Start with USPS Tracking, then ask the sender for mailing details if someone else shipped the parcel. If the package is still missing, use USPS’s help-request and Missing Mail process. If it arrives damaged or items are missing, preserve every piece of packaging and check whether the service included or had purchased insurance before filing a claim. Search requests do not guarantee recovery, and an eligible claim is not automatically payable.
Choose the right path for the problem
Your next step depends on what USPS shows, how long ago the item was mailed, which service was used, and whether you can prove insurance and value.
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| What happened | First action | Next escalation |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking shows movement but the expected date has passed | Review USPS Tracking and contact the sender for mailing details | Submit an online USPS help request; use Missing Mail guidance if the item remains absent |
| No delivery and no useful tracking update | Confirm the address, mailing date, and service with the sender | Follow USPS’s help-request and Missing Mail search process |
| Delivered with visible damage | Photograph the parcel before discarding or repairing anything | Preserve the package and file an eligible damage claim |
| Delivered but contents are missing | Keep the container, wrapping, and everything received | Document the missing items and file an eligible claim |
1. Check tracking and the shipper’s information
Read the latest USPS status
USPS says, “Before you begin your search, if your package or mail has tracking, check USPS Tracking® to see its current status.” Look for a delivery scan, an attempted-delivery notice, a forwarding event, a facility scan, or a status that has not changed for several days. Save screenshots or print the tracking history; the dates and status messages can help the sender or a claims examiner understand what happened.
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Contact the sender when you are the recipient
USPS’s delayed-mail guidance recommends asking the mailer for details when a sent package appears delayed or lost. The sender can confirm the exact mailing date, service, origin post office, destination address, insurance purchase, declared value, and receipt. Ask for a complete tracking number rather than a shortened order reference. If the address is wrong, the sender may also know whether a correction, intercept, or replacement is possible under the service’s rules.
If you bought the item from a retailer or marketplace, notify its support team promptly while the USPS process is underway. Keep the order confirmation and any replacement or refund promise separate from a USPS claim; a seller’s policy does not change USPS filing deadlines.
2. Handle a delay or suspected loss through USPS
Submit the online help request
USPS’s current “Missing Mail and Lost Packages” help page directs customers to submit an online help request first. USPS says it will forward the request to the local Post Office facility “to help locate any missing items.” Enter the tracking number, sender and recipient addresses, mailing date, and a clear description of the problem. Record the confirmation or case number and the date submitted.
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Know the two USPS descriptions of when a Missing Mail search can start
USPS pages describe two related start points. Its FAQ, dated May 19, 2026, describes the earliest Missing Mail application as seven days after mailing. Its current help page says to submit a Missing Mail search if the item has not arrived after seven business days from the online help request. These statements should not be collapsed into one universal countdown: follow the instruction shown for your shipment on the live USPS page, and keep the dates for both mailing and help-request submission.
A Missing Mail search is an effort to locate the parcel, not a compensation decision. USPS states that a search is not a guarantee of recovery and may decline to forward an item when doing so would be unsafe.
3. Prepare a useful Missing Mail search
Information USPS asks for
- Sender’s complete name and address.
- Recipient’s complete name and address.
- Tracking number and mailing date, when available.
- Package or mailing-container size and type.
- A detailed contents description, including brand, model, color, and size when those details identify the item.
- Photographs that could help staff recognize the package or its contents.
Use specific descriptions rather than broad labels. “Black 13-inch laptop in a silver retail box” is more useful than “electronics.” If several items were inside, list each one and identify distinctive packaging, labels, or marks. Ensure the address you enter matches the mailing label; a typo can make a search harder to match.
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What to do while the search is pending
Keep checking tracking for a new scan and save correspondence with USPS and the sender. Do not assume that a search result proves a loss, and do not discard purchase records while you wait. If a seller has offered a replacement, ask how accepting it affects its own refund policy; that question is separate from USPS’s search.
4. If the package arrives damaged or items are missing
Preserve the evidence
Keep the mailing container, outer wrapping, labels, cushioning, damaged item, and every content that did arrive until the claim is resolved. Photograph the package from several angles, including the label, seals, punctures, crushing, water marks, and the interior packing. Photograph the damaged product and any missing-item space inside the container before rearranging it.
Retain the mailing receipt, tracking record, proof of insurance, purchase invoice, order confirmation, and any appraisal or other proof of value. USPS may request an inspection. Make the parcel available in its condition as received, and do not reship it before the claim process is complete; USPS specifically advises against reshipping while a claim is being handled.
