GLS tracking status

GLS tracking not updating: why, and what to do

The short answer

Keep an eye on it

A silent GLS number can mean a missed scan, a stall between sites or a lost package. GLS publishes no limit for this, although Ground is often a next-business-day service. First check you are on GLS's US site.

When to act: If there is no new scan after 3 business days, file a complaint and we send it to GLS.

What to do now

Enter your number on GLS's US tracking site and not a GLS site for another country.
Note the date of the last scan and count business days from it, leaving out Sundays and holidays.
If the only line is 'SHIPMENT DATA RECEIVED', compare it with the seller's ship date, because GLS may not have the package yet.
Turn on text or email alerts on the tracking page, so you hear about the next scan.
Keep a screenshot of the full history along with your order number.
Still not sorted? File your complaint here. We write it with you and send it to GLS, so you do not have to chase it yourself.

Start my complaint

No update for days with another courier

What is going on

Tracking changes only when a package is scanned: first at a GLS depot, then as it goes out with a driver. GLS publishes no number of days after which a package counts as lost. One reviewer says a package sat in the same place for 3 days, and another that a hub scan never turned into the promised delivery.

Two things can make it look worse than it is. GLS has separate tracking sites by country, and searches often lead to GLS sites for other countries, in Europe especially. And GLS picks up and delivers on business days only, with no Sunday service, so a quiet weekend means little.

Why it happens

A missed scan at a depot
A stall between sites
The package is still waiting for its first scan
A number entered on a GLS site for another country
A lost package

What usually happens next

Usually a depot scan, or 'Out for delivery'. If it goes on, GLS may send an 'Exception' notice about an unexpected delay. For a missing package, the seller, as GLS's customer, is the one to get a replacement moving.

Other GLS statuses

SHIPMENT DATA RECEIVED - PENDING GLS RECEIPT SCANKeep an eye on it
Out for deliveryNormal
Delivery attemptedTake action
Delivery RescheduledKeep an eye on it
Delivered but not receivedTake action

All GLS statuses →

Who is responsible for a late or missing package from GLS?

If you bought online from a business, the seller chose GLS and is its customer, so a late, lost or missing order is in most cases for the seller to put right. GLS's terms and claims page also give the remedy to the shipper, the person or company that sent the package, and GLS says a package in transit can go to another address only with the shipper's authorization.

If you sent the package yourself, you did so on a GLS account and your contract is with GLS under its Terms and Conditions. Liability is limited to the lowest of the contents' full value, your actual damages or $100, unless you paid to declare a higher value, up to $10,000 per package. Ground packages earn no credit for late delivery.

Questions about “Tracking not updating”

Why is my GLS tracking not updating?

Lines appear only when the package is scanned, so a missed scan or a stall between sites looks like silence. Weekends add to it. If it stays silent, file a complaint on Complain.biz and we send it to GLS.

Why is GLS tracking not working for my number?

You may be on a GLS site for another country, as they are separate. Try GLS's US site. A very new number may also show nothing until the first scan.

Is my GLS package lost if tracking has stopped?

Not necessarily. GLS sets no time after which a package counts as lost, and a missed scan can look the same. Keep screenshots of the last scan, as the seller may ask for them.

Based on

GLS US: FAQ (notifications, signature options, rescheduling, rerouting, P.O. boxes)
GLS US: Terms and Conditions, parcel tariff (days of service, signature options, liability, delays)
GLS US: Track a parcel (map, time windows, proof of delivery)
Trustpilot: reviews of GLS US (a hub scan with no delivery)
GLS US: home page (its country selector lists the separate GLS websites)
Trustpilot: reviews of GLS US, page 3 (3 days in the same place)
GLS US: Terms and Conditions, parcel tariff (liability, declared value, late delivery)
GLS US: Claims (filed by the shipper)
GLS US: FAQ (account needed to ship, rerouting needs the shipper's authorization)