UPS tracking
UPS tracking statuses explained
UPS moves packages through its own network of hubs and local delivery centers, with its main air hub in Louisville, Kentucky. Each scan (pickup, arrival at and departure from a facility, loading onto the delivery vehicle, delivery) updates your tracking, but UPS notes that on long trips a package may not be scanned again until it reaches the destination hub. Some lower-cost shipments are handed to the US Postal Service for the last mile, and missed deliveries can go to a UPS Access Point such as The UPS Store.
Every UPS tracking status explained
| Status | What it means | Should you worry? |
|---|---|---|
| Label created | The seller has created a UPS shipping label, but UPS does not have your package yet. | Normal |
| Delay | Your package is behind its scheduled delivery date and UPS expects it to arrive later. | Keep an eye on it |
| Delivered but not received | UPS recorded your package as delivered, but you have not found it. | Take action |
| Out for delivery | Your package is at your local UPS facility and on, or about to go on, today's delivery truck. | Normal |
| On the way | UPS has your package and it is moving through the UPS network toward you, with a scheduled delivery date. | Normal |
| Exception | Your package is in the UPS network, but something unexpected happened that may change its delivery date. | Keep an eye on it |
| Delivery attempted | A UPS driver tried to deliver your package but could not complete it, usually because a signature was needed and… | Take action |
| Address information required | UPS cannot deliver your package until it has a complete, correct address. | Take action |
| Clearance in progress | Your package is in the destination country and going through customs. | Keep an eye on it |
| Warehouse scan | UPS is holding your package in a storage area at one of its facilities instead of moving it on. | Keep an eye on it |
UPS delays
Delays tend to build up in the weeks before Christmas, during severe weather and when a big hub such as Louisville is disrupted, and UPS lists active disruptions on its service alerts page. A package handed to UPS after the day's latest pickup time usually loses a day, and tracking says so: 'A day delay is likely'.
Is your package from UPS late or missing?
What goes wrong with UPS
From 116 complaints about UPS filed on Complain.biz. One complaint can mention several problems.
Who is responsible for a late or missing package from UPS?
If you bought it online from a business, the seller is usually responsible until the package is delivered to you. The seller chose UPS, paid for the shipping and is the one UPS pays on a claim, so a late, lost or damaged order is in most cases for the seller to put right, with a replacement or a refund.
If you sent the package yourself, your contract is with UPS, under the UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service. UPS's liability is limited to $100 per package unless you declared a higher value and paid for it when shipping, and UPS is not liable for late delivery except on services sold with its service guarantee.
Questions about UPS tracking
How long does UPS Label Created usually last?
Usually a business day or two, until the next UPS pickup or drop-off. It can last longer if the seller prints labels early or ships only on certain days. UPS does not control this stage.
Why is my UPS package delayed?
The tracking details name the cause, such as severe weather, a mechanical failure, a late trailer, holiday closures or operating conditions. Most are problems in the UPS network rather than with your package.
Why does UPS say delivered when it's not?
The driver scanned it as delivered at a stop. Usually the package is nearby or with a neighbor. Less often it went to a similar address, was scanned before it was dropped off, or was taken after delivery.
What time will UPS deliver if it says Out for Delivery?
UPS says homes typically get deliveries between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., and drivers can deliver as late as 9 p.m., later in the holiday season. Businesses are generally delivered by close of business.
What is the difference between On the Way and Out for Delivery?
'On the Way' means the package is moving through the UPS network. 'Out for Delivery' means your local UPS facility has dispatched it to a driver for delivery that day.
Based on
- UPS: File a claim
- UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service, United States (PDF)