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Separate damage from ordinary product failure
Describe what the package looked like on arrival and what physical damage occurred. A product that fails without shipping damage may require a manufacturer or seller remedy instead of a postal claim. Do not discard a broken component simply because the retail box is intact; an examiner may need to see all materials.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.5. Check insurance, service, and claim deadlines
Included coverage is service-specific
USPS Publication 122 (February 2026) states: “The Postal Service includes insurance for Priority Mail Express service, Priority Mail service, and Ground Advantage, which includes up to $100 insurance.” The publication also sets conditions and coverage limits. This does not mean every shipment or every type of loss will be paid. USPS says it cannot honor compensation requests when insurance was not purchased at mailing, subject to eligible included coverage and the applicable rules.
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Earliest and final filing points
| Claim situation | Earliest point stated by USPS | Latest point stated by USPS |
|---|---|---|
| Damaged article or missing contents | File immediately | No later than 60 days from mailing |
| Lost Priority Mail Express article | 7 days after mailing | Generally 60 days from mailing |
| Lost article sent by most other listed domestic services | 15 days after mailing | Generally 60 days from mailing |
The 7-day and 15-day figures are earliest filing points in USPS’s domestic-claims guidance, not promises that a claim will be approved. Service-specific exceptions can apply, so confirm the current table for the exact product and mailing date. For damage or missing contents, waiting for a search to finish can risk the 60-day deadline; preserve evidence and begin the claim process promptly.
Who may file
USPS allows either the sender or recipient to file a claim for eligible insured mail. Coordinate so both parties do not submit conflicting descriptions or duplicate requests. The person filing must provide proof of insurance and proof of value, and USPS may request additional documentation or an inspection.
6. File a USPS domestic claim
- Identify the service and coverage. Use the receipt, label, tracking record, or sender’s account to determine whether the shipment was Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, Ground Advantage, or another service, and whether insurance was included or purchased.
- Gather proof. Assemble the insurance record, mailing receipt, tracking number, purchase invoice or other value evidence, photographs, and a written description of the loss or damage.
- Submit within the applicable window. For damaged or missing contents, file immediately and no later than 60 days from mailing. For a lost article, wait only until the earliest date permitted for that service—7 days for Priority Mail Express or generally 15 days for other listed domestic services—then file before the applicable final deadline.
- Respond to USPS requests. If USPS asks for an inspection or more records, provide the parcel and documents in the requested condition. Keep copies of everything submitted.
- Track the claim decision. An approved amount depends on coverage, exclusions, and proof of the payable value. Eligibility to submit is not a guarantee of payment.
If the shipment used a service with a money-back guarantee, check that service’s current terms separately. A possible postage refund under a guarantee is distinct from compensation for the merchandise and does not replace an insurance claim.
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7. Use holiday mailing dates as planning guidance
For delivery expected before December 25, 2026, USPS recommended these send-by dates in the contiguous 48 states:
| Service | Recommended send-by date |
|---|---|
| Ground Advantage | December 17, 2026 |
| First-Class Mail | December 17, 2026 |
| Priority Mail | December 18, 2026 |
| Priority Mail Express | December 19, 2026 |
USPS says earlier mailing is preferable. These dates are seasonal recommendations, not a guarantee for a particular package. Weather, volume, address problems, transportation disruptions, and incomplete scans can still change delivery timing. International, military, and special-service shipments can have different schedules, claim rules, or eligibility.
Common mistakes that make a case harder
- Starting with a claim when the problem is only a delay. Check tracking and use the help-request path first unless damage or missing contents require immediate claim action.
- Waiting past the deadline. A search can take time, but damaged or missing-content claims must be filed no later than 60 days from mailing.
- Throwing away packaging. The container and wrapping can show whether damage occurred during transit and may be needed for inspection.
- Assuming every parcel has insurance. Coverage depends on the service, purchased insurance, and USPS conditions; included coverage is not unlimited.
- Using vague contents descriptions. Model, color, size, and distinctive packaging improve identification.
- Submitting inconsistent accounts. Coordinate between sender and recipient so addresses, dates, values, and descriptions match the mailing record.
- Treating an estimate as a guarantee. Holiday send-by dates help plan but do not establish a guaranteed arrival date.
A practical decision checklist
- Have you checked the complete USPS Tracking history and saved it?
- Do you know the mailing date, service, sender, recipient address, and tracking number?
- If the parcel is merely late, have you contacted the sender and submitted the USPS online help request?
- Have seven days after mailing or seven business days after the help request passed, depending on the USPS instruction that applies to your case?
- If the parcel is damaged, have you photographed it and kept every piece of packaging?
- Can you prove insurance, purchase value, and the contents or damage?
- Are you within the service-specific claim window, including the 60-day limit for damaged or missing contents?
- Have you avoided reshipping or discarding the parcel before USPS finishes any requested inspection?
Following these steps keeps the investigation, search, and compensation processes separate: tracking and a help request address location, while a claim addresses documented, covered loss or damage.
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