What Does "Out for Delivery" Mean?

Yay! You just got a notification that your package is out for delivery, but what does that actually mean? Before you refresh that shipping page again, check out this article—we’ve put together everything you need to know about mailing and shipping lingo, along with delivery timetables for well-known shipping companies. Although this article won’t make your package come any sooner, you'll feel more confident about when it’s arriving on your doorstep.

Section 1 of 7:

What does “out for delivery” mean?

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“Out for delivery” means your package is on the truck and en route to you. Your shipment has left your local shipping facility and is now sitting in the back of a delivery truck, headed to your home via a delivery route.^{[1]XResearch source}
- “Out for delivery” means the same thing for all major carriers, including UPS, USPS, FedEx, Amazon, and DHL.

Section 2 of 7:

When will my "out for delivery" package arrive?

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Packages marked as “out for delivery” usually arrive by the end of the day. Your package’s arrival time depends on how close you live to the delivery facility, as well as the length of the delivery route. Still, the vast majority of packages marked as “out for delivery” arrive by the end of the shipping company’s business day.^{[2]XResearch source} Here’s when each major shipping service ends deliveries:
- USPS: 5:00 PM^{[3]XResearch source}
- UPS: 7:00 PM^{[4]XResearch source}
- FedEx: 8:00 PM^{[5]XResearch source}
- DHL: 6:00 PM^{[6]XResearch source}
- Amazon: 10:00 PM

Section 3 of 7:

Is “out for the delivery” the last step?

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“Out for delivery” means that the package has reached the final mail/shipping facility and is en route to your home. There’s no extra shipping step that comes after this.^{[7]XResearch source}

Section 4 of 7:

What's the difference between “in transit” and “out for delivery?"

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A package is considered “in transit” as it moves from shipping facility to shipping facility. Only when it is loaded on the delivery truck is your package considered “out for delivery.”^{[8]XResearch source}

Section 5 of 7:

USPS Shipping Statuses

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1
Delivery Status Not UpdatedThis means that your package is at your local post office, but it isn’t processed or out for delivery yet. If at least a day passes without any update on the status of your package, feel free to email a service request to get an update.
- You can email USPS here: https://usps.force.com/emailus/s/
2
Receptacle BlockedThe mail truck driver arrived at your home with the package, but your mailbox or front porch was completely blocked off. Don’t worry, though—if you see this memo attached to your delivery, you can either schedule a redelivery online or stop by your local post office to grab your package.
- Schedule a redelivery here: https://tools.usps.com/redelivery.htm
The mail truck driver tried to drop off your package but wasn’t able to, so they left an official notice at your home. On the following business day, simply bring the notice along with an official form of ID to the post office so you can claim your package.
The mail truck driver wasn’t able to drive to your address or get to your home for one reason or another. USPS will automatically try to redeliver your package the next day, but you can also schedule a redelivery over email if the “No Access” status doesn’t update after a day.^{[9]XResearch source}

Section 6 of 7:

UPS Shipping Statuses

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The “Exception” status shows up when your package’s delivery gets delayed for some reason. UPS will update your tracking page as soon as possible so you can get a better idea of when your package is arriving.
You’ll only see this memo if the sender submitted a request for your package to be transferred to your local post office. This status update means that your former UPS package has arrived at the post office—it just might take an extra day or 2 before it lands on your doorstep or in your mailbox.^{[10]XResearch source}

Section 7 of 7:

FedEx Shipping Statuses

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This status means that your local FedEx facility may not have gotten your package yet, so they don’t have an accurate delivery date at the ready.
This update means that your package ran into some sort of delay, but that FedEx is working really hard to get it delivered as soon as possible. FedEx officially recommends keeping tabs on your package with the original tracking number when you see this status update.
This update means that a random delay has unfortunately popped up, preventing your package from being delivered on its expected date. Issues at customs and holidays can lead to delivery exceptions.^{[11]XResearch source}

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Some shipping services will occasionally deliver past their normal business hours. For instance, a package shipped via UPS might land on your doorstep at 7:30 PM rather than 7:00.^{[12]XResearch source}
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If your package seems to be running late, call up the customer service line of the courier that’s transporting your item. You can reach USPS at 1-800-275-8777, UPS at 1-800-742-5877, FedEx at 1-800-463-3339, and DHL at 1-800-225-5345.
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