USPS Tracking

USPS Mail Tracking

USPS Mail tracking is a service provided by the United States Postal Service to help individuals and businesses track mail items as they ship. With USPS Mail tracking, you can know the shipping progress of your mail, the number of shipping scans it has undergone successfully, and its estimated arrival time.

USPS Mail tracking is automatically available for some mail services, while others will require payment of an additional fee to add the tracking service. There are several official ways that individuals can track qualifying mail packages. The most common ones are via USPS.com Tracking, Informed Delivery, and USPS text tracking.

USPS Mail Services

USPS Mail services are one of the most widely used in the USA for sending mail locally and overseas. In 2022 alone, the United States Postal Service had a total mail volume of 127.3 billion mail items, evidence of the trust that US citizens and businesses have in their mail services. 

If you have been curious about which mail services are available from USPS, below is a breakdown of domestic and international mail services the company offers.

• Domestic Mail Services

Sending mail to all 50 states is made simple with a wide catalog of domestic mail services as follows.

Domestic Mail Service	Description	Delivery Speed	Tracking	Price
Priority Mail Express	Priority Mail Express ensures time-definite delivery of urgent items to most US addresses and P.O. Box addresses. Other Features: - Fastest shipping for urgent items. - Air delivery - Date certain delivery. - Money-back guarantee.	Next day to 2-day, 6PM guarantee	Included	From $30.45
Priority Mail	Priority Mail delivers urgent items swiftly via air with free shipping supplies and postage options online and at post offices. Other Features: - Supports Flat Rate items. - $100 insurance. - Buy extra coverage up to $5,000.	1-3 business days	Included	- Flat rate envelope from $9.85 - USPS Mailing Box (Flat Rate) from $10.40 - Own Box by weight/zone from $9.25
First-Class Mail	First-Class Mail is a convenient way to send small and large letter envelopes.  The service includes insurance with certain add-on services.	1-5 business days	Not included (Delivery confirmation available with add-on service like Certified Mail)	- Postcards from $0.53 - Letters from $0.68 - Large envelopes from $1.39
Media Mail	Media Mail allows you to send books, educational materials, and other eligible media.	2-8 business days	Included	From $4.13
USPS Ground Advantage	USPS Ground Advantage offers an affordable road shipping option. The service is also ideal for hazardous materials (HAZMAT items) that can’t ship by air. It includes insurance of up to $100 with the option to upgrade to $5,000.	2-5 business days	Included	From $5.00
Certified Mail	Certified Mail is an add-on service that can be combined with Priority Mail and First-Class Mail services.  Other Features: - Mailing receipt as evidence the item was sent. - Electronic verification of delivery and attempted delivery. -Other qualifying mail classes:  Certified Mail Restricted Delivery Certified Mail Adult Signature Required Certified Mail Adult Signature Restricted Delivery.	Depends on mail class	Depends on mail class	From $4.40

• International Mail Services

USPS also provides international mail services that make shipping globally a seamless experience. The table below lists the USPS international mail services and provides more information on what they entail.

