USPS "Held at Post Office" or "Available for Pickup" — What to Do
What It Means
"Held at Post Office" or "Available for Pickup" means your package is at your local post office waiting for you to collect it in person. This status appears for several reasons: the package was too large to fit in your mailbox, delivery required a signature and no one was home, the package requires adult signature confirmation, or the sender requested hold-at-post-office delivery.
USPS leaves a delivery notice (PS Form 3849) at the delivery address telling you the package is available for pickup, which post office it's at, and the hours. You typically have 15 calendar days to pick it up before USPS returns it to sender. Priority Express Mail is held for just 5 days.
Pick up in person at the post office indicated on the notice, bringing a government-issued photo ID and the delivery notice (or tracking number).
What To Do Next
- 1Locate your post office's hours and address — the notice card or USPS.com tracking page shows which facility has your package
- 2Bring your tracking number (or the delivery notice card) and a government-issued photo ID matching the delivery address
- 3Go during regular window service hours — not just when the post office is open for mail collection
- 4If you can't pick up within the hold period, contact the post office directly to request a hold extension (not always granted)
- 5Request redelivery at USPS.com using your tracking number if you prefer home delivery over post office pickup
Frequently asked questions
Related Tracking Statuses
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