What Does Available For Pickup Mean Usps? + Other Faqs

The USPS tracking feature is easily one of the most convenient parts of shipping with USPS, and it comes with a range of notifications to help you understand where your package is.

What does “available for pick up” mean and how can you resolve it? Here is what I discovered!

What does USPS 2022’s Available for Pickup Look Like?

USPS notification “available for pick up” means your package was delivered to the local post office. However, it will not be delivered to you and must be picked up by you. When a delivery attempt fails or a courier loses the package, this is called “available for pickup”.

You can save time and hassle when picking up a parcel that is available for pick-up. Continue reading to find out more.

How Long Do I Have To Pick Up My Package?

You have full control of where and how you choose to pick up your parcel.

Important to remember is that your package will not be kept by the Post Office forever.

The post office typically holds packages for pick up for 15 days, before returning them back to their sender.

What is the reason why my USPS tracking tool says available for pick-up

These are the main reasons why a package arrives at your doorstep rather than being delivered.

Failure to deliver a package on delivery is usually the first reason why a package becomes available for pickup.

You are not permitted to accept a courier’s delivery of a package that has to be signed for and they cannot leave it at your home.

Sometimes your package may not be available until multiple delivery attempts are made. However, packages that arrive during Christmas or any other busy season will likely be moved by the post office to make them pickable sooner.

You may also see a listing for a package that is available to pick up. This is due to the fact that your package, whatever it might be, is just too precious not be taken home.

Sometimes, merchants choose this option for shipping packages with precious metals or gemstones.

Either way, this is an option selected at the time of shipping that requests that the post office hold the item for pickup to avoid the item being lost or stolen.

Human error is the third and most common reason your package was not available for pick-up.

The USPS receives hundreds of millions of letters per day and there is plenty of space for some mail to be forgotten.

If a courier accidentally forgot your package at the post office on the way out the door to do their route, it’s possible that the post office listed your package as being available for pick-up to prevent bogging down the courier and/or delaying your package any further.

This is especially common during the busy season of Christmas, when there are so many packages to deliver that pushing packages off until the following day could do serious damage to the productivity of the courier.

The reason you package was made available for pick-up is irrelevant. You have full control of when and where to go. Also, it keeps your package safe and secure from loss or theft.

How do I pick up an USPS package?

When your package appears as being available to be picked up, then the next obvious question is: How do you get it from the Post Office and what are you looking for?

It is usually very easy to pick your package up.

You should always have proof of identity and your tracking number handy in case someone needs to verify you before they hand over your package.

The next step is to visit the local post office, talk with the clerk behind the counter, and inform them that you have a package ready for pick up.

They’ll likely ask for your name and ID to help verify your identity before giving you the package, but they may also request additional information like the tracking number.

If you want to learn more about USPS delivery, please read these posts: Can you pick up your package from USPS? Does USPS deliver at night? What are the charges of USPS for shipping by weight and size?

Conclusion

USPS does not notify you that the package is available for pickup. It means that it won’t arrive at your house by USPS. Instead, the recipient must go to their local post office to pick up the package.

It can be due to failed delivery attempts or a parcel being left on the doorstep that is too expensive to deliver, or a courier leaving your package unattended.

When you get this notification, it’s important to note that the post office will not hold on to your package forever- they typically will hold the package for 15 days before returning it to the sender.

To pick up your package from the post office, be sure to have your ID and tracking number handy in case they want to verify your identity before handing over the package.

.What Does Available For Pickup Mean Usps? + Other Faqs