Royal Mail tracking status

Royal Mail “Ready for delivery”: what it means

The short answer

Normal

Your parcel has reached the delivery office that serves your address. Royal Mail says it should arrive the next time it delivers to you, unless a Keepsafe or Redirection is set up.

When to act: If it still says Ready for delivery the working day after it arrived and nothing has come, file a complaint and we send it to Royal Mail.

Also shown as: “Your item was received by [town] DO on [date] and is now due for delivery today.” · “Your Item was received by [town] Delivery Office on [date] and is now due for delivery today.” · “We aim to deliver your item today between [time] and [time].”

What to do now

Wait for the next delivery to your address. Parcels can come later in the day than letters.
Make sure someone can take it in, or update the delivery options if Royal Mail offers them for your item.
If you were out, check your Safeplace, under the doormat and with your neighbours for the parcel or a Something for you card.
Check Royal Mail's service update page in case your delivery office is listed.
Still not sorted? File your complaint here. We write it with you and send it to Royal Mail, so you do not have to chase it yourself.

Start my complaint

What does “Ready for delivery” mean?

The item has been scanned in at your local delivery office. Royal Mail tries to deliver it as soon as possible and updates the status when it delivers or tries to.

Large parcels and Special Delivery items can go out separately from your usual post, so a parcel can still arrive later in the day than your letters.

Royal Mail has no separate Out for delivery status. On the delivery day the status usually stays Ready for delivery. Many tracked parcels add a delivery window, such as 'We aim to deliver your item today between 1:05 PM and 5:55 PM', and on some a View live tracking button narrows it during the round. Royal Mail words the window as an aim.

Why does Royal Mail show it?

The parcel reached your local delivery office
It goes out on a parcel round, which can be later than your letters
A Keepsafe or Redirection on the address holds it back
A short-staffed delivery office rotating its rounds

How long does it last?

It should be delivered the next time Royal Mail delivers to your address, and the status then changes to Delivered, or to a delivery attempt if nobody is in.

Other Royal Mail statuses

Fee to payTake action
DelayedKeep an eye on it
Delivery attemptedTake action
Tracking not workingNormal
In transit or We've got itKeep an eye on it
Delivered but not receivedTake action
Item retentionKeep an eye on it
We're expecting itKeep an eye on it
Returned to senderTake action

All Royal Mail statuses →

Who is responsible for a late or missing parcel from Royal Mail?

If you bought it online from a business, the seller is usually responsible until the parcel reaches you. Under UK consumer law (the Consumer Rights Act) the goods stay at the seller's risk until they are in your hands, or with someone you named to take them, unless you chose and booked the courier yourself. The Act does not mention safe places, so if you asked for a Safeplace, the seller may say the parcel was delivered.

If you sent the parcel yourself, your contract is with Royal Mail, under its terms for the service you bought. Standard cover for loss or damage is up to £20 for 1st Class, 2nd Class and Signed For, up to £75 for Tracked 24 and Tracked 48, and up to £750 for Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm.

Questions about “Ready for delivery”

What does Ready for delivery mean on Royal Mail?

Your item has reached the local delivery office. Royal Mail tries to deliver it as soon as possible and updates the status when it delivers or tries to.

Does Ready for delivery mean it will come today?

Often, but not always. Royal Mail says it should arrive the next time it delivers to your address, which can be the next working day.

Does Royal Mail tracking say out for delivery?

Not as a status of its own. On the delivery day the status usually stays Ready for delivery, often with a line such as 'We aim to deliver your item today between' two times, and some parcels get a View live tracking button.

Why has my parcel said Ready for delivery all day?

Parcels can go out on a separate round later than letters. Some delivery offices are also behind and rotate rounds, so check Royal Mail's service update page.

Based on

Royal Mail: What does my tracking message mean? (postage tracking terms explained)
Royal Mail: My item hasn't arrived yet, what should I do?
Royal Mail: Service updates (delayed mail centres and delivery offices)
Royal Mail: Track your item (status categories and on-page messages)
royal-mail-tracking library README: Royal Mail tracking event codes and messages (secondary)
Reddit r/royalmail: Royal Mail live tracking (app screenshot: Ready for Delivery with a delivery window and View live tracking)
Bettermile: How Royal Mail delivered real-time parcel tracking (live tracking on the delivery day, case study)
legislation.gov.uk: Consumer Rights Act, section 29 (goods stay at the seller's risk until delivered)
Royal Mail: Non-account terms and conditions (holding periods, tracked product terms)
Royal Mail: UK delivery services and compensation cover