I Missed My UPS Delivery: What Happens Next?

So, you missed your UPS delivery. No worries, it happens! Sometimes UPS comes during a time when you aren’t home, or the UPS delivery driver couldn’t access your residence to drop off your package. There can be myriad reasons why a delivery attempt isn’t successful. When this happens, you have a couple of options to ensure the box ends up in your hands.

If You Missed Your UPS Delivery, You Can Either Wait for UPS to Deliver It Again or Pick Up Your Box at a Local UPS Access Point

When you miss the initial delivery attempt, here are your two options for retrieving your package:

• Wait for UPS to make another delivery attempt
• Proactively pick up your parcel at a location that UPS designates* (typically either a UPS Store location or a UPS Access Point)

*Note: When UPS can’t deliver a package, the delivery driver will almost always leave a notice at your residence. This notice contains information such as the time they tried to make the delivery, the next time they will try delivering it again, or a location where you can pick up your parcel.

UPS Will Make Up to 3 Delivery Attempts Before Returning the Package to the Original Sender

Unlike the U.S. Postal Service, which typically makes between 1-2 delivery attempts, UPS will try delivering a package up to three times before marking the parcel as “Return to Sender.”

So, if you missed your first delivery attempt, fear not! UPS will leave a notice at your address, and your package’s tracking status on the UPS website should indicate the next time UPS will try delivering it.

Of course, every situation is different, and sometimes UPS will leave a notice that gives you the address of a local Access Point where they are holding your parcel. When this happens, they won’t try delivering it a second time, and it will be up to you to retrieve your package within the designated timeframe. FedEx has been known to follow this procedure, as well.