Hold for Pickup is a service that allows mailpieces to be held at a designated Post Office location for pick up by a specified addressee or designee rather than have a carrier attempt delivery. Mailers can request this service when they purchase postage for eligible items with select methods. The addressee or designee must provide an acceptable primary form of Identification to pick up the item from the Post Office.
Items are held at the pickup location for a limited amount of time:
- If the item has not been picked up within 5 days (3 days for Priority Mail Express®), the Post Office makes another notification attempt
- If not picked up within 15 days (5 days for Priority Mail Express), the item is returned to sender
If the shipper provides an email address or text-capable phone number with their shipping manifest, the recipient will automatically be signed up to receive email or SMS text tracking notifications from USPS®.
Eligible Postage Payment Methods, Mail Classes and Mail Services
There is no fee for Hold for Pickup service. It is available for eligible items when postage is paid through:
- USPS Click-N-Ship®
- USPS-approved PC Postage products
- Permit imprint
- USPS-approved Information-Based Indicia (IBI) postage meters when also using an authorized Hold For Pickup label
- Enterprise Payment System (EPS) account when used with a Package Intercept request
- Accepted payment methods at retail Post Office locations (for Collect on Delivery Hold for Pickup only)
Hold for Pickup service is available for the following mail classes and services:
- At retail Post Office locations:
- Priority Mail Express® with or without Collect on Delivery service (COD)
- Priority Mail® with COD service
- First-Class Mail® with COD service
- Library Mail with COD service
- Media Mail® with COD service
- Using USPS Click-N-Ship:
- Priority Mail Express
- Priority Mail
- USPS Ground Advantage Service®
- Commercial mailings of:
- Priority Mail Express (excluding Priority Mail Express Military® Service and Priority Mail Express Open and Deposit®)
- Priority Mail
- USPS Ground Advantage Service - Commercial
- Bound Printed Matter parcels
Hold for Pickup service is not eligible for:
- Commercial mailings of First-Class Mail letter-size and flat-size pieces
- Mail addressed to APO/FPO and DPO destinations such as Priority Mail Express Military Service
- Priority Mail Express items containing cremated remains
Items mailed with Hold for Pickup service requested will have the service listed on the package label.
