Most of the time, you see USPS making deliveries during the day. But if you’re expecting a package and it the late afternoon, you may be asking yourself ‘does USPS deliver at night?’
Or will your package just not be delivered that day? We looked into it and this is what we found…
Does USPS Deliver At Night?
The United States Postal Service state on their website that nearly all mail deliveries should be completed by 5pm (local time) on Monday through to Saturday. This applies to USPS services and/or whatever carrier they are using to complete the delivery.
This article takes a look at USPS deliveries and the time frames in which they are carried out: when they begin and end, why USPS deliveries are frequently delayed, and what you can do if your packages are due but have not yet arrived.
Does USPS Deliver On Sunday?
Only certain USPS shipping services will deliver on Sundays. These are specifically Priority Mail Express items and the delivery of Amazon packages.
You’ll find information about Priority Mail Express in the Domestic Shipping section of the USPS website. Priority Mail Express is the first service listed and is USPS’s fastest shipping service.
Priority Mail Express delivers 7 days a week, 365 days of the year (with some exceptions). The service promises a next day to 2 day delivery by 6pm, with prices starting at $26.95. Tracking and insurance is included with most shipments.
You’ll find tabs on the information page for pricing, insurance, package preparation, and package restrictions for this service.
The delivery of Amazon packages by USPS on Sundays is part of an agreement between the two companies. Currently, Amazon continue to make use of USPS carriers for their “last mile deliveries”.
What Time Does USPS Stop Delivering Packages?
USPS aim to have all conventional deliveries completed by 5pm, although drivers can be delayed for a variety of reasons due to circumstances beyond their control.
USPS Priority Mail Express service state 6pm as the latest delivery time, (including on Sundays and public holidays) in order to keep to their next day to two day delivery guarantee.
Otherwise 5pm, or close of the business day, marks the end of the usual USPS daily delivery schedule.
How Late Does USPS Deliver Overnight Packages?
The USPS Priority Mail Express is the official “overnight” delivery service. They have a guaranteed delivery time of 6pm (or your money back).
It’s important to note that circumstances can affect delivery times. Such circumstances include volume of mail, weather, traffic, staffing, vehicle issues, route changes, and natural disasters.
USPS also have an international express service called Global Express Guaranteed, which provides delivery within 1 to 3 business days. This service is provided through FedEx, whose delivery times are between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday.
When Is Mail Considered To Be Late?
USPS have published a list of what they call mail delivery standards on their Delayed mail and packages page.
Here, you’ll find all the information you need regarding late mail.
The delivery standards are different for each class of mail. Therefore, you need to check up on what kind of mail you are waiting for before you can consider it late.
For example, First Class Mail has a delivery standard of 1-5 business days. Therefore, its advisable not to contact customer service until after that 5th day.
The First-Class Package Service and the Priority Mail Service both have delivery standards of 1-3 business days, but contacting customer service is still recommended only after you’ve waited 5 or more days from date of mailing.
Priority Mail Express has a guaranteed delivery window of 1-2 calendar days. Therefore, USPS advise customers to make an enquiry immediately the guaranteed delivery time has been missed.
If you’ve used USPS Retail Ground, which has a delivery time of 2-8 business days, your package is considered late only after 14 days have elapsed since date of mailing.
Likewise, Media Mail, Bound Printed Matter, and Library Mail Package Services and the Parcel Select services all have 14 days grace before pronounced as late.
Who Do I Notify If My Mail Is Late?
If your package(s) are late, and you’ve checked on the mail class waiting period, the next step is to double check your destination. This is because certain destinations (Alaska, Hawaii and US Territories) are not part of the USPS convention delivery schedules.
Estimated deliveries for these states is provided by the USPS Retail Postage Price Calculator.
At this point in your checking down the “delayed mail” information page, you may notice the handy email us button. Here you can stop searching and simply submit an enquiry about your missing mail. Upload as much information as you can, and don’t forget to include the tracking number if you have one.
You can also continue on yourself by looking up your tacking number. You’ll find this number on your mailing label or receipt. By entering the number into the tracking bar, you should be able to see the most recent tracking status of your mail.
If there is no information available, or the information hasn’t changed since you last checked (USPS advise regular checking across the day), then contact customer service with as many details as possible.
What If I Don’t Have A Tracking Number?
If you don’t have a tracking number for your packages, USPS advise you to contact the shipping company that is handling your shipment.
If the shipper has notified you that your item is “in transit” somewhere, then it’s best to contact the sender and ask for a tracking number, or for them to track the package for you.
What Happens When My Mail Doesn’t Turn Up?
If your mail hasn’t turned up (and you’ve covered all of the “checking your mail” steps), then your mail enters the “Missing Mail” category. This refers to all mail which has not turned up within 7 days of the expected delivery date.
When this happens, USPS advise customers to submit a missing mail search request. To complete this process, you’ll need an account. Your local post office can also help you with this request.
Want to learn more about USPS? Check out our related post to learn if USPS accepts FedEx returns and does USPS ship internationally.
Conclusion…
USPS have a range of shipping and delivery services all with unique features and options.
They also have handy information panels and tabs with information about delivery expectations, delivery delays, and options for locating your late (or missing) mail.