UPS tracking status

UPS says delivered but no package: what to do

The short answer

Take action

UPS recorded your package as delivered, but you have not found it. It is often somewhere nearby, with a neighbor or at a front desk, sometimes at the wrong address, and occasionally taken after delivery, so start looking and asking the same day.

When to act: If you cannot find the package by the end of the next day, file a complaint and we send it to UPS.

Also shown as: “Delivered” · “Left At: Front Door” · “Left At: Dock” · “Received By: DRIVER RELEASE”

What to do now

Check the tracking details for 'Left At', 'Received By' and any delivery photo, and compare it with your door. If you recognize the house in the photo, ask there.
Look around all exterior doors, the porch, the back patio and the garage, and ask neighbors and anyone who may have picked it up, as UPS advises.
If you have a doorbell or security camera, check the recording around the delivery time.
Save a screenshot of the tracking details with the delivery time, 'Left At' or 'Received By' and any photo, and keep your order number.
Still not sorted? File your complaint here. We write it with you and send it to UPS, so you do not have to chase it yourself.

Start my complaint

Says delivered, but it is not here with another courier

Tracking says delivered but nothing arrived: who is responsible? →

What is going on

'Delivered' means the driver scanned the package at the destination with a timestamp. If no signature was needed, UPS says the driver tries to leave it out of plain sight and out of harmful weather, for example on a front or back porch, at a side door or in a garage area. The tracking details usually say where ('Left At') or who took it ('Received By'), and UPS may show a delivery photo.

'Received By: DRIVER RELEASE' means nobody signed: the driver left the package at the address, either because no signature was required or because the shipper or you authorized a release. Some recipients also see 'Met Customer', which usually means the driver handed it to someone at the address. If the photo shows a door that is not yours, the package probably went to the wrong address.

Why it happens

Left out of sight at a side door, on a back porch or in a garage
Taken in by a neighbor, a family member or building staff
Delivered to a mailroom, loading dock or locker
Delivered to a nearby or similar address
Scanned as delivered shortly before the actual drop-off
Taken from your doorstep after delivery

What usually happens next

A package left with a neighbor or a front desk usually turns up within a day. If it does not, the seller can start a claim, and UPS says it usually resolves claims in 8 to 10 business days. UPS pays claims to the shipper, so a replacement or refund usually comes from the seller.

Other UPS statuses

Label createdNormal
DelayKeep an eye on it
Out for deliveryNormal
On the wayNormal
ExceptionKeep an eye on it
Delivery attemptedTake action
Address information requiredTake action
Clearance in progressKeep an eye on it
Warehouse scanKeep an eye on it

All UPS statuses →

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 “Delivered but not received”

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 do I do if UPS delivered my package to the wrong address?

Check the delivery photo and ask the neighbor if you recognize the house. If you cannot find the package by the end of the next day, file a complaint on Complain.biz and we send it to UPS.

What does 'Received By: DRIVER RELEASE' mean?

Nobody signed. The driver left the package at the address, either because no signature was required or because the shipper or you authorized a release. A release the shipper chose is at the shipper's risk.

Can a package marked delivered still turn up?

Often, yes. A package left with a neighbor or a front desk usually turns up within a day, and one scanned as delivered shortly before the actual drop-off can still arrive later that day.

Based on

UPS: What does my UPS tracking status mean?
UPS: Tracking support FAQ
UPS: File a claim
UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service, United States (PDF)
Paketda: UPS status 'Received By: DRIVER RELEASE' (German)