain options may incur an additional fee and cannot always be guaranteed to work.

So let's look at each option in detail so you can determine which one is right for you!

1. Package Storage

The easiest way to ensure that you can collect your package from the post office is to specifically request that it be held there.

This is known as a "Package Hold" or "USPS Hold Request" and is quite easy to do.

Note that a USPS Hold Mail request is on holdatPost at your local post office where package storage will only hold that single package.

Once a package hold or hold request is made, USPS will hold it for up to 30 days. If held mail is not collected, it will be returned to the original sender.

So how do you request package storage? There are a few options.

Fill out the form online

The easiest way to request storage of a specific package at your post office,is to fill out this form on the USPS website.

When you fill out the form, USPS will ask you for some details about the package and your pickup schedule, such as: B. which post office you want to collect it from.

During this time it is helpful to have information about the package at hand, e.g. B. The tracking number and the original address it was sent to.

You can also use this form to B. Request a signature confirmation for the package.

Mark "Hold for Collection" on the shipping label

If you're the one shipping the package instead of receiving it, you can also write "Hold for pickup" on the shipping label to have USPS hold it automatically.

To save time, you can even buy pickup labels online!

Note, however, that these labels must be attachedBeforeThe package is originally delivered to the sender's post office. Once it's on its way, you'll need to use one of the other options.

Call your local post office/USPS to request it

Finally, you can always call your local post office — or USPS itself to request that the package be held.

They can help you walk through the whole process.

This may take a little longer than simply filling out the online form, but it's a way of making sure everything is done properly.

To learn how to speak to a real person at USPS, click here!

2. Packet Interception

The next available option is called Packet Interception.

Parcel interception is available for most domestic parcels and can allow you to reroute the parcel to a completely different address - or even a different city!

This makes it a great option when, for example, you are traveling and need to send the package somewhere else after it has already been sent. However, it can also be used to pick up the parcel yourself at a nearby post office.

Note, however, that intercepting a package is quite expensive — $15.95 at the time of writing, so it should only be done if you really need the package (or it was sent to the wrong address).

Intercepted packages can be picked up at either your local post office, the new address you are requesting to be redirected to, or even a USPS distribution center. So if you absolutely need the package as soon as possible, this might be the ideal way to do it.

To begin intercepting packages, fill out the USPS form onlineby clicking here.

Note that you will need your tracking number for the existing package, which will be used to determine if the package can be intercepted or not.

Then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process. If your package was successfully intercepted, USPS will notify you. Unfortunately, because the United States postal system is so complex (and so much of it is automated), it is not always possible to intercept a package.

To learn more about how USPS actually works, watch the video below. It's actually quite interesting!

3. Show up early at the post office

Finally, your last resort is to just show up at the post office early and hope it's still there.

This method is unreliable, but we've heard reports of it working for other people.

We recommend arriving as soon as possible after the post office opens. This is because you must pick up your package after the post office opens but before it's loaded onto one of the USPS mail trucks.

Once the package has been loaded for delivery there is usually nothing more that can be done - they will try to deliver it to your address even if you tell the postman you will not take it.

In this case, USPS will attempt to redeliver according to its policies. However, you may be able to ask for it to be picked up the next day.

Can You Pick Up Packages That Were Missed On The Same Day

We've now covered various ways you can collect a package before attempting to deliver it.

But what if USPS had already tried to deliver the package to your door and you weren't there to sign for it? (Or USPS gave you an error such asNo access to delivery location,Addressee unknown, orPackage available for pickup.)

Can you go to the post office and pick it up the same day?

Unfortunately, unless you're exceptionally lucky, the answer is no.

You would need to arrive at the post office after the post van has already returned with your package but before your local post office closes.

Once your post office is closed, the mail is locked away and nobody can access it. The only exception is when it has been delivereda mailboxinside the post.

Note that depending on the message showing tracking, USPS often attempts to redeliver next day. Alternatively, you can collect the package yourself from the post office by following any of the methods above.

Diploma

Luckily, picking up a package before delivery is fairly easy, and USPS gives you many options when it comes to package storage.

That being said, some of them cost money while others are not guaranteed to work. By fully understanding how each option works, you can give yourself the best chance of acquiring it at the lowest possible price.

I hope you found this article helpful. If you have additional questions about USPS, please submit them using the comments form below.

Wish you the best,

– James McAllister