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Canada Post tracking status

Canada Post “Item out for delivery”: what it means

The short answer

Normal

Your parcel is on its final leg with a delivery agent and usually arrives the same day. Homes get deliveries Monday to Friday from 9 am until as late as 8 pm, and the delivery scan can take until noon the next business day to show.

When to act: If 'Item out for delivery' is still the latest scan after 2 business days, file a complaint and we send it to Canada Post.

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Tell me what happened. I write your complaint with you and we send it to Canada Post.

Also shown as: “Out for delivery” · “Delivery pending”

What to do now

  1. At the end of the day, check your mailbox for a parcel compartment key or a Delivery Notice Card.

  2. Check your door, side door and any safe place on the property.

  3. If the parcel needs a signature, stay within reach of the door or intercom, as it will not be left without one.

  4. Wait until noon the next business day before you worry: the delivery scan can take that long to show.

  5. If nothing changes, keep a screenshot of the scan and note your tracking number.

  6. Still not sorted? File your complaint here. We write it with you and send it to Canada Post, so you do not have to chase it yourself.

    Start my complaint

What does “Item out for delivery” mean?

Canada Post says the parcel is on its way to its final destination, and details appear in the delivery progress section below the blue bar. Home deliveries run Monday to Friday from 9 am until as late as 8 pm. Eligible addresses in select areas of Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal may also get parcels on Saturday or Sunday. In histories people share, 'Delivery pending' appears as extra information under this line. Canada Post does not explain that wording, but it reads as no delivery scan yet.

It is not a promise for today. Delivery times can shift with volume or route changes. In histories people share, a parcel that was put on the wrong route went back to the depot and came a day or two later. Once a parcel is out for delivery, you can no longer choose or change a delivery preference.

Why does Canada Post show it?

  • The parcel was loaded for today's route
  • The route is running late because of volume or a route change
  • The parcel was put on the wrong route, in histories people share
  • Road closures or weather
  • The parcel was delivered and the scan has not shown yet

How long does it last?

Usually a delivery scan the same day, which Canada Post says is usually on Track straight after delivery and no later than noon the next business day. If delivery fails, the next line is usually 'Delivery Attempt Made / Rescheduled for delivery next business day' or 'Notice left'.

Other Canada Post statuses

All Canada Post statuses →

Who is responsible for a late or missing parcel from Canada Post?

If you bought online from a business, the seller chose Canada Post and is its customer, so a late, lost or missing order is in most cases for the seller to put right, with a replacement or a refund. Canada Post also says that only the sender can receive compensation for a missing parcel.

For a parcel you sent yourself, Canada Post's General Terms and Conditions are the contract between you. Most Priority, Xpresspost and Expedited Parcel shipments include cover of up to $100, the first $100 must be bought for Regular Parcel, and you can add more when you mail it, up to $5,000 within Canada and $1,000 for most US and international shipments. Compensation is the lowest of the item's value, the cover you bought or the cover included, plus postage where it applies. A claim for a missing parcel has to start within 90 days of the shipping date within Canada, or 6 months for the US and abroad. A late parcel on a guaranteed service may earn the sender a postage refund, but the terms excuse causes beyond Canada Post's control, including labour disruptions and customs.

Questions about “Item out for delivery”

What time does Canada Post deliver?

Homes get deliveries Monday to Friday from 9 am until as late as 8 pm, and businesses from 9 am until 5 pm. Times can shift with volume or route changes.

Does Canada Post deliver on weekends?

Generally no. Eligible addresses in select areas of Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal may get parcels on Saturday or Sunday. There are no deliveries on statutory holidays such as Christmas Day.

My Canada Post package was out for delivery but didn't come. What now?

Check for a card or a compartment key, and look at Track again after noon the next business day. A delivery attempt, notice or delivery scan usually appears by then. If the line has not moved after 2 business days, file a complaint here.

What does 'Delivery pending' mean on Canada Post?

Canada Post does not explain it. In histories people share, it appears as extra information under 'Item out for delivery', and it reads as no delivery scan yet.

Can I change where my parcel is left once it is out for delivery?

No. Canada Post says you cannot choose or change a delivery preference once a parcel is out for delivery, so set it earlier next time.

Based on

  • Canada Post: Tracking statuses (out for delivery)
  • Canada Post: Mail and parcel delivery hours
  • Canada Post: Tracking Events and Services (delivery scan by noon the next business day)
  • Canada Post: I set a delivery preference location but my package went to the post office (no change once out for delivery)
  • Canada Post: Will my package be delivered on time?
  • RedFlagDeals forum: Canada Post, delivery pending? (shared tracking history)
  • RedFlagDeals forum: Canada Post, Out for delivery, how long does it take? (shared experience)
  • RedFlagDeals forum: Item arrived at postal facility, item on hold (wrong route)
  • eBay Canada community: Item out for delivery, expected delivery tomorrow (shared experience)
  • Reddit r/CanadaPost: shared history (Item out for delivery, Additional information, Delivery pending)
  • Canada Post: My package hasn't arrived (who can be paid, time limits, $100 base cover)
  • Canada Post: My package was delivered late (postage refund for the sender, guaranteed services)
  • Canada Post: Coverage options, parcel guide ($100 included, first $100 bought for Regular Parcel, up to $5,000)
  • Canada Post: General Terms and Conditions, customers without a Standing Offer Agreement (liability cover, excusable delay)

Parcel still not here?
File a complaint about Canada Post.

Start my complaint