USPS.com FAQs (2023)

FAQs

How do I get USPS to answer the phone? ›

The best way to reach an actual human in them USPS customer service is to dial their customer service phone number 1-800-275-8777 (1-800-ASK-USPS). The USPS offers Live customer service on this phone from 8 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. EST Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST on Saturday.

Call 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) or TTY: 1-800-877-8339. Speak to the station manager (postmaster) at a local post office. Contact the postal consumer and industry affairs office that handles questions for your district.

Complete a Help Request Form

We recommend that you complete our online help request form before you start a missing mail search. Please use a desktop computer to submit your form. We'll forward your request to your local Post Office^™ facility to help locate any missing items.

Self-service options are available 24/7 by calling 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777). Customer Service representatives are also available to take your calls: Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time (Alaska and Hawaii are 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. ET)

The USPS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) primarily investigates complaints about misconduct or criminal activity on the part of USPS employees or contractors. These crimes typically include such things as fraud, embezzlement, or theft or destruction of mail.

All mail is returned to your local Post Office™ facility to attempt delivery the next business day. A blocked receptacle could be due to a parked vehicle, local utility work in the area, weather conditions or emergency responders impeding access.

If the proper amount of time has passed and the item has not arrived, you may submit a search request for your lost mailpiece on the Missing Mail application and/or file a claim. Using the Insurance tracking numbers on the receipt, you can check the delivery status either online at USPS Tracking®.

Missing Mail is mail that does not arrive at its destination on time. If the mail has been undelivered for 7 days, your customers can begin their search with USPS. Customers should check the current status of their package, before submitting a search request at MissingMail.USPS.com or before they file a USPS Claim.

There are many reasons as to why you wouldn't get mail or packages such as the shipping label falling off, the address or recipient name getting smeared in case of bad weather, or the most common reason of all, an incorrect address. Just one wrong digit in the zip code can make all the difference with mail delivery.

How long until mail is considered lost? ›

For most mail classes, the package must be lost for at least 7 days from the date of mailing before you can initiate a request to have the USPS search for the missing mailpiece.

As the name suggests, Forever Stamps can be used to mail a one-ounce letter regardless of when the stamps are purchased or used and no matter how prices may change in the future.

Forever Stamps are ideal for mailing normal-sized, one-ounce letters within the United States. If you suspect that your letter may weigh more than one ounce, be sure to weigh it prior to affixing a Forever Stamp, as heavier letters will be returned due to lack of postage.

Generally, the USPS Media Mail, USPS First-Class Mail, or USPS Priority Mail are the most affordable shipping options.

Call 1-800-275-8777 (1-800-ASK-USPS) to ask for the phone number for your local Consumer Affairs office regarding a Missing Mail request.

If you have questions or need assistance, contact the HR Shared Service Center at 877-477-3273, option 5.

You can't sue for lost mail, so think about getting insurance if you are concerned about a particular package. You can also send it through certified mail to receive proof that the mail was delivered.

The United States Postal Service® wants you to know that harassment and other inappropriate conduct based on race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity and gender stereotypes), national origin, age (40+), mental or physical disability, genetic information, past, present, or future uniformed (military) ...

On the Overturned Historical Convictions Compensation, as of 1 December 2022, Post Office has paid out over £12 million in compensation to those with overturned historical convictions.

How many times will USPS attempt to deliver a package? ›

The Postal Service (USPS) will make 1 or 2 attempts to deliver, based on the carrier's knowledge. After the attempts, the package will be held for 15 days from the intial delivery attempt and then returned to sender.

Where can the customer go to pick up mail that is being held? Customers may go to their local Post Office pickup location based on the information on the back of their Redelivery Notice. Customers may go to the Post Office to pickup the item on or after the date and time indicated on the PS Form 3849 delivery notice.

Either the sender or the recipient may file a claim for insured mail that is lost, arrived damaged, or was missing contents. The person filing must have the original mailing receipt. Each claim must be filed within a certain time period and include proof of insurance, value, and damage.

Requesting a Refund

Call 1-800-238-3150 to request a refund. Refunds are considered on a case-by-case basis. If approved, $1.10 will be credited to the credit card charged.

