What Happens When USPS Returns to Sender?

USPS Return to Sender is a simple yet essential process within the United States Postal Service that allows you to send back mail and packages to their original sender.

Imagine you receive a piece of mail or a package that isn’t meant for you, or maybe it’s addressed to the previous occupant of your home.

Instead of keeping it or throwing it away, you can use USPS Return to Sender to ensure it gets back to the person or organization that sent it.

This service can also be helpful if you’ve moved and still receive mail at your old address.

As we go deeper, we’ll see how USPS Return to Sender works, the steps to make sure your mail and packages find their way back to where they belong, and how to track with USPS.

How Does USPS Return to Sender Work?

When something is returned to the sender, a mail carrier will retrieve it from the incorrect address, person, or email account and send it back to the sender.

Postal workers and their fast machines only have a quick moment to glance at an envelope, read what’s on it, and get it ready to be sent.

If the mail doesn’t have enough information or doesn’t have the right amount of postage, it can’t be processed.

In that case, it’s sent back to the person who sent it with a note that says “Return to Sender.”

Hence, these are the different scenarios of how USPS Return To Sender works;

1. Mail Addressed to Someone Who Doesn’t Live Here

If you get someone else’s mail, just write “Not at this address” and cross out any barcodes if you see them. This way, it won’t keep coming to you, but don’t change the address.

If this happens a lot, talk to your mail person or contact the post office to fix the problem. If you’re home when the mail person comes, give the mail back and tell them it’s not for you.

You can also put it in your mailbox with the red flag up, and they’ll take it next time.

If you can’t do that, find the nearest USPS mailbox using their website, put the mail in there, and the post office will sort it out, sending it back to the sender or the right place.

2. Mail Delivered to the Wrong Address

If you receive mail that’s not meant for you, you should simply put the misdelivered item back in your mailbox and raise the red flag. This tells your mail carrier that you have outgoing mail.

If you prefer, when your mail carrier is delivering mail, you can hand the misdelivered piece back to them directly and explain it was delivered to the wrong place.

You can also take the item to your local post office. Don’t write anything on the item, like “Return to sender.” Don’t erase or cover the address. Messing with it might cause problems.

If it needs to go back to the sender instead of the intended recipient, the post office has its way of handling it.

You can put a note outside your mailbox to let them know the person named on the mail doesn’t live at your address anymore.

3. Unwanted Mail Addressed to You

If you receive something in the mail that you don’t want, you can send it back by writing “Refused” on the package and giving it to your mail carrier.

This works for most types of mail, even if it’s addressed to you. But, if you’ve already opened it, you can’t just write “Refused” and send it back.

You’ll need to put the item in a new box or envelope, address it to the sender, and add new postage.

If the item is damaged or unwanted merchandise, the seller might give you a prepaid shipping label or cover the postage costs.

What is the Duration of the USPS Return to Sender?

Depending on the carrier’s knowledge, the United States Postal Service (USPS) will make one or two attempts.

Following the attempts, the parcel will be retained for 15 days following the first attempt at delivery before being sent back to the sender.

USPS does not charge for ‘return to sender’ unless the package has been opened.  A first-class or priority package that is refused will often be returned to the sender within one to two weeks.

It should be returned to you if it was scanned as Refused, and any tracking scans that are done will be recorded as they happen. However, to track the return, visit the USPS website.

All insured First-Class Mail, Priority Mail, and USPS Ground Advantage packages are returned and forwarded at no extra cost.

All parcel select, package services, and insured USPS marketing mail items are either returned or forwarded.

How to Track Return to Sender Packages with USPS?

You can easily check where your return-to-sender package is by using USPS’s tracking service. Just remember, this only works for USPS returns, not for UPS returns.

Here are the steps on how to track return-to-sender packages with the USPS;

1. Locate your Original Tracking Number

Finding your original tracking number is necessary before using USPS to trace your return-to-sender package.

Usually, you can find this printed on the mailing label or receipt you got when you mailed the return shipment.

2. Visit the USPS Website

After locating your circuit package tracker’s tracking number, go to the USPS website.

On the same website, you can also request a package intercept or create a return label.

3. Enter your Tracking Number

Find and select the “Track & Manage” tab from the website’s homepage. Then, to monitor your USPS shipment, enter your original tracking number in the designated space.

Use the return label that comes with the package if you need to return it. Please get in touch with customer care if you need to stop the package while it is on its way.

4. Check for Updates

Click “Track Package” once your tracking number has been entered. Any updates that are available for your return-to-sender package will then be visible to you.

Dealing with returned mail can be tricky if you’re not familiar with how it works. There are different situations where someone might need to send mail back to the sender.

Also, various mail carriers have their ways of handling it. However, the USPS is still a good choice for most people and businesses because it’s reliable.

Companies want to avoid having their mail sent back because it can hurt their business. If the person or customer doesn’t want the mail, there’s not much the sender can do.

But companies can make things better by making sure the mail gets to the right place in the first place.