OnTrac tracking status
OnTrac “Exception”: what it means
The short answer
Keep an eye on itSomething interrupted the delivery, and OnTrac does not publish a definition of the word. Look at the line next to it for the reason, such as weather, a delay or an address problem. It does not mean your package is lost, and some arrive within days.
When to act: If it still shows Exception with no new scan after 3 business days, file a complaint and we send it to OnTrac.
Also shown as: “Package Received As An Overage”
What to do now
- 1
Open the event list and read the lines around 'Exception'. The reason is usually there.
- 2
If the reason is an address or a code, check the address on your order and add the missing detail as delivery instructions on the tracking page.
- 3
If the reason is weather, see whether your ZIP code is on OnTrac's Service Alerts page.
- 4
Note the city on the latest line. A sudden far-off city can be a wrong scan, so wait for the next scan before you draw a conclusion.
- 5
Screenshot the event list with its dates.
- 6
Still not sorted? File your complaint here. We write it with you and send it to OnTrac, so you do not have to chase it yourself.
What does “Exception” mean?
'Exception' shows as the large status at the top of the page, or as its own line in the history. OnTrac's FAQ and terms do not define it. In tracking histories people share, it sits beside a more specific line, such as 'Shipment Delayed; Delivery Date Updated', 'Package delayed due to some unforeseen reasons' or 'Your Package Has Been Delayed. Tracking Will Be Updated Once Your Package Arrives At Our Local Delivery Facility'. People also report it when an address was unclear, and when they disputed a delivery attempt.
So read it as a flag and look for the reason. It can clear quickly: one package with Exception lines suddenly showed a city in Arizona while on its way to Rhode Island, and the same thread reports it arrived soon after. It can also go the other way. In one shared case, an address problem that sat under Exception ended with the package going back to the seller.
Why does OnTrac show it?
- Weather delaying the route
- The package reached a site later than planned
- The address is unclear or a door code is missing
- A scan at a site that was not on the route
- A delivery attempt that was disputed
How long does it last?
The next line usually moves on to 'Out for Delivery' or another delay. Shared reports range from a delivery the next morning to more than a week with no change. If an address problem sits behind it, OnTrac's note on that line gives 3 business days before a return.
Other OnTrac statuses
- Label createdKeep an eye on it
- Arrived at FacilityNormal
- Out for DeliveryKeep an eye on it
- Delayed. Delivery date updatedKeep an eye on it
- Tracking not updatingKeep an eye on it
- Delivery attemptedKeep an eye on it
- Incomplete address. Please contact usTake action
- Delivered but not receivedTake action
- Returning package to the shipperTake action
Who is responsible for a late or missing package from OnTrac?
If you bought online from a business, the seller chose OnTrac 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. OnTrac's own terms point the same way: claims have to come from the shipper, and a recipient should turn to the company that shipped the package for a replacement or refund.
If you sent the package yourself on an OnTrac account, your contract is with OnTrac under its Service Terms and Conditions, unless you have a separate written agreement. Those terms limit its liability for loss, damage or misdelivery to the lesser of the replacement cost or $100 per parcel, and promise no delivery on a specific day. OnTrac also accepts no liability when the shipper authorized leaving a package without a delivery signature.
Questions about “Exception”
What does Exception mean on OnTrac?
OnTrac does not define it. In shared histories it marks a delivery that did not go to plan, and the line next to it gives the reason: a delay, weather or an address problem.
Does Exception mean my OnTrac package is lost?
No. On its own it only says something interrupted the delivery. People report packages arriving within a day or so, and others waiting more than a week. Treat 3 business days with no new scan as the point to act.
What does 'Package Received As An Overage' mean?
OnTrac does not explain it. In one shared history it sits between an Exception line and a facility scan, and that package arrived soon after. Watch for the next scan with a city.
How long does an OnTrac exception last?
OnTrac publishes no limit. Shared reports range from delivery the next morning to more than a week. Its general guide is 3 business days without a status change, and after that you can file a complaint on Complain.biz and we send it to OnTrac.
Based on
- OnTrac: Frequently Asked Questions
- OnTrac: Service Alerts
- Reddit r/ontrac: history with 'Exception' and 'Package Received As An Overage' lines
- Reddit r/ontrac: 'Exception' above 'Shipment Delayed; Delivery Date Updated.'
- Reddit r/ontrac: 'Exception' with 'Package delayed due to some unforeseen reasons'
- Reddit r/ontrac: over a week on 'Exception' after an unclear address
- Reddit r/ontrac: 'Exception' over delivery instructions, returned to the seller
- Reddit: LaserShip tracking table with 'Exception', delivered the next morning
- Reddit: 'Exception' after a disputed delivery attempt
- OnTrac: Service Terms and Conditions (liability limit, no guaranteed delivery day)
- OnTrac: Additional Terms and Conditions (three attempts, undeliverable shipments, claims by the shipper, signatures)