After you submit your request online, the USPS will begin searching for your lost mailpiece. The USPS will continue looking for your Missing Mail Search Request through their system until the search expires, typically 3 months after the request was submitted.

USPS may reimburse you for stolen, lost or missing packages if the mail was insured. If your packages weren't insured, they likely won't issue a refund. Instead, you'll want to contact the seller. This holds for other delivery services, too.

You can request a Proof of Delivery for applicable mailpieces by using the USPS Tracking® Tool at USPS.com®. Select Proof of Delivery and follow the provided directions to receive a Proof of Delivery email either with or without a delivery address.

While end-to-end tracking is not available for First-Class Mail letters, you can purchase an Extra Service and get tracking information. Learn more about First-Class Mail options here.

If a package that was en route to a customer goes certifiably missing and has not arrived at their doorstep four or five days after schedule, then it can be officially considered lost. When you suspect your packages as lost, wait it out a maximum of seven days beyond the day of expected delivery.

Mail Theft Statistics:

More than half of online shoppers (51%) have not received at least one package they ordered in the past six months. Most respondents say their packages were lost in the mail (32%).

Do small letters get lost in the mail? ›

If you're worried about the little cuties getting lost in the mail, have no fear. The Tiny Letters are mailed in normal-sized clear plastic envelope sleeves to ensure they arrive safely (and your mail deliverers won't hate you).

You can still use an original forever stamp purchased 15 years ago for 41 cents to mail a first-class letter today without additional postage. Forever stamps, introduced in 2007, are always equivalent to the current price of a first-class stamp. Since 2011, virtually all first-class stamps sold are forever stamps.

Regular stamps without a barcode* will no longer be valid after 31 July 2023. This follows the introduction of a 6 month grace period from the initial 31 January deadline. You can either use up your non-barcoded stamps before this new deadline or swap them for the new barcoded ones.

A USPS Forever stamp is valid to use on a normal-sized, one-ounce letter sent within the United States. If your letter is more than one ounce, it will need additional postage. However, the best solution to mailing a letter over one ounce is not to add another Forever stamp.

You must call the Interactive Voice Response system at 877-477-3273 to report any unscheduled leave as soon as possible. To request unscheduled leave, select option 4 when prompted. Here are some additional tips to remember: Have your employee identification number ready.

Employees may use up to 3 workdays of annual leave, sick leave, or leave without pay to make arrangements necessitated by the death of a family member or attend the funeral of a family member. Authorization of leave beyond three workdays is subject to the conditions and requirements of ELM 510.

If you're looking to call the post office, you can enter the address displayed from the search results into Google. The phone number should show up. If you can't find the phone number at all for a specific location, there is one more option. You can call 800-ASK-USPS to receive further assistance.

Postal service clerks and mail sorters, processors, and processing machine operators work indoors, typically in a post office. Mail carriers mostly work outdoors, delivering mail.

Excessive absenteeism is defined as two or more occurrences of unexcused absence in a 30-day period and will result in disciplinary action. Eight occurrences of unexcused absence in a 12-month period are considered grounds for termination.

FLSA–nonexempt employees are eligible when required to work on their scheduled days off and have more than 40 paid hours for the week.

How many days can you work in a row at USPS? ›

California is one of the states that has a One Day Rest in Seven law. This law forbids employers from requiring covered employees to work more than 6 out of 7 days in a week. That required day of rest has to come every calendar week, not every 7 days.

Though letter carriers have the day off, some postal workers are required to work on holidays, such as clerks dispatching mail, or those working in plant distribution facilities. Some plant facilities operate 365 days a year.

If you have a tracking number, use the USPS Tracking System. You can also file a claim for the lost/delayed mail. Or call the U.S. Postal Service Domestic & International Tracking department at (800) 222-1811.

Likely they are understaffed and are busy. Most post offices don't take calls. There is a national line for inquiries.

Call the hotline at 1-888-877-7644 to make a complaint over the phone.

Does the USPS have live chat? No, the USPS doesn't have live chat support.