International Mail Service	Description	Delivery Speed	Tracking	Pricing
Priority Mail Express International	Priority Mail Express International provides optional date-certain delivery with money-back guarantee to some destinations. Other Features: - Deliver swiftly to 180 countries worldwide.  - Free shipping supplies. - Supports Flat Rate envelopes.	3-5 business days	Available	From $59.50
Priority Mail International	Priority Mail lets you send 4 lb+ packages to 180 countries. Other Features: - Flat Rate Envelopes and Boxes available. - $100 insurance for nonnegotiable documents and $200 for merchandise. - Purchasable additional insurance up to $5,000.	6-10 business days	Available	From $30.90
First-Class Mail International	First-Class Mail International lets you connect with friends and family by sending postcards, letters, and large envelopes.	Varies by destination	Not available	From $3.00 (send 1 oz letters with one non-expiry Global Forever stamp at $1.55)
Airmail M-Bags	Airmail M-Bags is ideal for sending bulk printed material internationally to one recipient.	Varied by destination	Available	From $57.97
Global Express Guaranteed (GXG)	With Global Express Guaranteed, you can send urgent items locally and internationally with date certain delivery backed up with a money-back guarantee. Other Features: - International transport and delivery by FedEx Express. - insurance up to $100 with the option for additional cover up to $2,499.	Next-day to most locations in Canada 1-3 business days (rest of the world)	Included to all destinations	From $74.95
First-Class Package International Service	First-Class Package International handles international mail that is less than 4 lb. Packages are not insured and should contain items worth less than $400.	Varies by destination	E-USPS DELCON INTL service to select countries	From $17.00
International Registered Mail	International Registered Mail provides your packages with additional protection and security in dispatch and transfer in the US. It is available with First-Class Mail International and First-Class Package International Service mail classes. Other Features: - internal handling protocols of the destination countries apply. - Mailing office issues the mailing receipt. - Inbound items to the US are handled as domestic First-Class Mail.	Depends on mail class	Not provided	From $20.75

* Limitations may apply for certain destinations when using Priority Mail Express International Tracking and Airmail M-Bags items Tracking.

* USPS Priority Mail International tracking is not available if you use Flat Rate Envelopes or Small Flat Rate Boxes.

How to Ship USPS Mail

Whether you are sending a card to a loved one or a package to your customer, knowing how to ship USPS Mail ensures a smooth mailing experience. USPS provides you with a simple interface with clickable buttons to help you ship your mail or package conveniently. These buttons are as follows.

• Find a Location: Click on this button to locate post offices and self-service kiosks where you can buy stamps, ship your packages, and apply for passports, among other crucial package shipping functions.
• Calculate a Price: Eliminate the guesswork when it comes to estimating how much it will cost to ship USPS Mail with the price calculator page. The Retail Postage Calculator is super responsive and outputs accurate price estimates for different items to all destinations served by USPS. 
• Look Up a Zip Code: Not sure of the address you need to ship to or just want to confirm? No worries, the Look Up a Zip Code page lets you search by address, city, and state. You can also input a zip code to know the cities it serves.

The Click-N-Ship service also lets you ship from home and save valuable time by paying for postage and printing shipping labels on your printer. If you can’t access one, USPS has a delivery option available at a fee, or you can print them at the post office. Schedule a pickup from your home or office for your package and then easily return to your other tasks.

How to Track USPS Mail

To track the shipping progress of a USPS Mail, you need the package’s tracking number and access to an official tracking channel or third-party platform like TrackingMore. In this section, we look at different ways you can track your USPS Mail.

• Via Official USPS Website

The official USPS website is an effective way to track mail from USPS using the following procedure.

1. Visit the USPS official website.
2. Under “Quick Tools” click “Track a Package” or scroll down the homepage to locate the tracking tool.
3. Enter your USPS Mail tracking ID and click the search track enter button.
4. The USPS website will look up the tracking number and return any tracking details available about the package on a new page.

The United States Postal Service also has other alternative ways that you can use to track your mail items. These include the following:

• USPS Mobile - The USPS Mobile app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play. Install it and open it to access the home screen. From here, click the “Track a Package” option and enter the tracking number to track your mail. USPS Mobile also allows you to track mail in the USPS database by scanning its barcode or a QR code.
• Text - To track your USPS mail via text, create a new SMS and type in your package’s tracking number in the body of the message. Send this to 28777 (2USPS) and wait for USPS to send back any tracking details available on the package. You can also send your package’s tracking ID plus keywords to the same number to get specific tracking updates when they arise. 
• Phone - Calling 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) is another way to contact customer care agents at USPS and get tracking updates on a specific package. USPS provides the phone number 1-800-877-8339 for telecommunication devices for the Deaf/Teletypewriter (TDD/TTY).
• Informed Delivery - Log into your Informed Delivery account, select the tracking notifications you would like to receive via text or email and share your phone number and email address. While logged in, you can also see the tracking history and specific details about a package. The Informed Delivery account also lets you rename packages and leave specific delivery instructions for your courier. 

