Priority Mail Express® Service

Our fastest domestic shipping service, Priority Mail Express® (PME) delivers 7 days a week, 365 days a year (with limited exceptions) to most U.S. addresses and PO Box™ addresses with a money-back guarantee.

1-3 Day Deliveries

Priority Mail Express® 1-3 Day delivery is available when you need to send shipments in a hurry. These items may be:

The time of day a PME item is accepted by or dropped off to USPS and other factors impact if it will be delivered in 1 to 3 days by 6pm. Use the Service Commitments tool to find:

• The drop-off times and locations that meet the desired delivery time.
• When you can expect your package to arrive (Scheduled Delivery Day) and whether USPS can offer a money-back guarantee.
• The Scheduled Delivery Day is based on the ZIP Codes you are mailing from and mailing to and the date and time you plan to mail the item.

Service Commitments Tool Screenshot

Money-Back Guarantee

If your shipment doesn't meet the delivery commitment found on your receipt, you can submit a refund request for failure of service within 30 days of the mailing date or within 60 days if an Extra Service was purchased. See below for more information on refunds.

For detailed retail and commercial pricing, visit the Price List - Notice 123 or https://www.usps.com/ship/priority-mail-express.htm.

To calculate the price for your shipment, see the Retail Postage Price Calculator or the Business Postage Price Calculator.

Priority Mail Express® service items may be eligible for a refund. The United States Postal Service® refunds the postage and, if purchased, the Sunday or holiday premium fee:

• When the item is not delivered by the guaranteed delivery date and time specified at the time of mailing
• For an item for which delivery was not attempted by the guaranteed delivery date and time specified at the time of mailing
• If the item was not made available for pickup or claim by the delivery date and time specified at the time of mailing.
• Exceptions to the refund apply.
  
  

Postage refund requests must be made by the sender of the item within the time limits below:

How to Request a Refund

The quickest way for the sender to submit a postage refund request for the above reasons is online. You can also take either the mailing receipt or your original customer copy of the Priority Mail Express® label to any Post Office and complete a PS Form 3533, Application and Voucher for Refund of Postage and Fees.

Denied refund requests can be appealed. Online refund requests must be appealed online within 30 days of receipt of the denial. Refund requests submitted through PS Form 3533 are appealed through a postmaster to the manager of Pricing and Classification Service Center who issues the final agency decision.

Receiving Approved Refunds

Approved refunds are paid in different ways depending on the service and how you applied.

• Approved online refunds will receive a check by mail.
• Approved refunds that were requested at the Post Office will be refunded in cash, check, or money order.
• Approved Click-N-Ship refunds are credited to the original payment account.
• Business customers who applied for a refund online will be refunded by check, not credited back to their account.

Refund Eligibility Exceptions

Priority Mail Express® shipments can be sent as Hold for Pickup rather than have a carrier attempt delivery. Items are held for pickup for five postal business days at the designated location and then will be returned to sender.

Hold for Pickup is available for acceptance and pickup at most retail locations and self-service kiosks.

Hold for Pickup is not available for PME items containing cremated remains.

• Service includes an automated call back, email, or text notification to customers about the arrival status of their package. For Priority Mail Express®, if required, a second automated notification is sent after 3 days or a final automated notification that the shipment will be returned to the sender after 5 calendar days.

• Recipients can pick up their packages within 5 days when the destination office is open for retail business.

• The Sunday/Holiday fee will not be applied to Hold for Pickup service even though the customer may be able to pickup their package on a Sunday and/or holiday.

See Hold for Pickup Service for additional information.