No, not every piece of mail is fully tracked with end-to-end visibility for the sender or recipient; standard letters and postcards usually aren't, but postal services use internal systems like USPS's Mail Isolation Control and Tracking (MICT) system to photograph all mail for security, while tracked services provide unique numbers for detailed monitoring.
Please keep in mind that not everything has a tracking number. Postcards and First-Class Mail® letters without extra services fall into this category. We invite all customers to sign up for Informed Delivery® notifications by USPS®.
Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide can only be tracked if you've bought a service with a tracking or reference number. You'll need the reference number on your Post Office receipt to track your items.
Auspost tracking remains publically available for 3 months from the last scanned event.
Using the tracking numbers, you can check the delivery status online at USPS Tracking®. If sent with First-Class Mail service and also has a trackable service (i.e., USPS Tracking® service, Signature Confirmation™, or Certified Mail® service), you can check the delivery status online at USPS Tracking®.
Images are only provided for letter-sized mailpieces that are processed through USPS's automated equipment. You won't get images of mail that isn't processed this way, like magazines or catalogs. You also won't see images of packages, just status updates. Sometimes, mail arrives without ever showing up as a preview.
USPS® Mail Search
When we receive your Missing Mail search request, we will send you a confirmation email. We will also send you periodic updates about the search. If we find your package or mail, we will send it to the address you provided. Please note, sometimes we cannot find missing mail items.
Every driver carries a handheld scanner so you can sign upon receipt of your parcel, and so we capture proof of delivery.
The United States Postal Service handles over 143 billion pieces of mail annually, including 6.2 billion packages. Despite this volume, the USPS maintains a relatively low loss rate—estimated between 0.1% and 0.5% of packages. Yet even 0.5% of 6.2 billion means over 30 million packages go missing every year.
The Postal Service could improve customer tracking messaging as it does not always provide reliable information on the status and location of packages. We found that messages for 318 of 500 packages (64 percent) did not accurately reflect the location, time, and/or date of the packages we observed.
In addition to providing tracking for services like Priority Mail and Ground Advantage, the USPS also offers tracking and proof of delivery for First-Class mail. Mailers can get this extra security with USPS Certified Mail®.
Compensation Payments for loss
Claims for loss must be made within 80 calendar days of the date of posting, or no claim will be entertained. Royal Mail has no legal liability for any loss if at the time of the claim 80 days has expired from the date of posting.
With signed for delivery, it only shows where a parcel is once it has been signed for, there is no visibility en route. Whereas with parcel tracking you can view where the package is and its delivery progress along the way.
Whichever option you choose — at the Post Office retail counter or online at USPS.com — you'll have access to the same USPS Tracking® information. Just remember to hold on to your retail receipt! The Postal Service cannot track or locate an item without the tracking number.
You have to use a system USPS calls "Informed Visibility" tracking. It's available to all business mailers, and it works for any envelopes, cards, tri-folds, etc. that you send. Informed Visibility tracking is great for small to medium-volume shippers who aren't using parcel services but still need tracking.
Flat rate shipping rates automatically include tracking and insurance. USPS flat shipping rates include online tracking and up to $100 insurance (for most shipments) at no additional cost.
Here are the drawbacks of FedEx: Complaints of lost packages: No shipping carrier can guarantee flawless delivery 100% of the time — shipping delays and lost packages can happen with any service. However, many customers have reported delivery issues with FedEx — they lost the most packages in 2022.
While statistics can vary, major carriers like USPS report that less than 1% of mail is lost or misdelivered.
A study by technology company Postal, found that between 2022 and 2024, more than 542,000 pieces of mail were lost or went missing in the U.S.
Arrange redelivery of the item online to the same or an alternative address. Redeliveries can take approximately 3 to 5 working days to be delivered. If you believe that your item should have been delivered, but you have not received a DIB, then it is most likely that your item is still in transit.
Registered Mail®: USPS's most secure mail service–mail is processed manually, handled separately and securely, and signed for along every step of its journey. The recipient must sign for the mail to confirm delivery (or attempted delivery).
A USPS package is considered lost if it hasn't been delivered or updated in the tracking system for 7 days (Priority Mail) or 15 days (First-Class). Customers can file a missing mail search or claim for insured packages after this period.
Wait seven business days after mailing. If your item hasn't arrived, fill out a Missing Mail Search Request using the tracking number, mailing date, package description, and any photos you might have.
Lost packages are often found, particularly if they are reported within a few days of being marked as lost. The recovery rate can vary depending on the shipping carrier and the actions taken by the sender and recipient.