• Via TrackingMore

TrackingMore is a robust third-party platform for tracking USPS Mail and other packages handled by this leading US national courier. Using TrackingMore is simple and gets you tracking details on a package in the following easy-to-follow steps.

1. Visit the TrackingMore website.
2. Click on “Carriers” on the homepage.
3. Type USPS in the query box and select USPS Tracking.
4. In the new page that opens up, type the USPS Mail tracking number and click on the “Track” button.
5. TrackingMore will retrieve the package’s tracking information and display it on a new page.

TrackingMore extends your tracking capabilities beyond USPS Mail, supporting packages from 1514 global logistics providers. As a fully integrated multi-carrier shipment tracking solution, it's your go-to platform for all your tracking needs.

USPS Mail Tracking Number

A USPS Mail tracking number is a necessary requirement to use the package tracking service or monitor the item’s movement using a third-party platform. This section will share more information on what a USPS Mail tracking ID consists of and where and how to find it.

• What Does a USPS Mail Tracking Number Look Like?

Different USPS mail classes will have different tracking number formats as follows.

Mail Service	Tracking Number Format	Tracking Number Example
Priority Mail Express	22 numerals	9270 1000 0000 0000 0000 00
	2-letter prefix (EA), 9 numbers, 2-letter suffix (US)	EA 000 000 000 US
Priority Mail	22 numerals	9400 1000 0000 0000 0000 00
Certified Mail	22 numerals	9407 3000 0000 0000 0000 00
Priority Mail Express International	2-letter prefix (EC), 9 numbers, 2-letter suffix (US)	EC 000 000 000 US
Priority Mail International	2-letter prefix (CP), 9 numbers, 2-letter suffix (US)	CP 000 000 000 US
Global Express Guaranteed	10 numerals	82 000 000 00

• How to Find My USPS Mail Tracking Number?

Consignors and consignees  can find the USPS Mail tracking number to a package  in a number of places. 

For recipients:

- The shipping confirmation email received when you bought an item online. 

- Below the barcode on the mailed item.

- Contact the merchant and ask them to share the package tracking number.

For Shippers:

- The sales or mailing receipt.

- Online label if you purchased postage online through Click-N-Ship, eBay, and other similar services.

• Where is the Tracking Number on the USPS Mail Receipt?

To locate the tracking number on the USPS mail receipt, check below the barcode on the return receipt and insurance receipt. On return receipts, the tracking number will be printed below the barcode on the front and back. For insurance receipts, the tracking number appears above and below the barcode.

FAQs on USPS Mail Shipping and Tracking

• What is USPS Priority Mail?

USPS Priority Mail is a mail class that offers fast and reliable shipping in 1-3 business days. USPS tracking for Priority Mail allows you to follow the movements of your shipment conveniently. The service also supports Flat Rate products.

• What is USPS Media Mail?

USPS Media Mail is a shipping service that lets you send eligible books (at least 8 pages), media (printed music and test materials and video and sound recordings), and educational materials affordably. The delivery time is between two and eight days.

• How long does USPS forward mail?

USPS mail forwarding service can take up to two weeks but may start within three days of submitting a forwarding request.

• How long does USPS hold mail?

With USPS hold mail service, your package will be held safely at the post office for up to 30 days.

• How much is USPS Certified Mail?

Purchasing USPS Certified Mail at the time of mailing a package costs from $4.40 upwards, depending on the volume of items you are sending. On the other hand, tracking USPS certified mail is free.

• What type of USPS mail has tracking?

USPS tracking mail services are available for several mail classes, including Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail Express International, and Global Express Guaranteed. You can also conduct USPS Certified Mail tracking and USPS Priority Mail tracking.