How long before a stuck package is lost?
Most "stuck" packages aren't lost. Packages stop getting scans while they're on a truck, inside a container, or in a trailer waiting to be unloaded. A few days without a scan is normal, more so in November and December.
Rules checked against the official pages on November 14, 2026.
Rough timeline (business days with no new scan)
- 1-3 days: normal at most ground hubs and USPS plants, longer at peak.
- 3-5 days: worth checking the facility page for alerts and contacting the sender.
- 5-7+ days: file a USPS Help Request / Missing Mail search, or have the shipper open a UPS or FedEx trace.
- After the carrier says it's lost: claim (sender) or marketplace refund (buyer).
The official rules and deadlines
| Who | Rule | Who files | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| USPS | You can submit a USPS Missing Mail search starting 7 days from the mailing date. It asks for both addresses, the container size and type, the tracking number and mailing date, a description of the contents and photos. The page doesn't say who must file, and it asks for both the sender's and recipient's addresses. | either | Official page |
| USPS | USPS's tracking FAQ says to submit a service request (Help Request) to the local Post Office if an item isn't delivered more than 1 postal business day after Delivered, Out for Delivery, Arrived at Post Office or Awaiting Delivery Scan, or more than 24 hours after No Access to Delivery Location. Older USPS wording said to wait 7 business days after a help request before a Missing Mail search. The current Missing Mail page only says 7 days from mailing. | either | Official page |
| USPS | Lost Priority Mail Express: you can file a claim no sooner than 7 days after the mailing date and no later than 60 days. Either the sender or the recipient can file, but whoever files must have the original mailing receipt. | either | Official page |
| USPS | Lost Priority Mail, USPS Ground Advantage, Insured Mail, COD, Registered Mail and Priority Mail Express COD: file no sooner than 15 days after the mailing date and no later than 60 days. Uninsured items generally can't be paid: "USPS may not legally pay compensation for uninsured lost or damaged articles." | either | Official page |
| USPS | Domestic claims for lost, damaged or missing contents must be filed no later than 60 days after the mailing date. Damaged or missing contents can be claimed right away. | either | Official page |
| USPS | APO/FPO Priority Mail Express Military: 21 to 180 days after mailing. APO/FPO/DPO insured or registered (Priority, First-Class, Ground Advantage, SAM, PAL): 45 days to 1 year. Surface-only insured: 75 days to 1 year. | either | Official page |
| USPS | A denied USPS claim can be appealed within 30 days of the decision, and a second appeal is allowed within 30 days of the first appeal's denial. | either | Official page |
| USPS | USPS Ground Advantage includes up to $100 of insurance against loss or damage in the price, for outbound and return shipments. The package needs a USPS Tracking barcode to qualify. Senders can buy more coverage, up to $5,000. | either | Official page |
| USPS | Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express include up to $100 of insurance in the price for most shipments, if the package has a USPS Tracking barcode. Priority Mail insurance isn't included when it's bought with certain extra services. More coverage is usually available. | either | Official page |
| USPS | Priority Mail Express has a money-back guarantee: postage is refundable if the item didn't arrive by the guaranteed time on the receipt. Request it 2 to 30 days after mailing, or 30 to 60 days if an extra service was bought with it. You need the tracking number and the receipt, and each tracking number allows one refund request. Since August 1, 2023, USPS no longer processes guaranteed-service refunds for PME to or from Alaska and Hawaii (loss refunds still apply). | sender | Official page |
| USPS | Refunds for extra services that weren't provided (for example non-delivery when USPS is at fault) can be requested 30 to 60 days after mailing, and only by the person who paid for the extra service. | sender | Official page |
| UPS | Start a UPS claim within 60 days of the scheduled delivery date for lost or damaged packages, or for a COD payment that wasn't received. Recipients and third parties can file as a guest unless the shipper's account blocks it. Approved claim payments go to the shipper. | either | Official page |
| UPS | UPS says you can typically expect a resolution in 8 to 10 business days unless more investigation is needed. Payment is sent to the shipper about 3 days after payment documents are validated. | either | Official page |
| UPS | UPS's liability for a lost or damaged domestic package is limited to $100 unless the shipper declared a higher value and paid for it when creating the shipment. Declared value isn't insurance, and the maximum is $50,000 per package. Source: the 2026 UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service (effective April 17, 2026), section 56, linked from this page. | sender | Official page |
| UPS | The UPS Service Guarantee is active only for Next Day Air Early, Next Day Air, Next Day Air Saver (guaranteed time extended to end of day) and 2nd Day Air A.M., plus listed Worldwide Express and Saver services. It "remains suspended for all other UPS shipments and services," including UPS Ground. Shipments affected by events like the FAA ground stop are excluded, according to UPS Service Alerts. | sender | Official page |
| UPS | Holiday 2026: delivery times for Air and International Air packages scheduled Nov. 27 - Jan. 2 are extended (for example, residential Next Day Air until end of day). Some UPS Ground and UPS Standard packages from Nov. 16, 2026 to Jan. 8, 2027 will need extra transit time. | sender | Official page |
| FedEx | FedEx Express and Ground: file a claim for damaged or missing contents no later than 60 calendar days from the ship date for U.S. packages. Recipients can file their own claim, or ask the merchant to file or send a replacement. | either | Official page |
| FedEx | International packages: file a claim for damaged or missing contents no later than 21 calendar days from the ship date. | either | Official page |
| FedEx | Claims for undelivered or lost FedEx shipments must be filed within nine months of the ship date. The key number is nine months, not a day count. | either | Official page |
| FedEx | For U.S. package services, FedEx's liability for each package is limited to $100 unless the shipper declares a higher value and pays the extra charge. FedEx says declared value isn't insurance, and the shipper has to prove actual damages. Source: the Terms and Conditions in the 2026 FedEx Service Guide, "Declared value and limits of liability". | sender | Official page |
| FedEx | FedEx's Money-Back Guarantee is active again only for some time-definite Express services. It was reinstated for U.S. domestic FedEx First Overnight, Priority Overnight, Standard Overnight and 2Day A.M. (plus the Extra Hours contract versions) shipped on or after Jan. 13, 2026, and for International First, International Priority, International Priority Express, International Priority Freight and International Priority DirectDistribution shipped on or after Feb. 12, 2026 (U.S. payers). FedEx says the guarantee "for all other U.S. and international package and freight services and FedEx Office services remains suspended", so it doesn't cover FedEx Ground, Home Delivery, Express Saver or regular 2Day. Holiday 2026: A.M. commitment times of 12 p.m. or earlier are extended 90 minutes from Nov. 23, 2026 to Jan. 4, 2027. Shipments hit by events named in FedEx Service Alerts (such as the Middle East disruption) aren't eligible. | sender | Official page |
| Amazon | A-to-z Guarantee, item not received (third-party sellers): you can file once 3 days have passed since the latest estimated delivery date, or once tracking shows delivery, whichever is sooner. (amazon.com blocks automated fetches with 403/503. This was checked against the search-engine copy of this Amazon help page on 2026-11-14.) | recipient | Official page |
| Amazon | Before filing an A-to-z claim you must contact the seller and wait more than 48 hours without a response or fix. (amazon.com blocks automated fetches with 403/503. This was checked against the search-engine copy of this Amazon help page on 2026-11-14.) | recipient | Official page |
| Amazon | An A-to-z claim must be requested within 90 days of the order's latest possible delivery date. Some Amazon pages, such as Amazon Pay UK, count 90 days from the order date. (amazon.com blocks automated fetches with 403/503. This was checked against the search-engine copy of this Amazon help page on 2026-11-14.) | recipient | Official page |
| eBay | eBay Money Back Guarantee, item not received: report it after the estimated (or actual) delivery date has passed, and no later than 30 calendar days after that date. | recipient | Official page |
| eBay | The seller has 3 business days after the report to respond with tracking, an update or a refund. The buyer can ask eBay to step in from 3 business days up to 21 business days after the report. eBay may step in on its own if there's no valid tracking. | recipient | Official page |
| Etsy | Etsy Purchase Protection: send the seller a Help with order request first. You can open a case once the order's estimated delivery date has passed and 48 hours have passed since that request. You need a registered Etsy account (guest buyers must create one). Etsy's seller help page adds that non-delivery cases can only be opened 7+ days after the maximum estimated delivery date. | recipient | Official page |
| Etsy | The last day to open an Etsy case is 30 days after the order's estimated delivery date. Etsy shows the exact deadline in the Still need help? section of the Help with order request. (Etsy used to allow 100 days.) | recipient | Official page |
| Etsy | Etsy counts an order as late when it arrives 7 or more days after the estimated delivery date shown at checkout. Late, lost and damaged items are eligible issues, but extraordinary events such as natural disasters, carrier strikes and war are excluded. | recipient | Official page |
Questions
Does "In Transit" with no updates mean it's lost?
Not usually. "In transit" with no new scan for a few days most often means the package is on a truck or waiting to be unloaded at the next hub.
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