What Does USPS Awaiting Delivery Scan Mean? | [2022 Guide]

Package tracking capabilities have gotten very good over the past few years. When most people order items from online businesses, they constantly refresh their tracking status to see when the item will arrive. Everyone wants their item to come as soon as possible, and they tend to get impatient when the tracking information does not update quickly enough. Similarly, you might get antsy if you see a message you do not recognize. The USPS Awaiting Delivery Scan is one of the messages that often confuses people. So, just what does this message mean for your package arrival? Keep reading as we give you all the details about what to expect when you see this status message.

 

What Does USPS Awaiting Delivery Scan Mean?

So, what does Awaiting Delivery Scan mean? The USPS Awaiting Delivery Scan message can often be confusing, and it can mean a couple of different things. Here is what the message typically means and what you can expect after seeing it. The first scenario could be that your package was scanned for delivery but was never delivered. Perhaps it got lost on the truck or overlooked as the mail carrier made his rounds. This is usually the worst-case scenario as it can take a couple of days before the United States Postal Service realizes the package did not get delivered.

Next, it could mean that the postal worker forgot to scan your package when it was loaded onto the truck for delivery. Your package may be out for delivery, and you might still get it that day. However, the missing scan could cause you to see the Awaiting Delivery Scan status message. Finally, the mail carrier may have forgotten to scan your package when they dropped it at your house. This is the best-case scenario because your package is already delivered. In that case, there is nothing else that you need to do except enjoy the new item that you ordered!

 

What Does USPS Awaiting Item Mean?

This is a similar status that also causes confusion with many customers. The USPS Awaiting Item is often a status that you see early in the shipping process. This means that the post office has not received your item from the shipper yet. Most shippers, especially those who run eCommerce businesses, have shipping accounts with the postal service. This allows them to print their own shipping labels and drop off packages in bulk at the post office. Here is what happens when they do that.

First, when the shipping label is created, a tracking number is created and assigned to that package. The label will also contain a barcode for easy scanning of the package as it moves through the USPS infrastructure. Once that tracking number has been created, it will start to show up in the USPS tracking data. However, remember that the package has not even been taken to the post office yet. During this time, you will see the USPS Awaiting Item status. This means that the tracking number is valid, but the post office has not yet received your item. Once the shipper takes the item to the post office, it will get an initial scan. You should then see the status update to either “Package Acceptance Pending” or “In Transit.” These status messages will be discussed in more detail in the next section, but the package should start moving on its way to your destination soon.

 

Other Common USPS Tracking Statuses

The two status messages mentioned above are not the only ones that cause confusion with customers. There are many potential messages that you might see when tracking your package, and it can be difficult to keep up with what they all mean. Here are some of the most common messages that you will see, plus what they mean for your delivery.

 

— Package Acceptance Pending

This message usually pops up when the seller does a high volume of shipping and ships multiple orders at once. This is often the case with Amazon sellers who package and ship their own items. The seller may print labels for each package and include them as part of a bulk drop-off at their local post office. When dropping the items, the post office will scan the barcode on the bulk item sheet that lists all the packages in the shipment. However, you will see the Package Acceptance Pending message until your individual package has been scanned into the system. So, this message means that your item has arrived at the post office as part of a bulk shipment, but it has not been individually scanned into the system yet. You might also see a similar message that states USPS Currently Awaiting Package that essentially means the same thing.

 

— Accepted

This should be the next status that you see after the Package Acceptance Pending message above. Once your item has been scanned into the system, the package is then considered Accepted. You should now be able to track the package individually, and you will see specific updates on the tracking for that one particular package. It is no longer associated with the bulk drop-off from the shipper, but rather it can be tracked just as if it were the only package being shipped at that time.

 

— In Transit

This is a common message that will often display for the majority of the time while your package is en route to your location. In Transit simply means that the package is traveling through the USPS infrastructure on its way to final delivery status. The package might be on a truck, plane, or inside a postal facility. This is a good message as it means that the item is making its way to you. In some cases, you might even see this message for several days as the package travels from one place to another. This is especially true if the item is traveling a long distance, like across the country. You might think that your USPS package is not moving, but more than likely, it is just traveling from one location to the next.

 

— Departed From USPS Facility

Your package will usually make its way through several USPS sorting facilities along its route. The farther it travels, the more facilities it is likely to go through. Packages typically get scanned upon their arrival to each facility as well as at their departure from the facility. Departed From USPS Facility means that your package has left the sorting facility and is headed to the next stop on its destination. This could be another sorting facility or your local post office where final delivery will occur. You might also wonder what does Destination Scan mean? That message usually means that your item has been through its arrival scan at the next destination on its trip.

 

— In Transit To Next Facility

As mentioned above, your package will travel through several sorting facilities as part of the overall delivery process. There could be as many as four or five separate facilities that your item will pass through as it travels. In Transit To Next Facility means that it is actively traveling toward the next sorting facility. It has already been scanned out of its current facility and placed onto the vehicle for transport to the next location. Again, this transport could be via truck, plane, or some other method. Usually, this message will display for no longer than a couple of days, although it is possible it could last as long as a week in some cases.

 

— Out For Delivery

This is one of the best notifications to get when you order something from an online retailer. This means that your item has left your local post office and is on the postal vehicle for final delivery. Your item should be arriving the same day you see this message! More than likely, your package will arrive around the same time as your regular USPS mail delivery. Sometimes, your package might be on a different truck than your regular mail — especially around the holidays or if it’s a package from Amazon. The post office will often use dedicated package delivery vehicles during busy times and to make deliveries for Amazon.

 

— Delivered

This is one of the best status messages that you will see. It means that your package has had a successful delivery and is likely sitting in your mailbox or on your doorstep. This message will also give you an exact delivery time when your package was dropped at your house, and you might sometimes see additional details about where the package was left. The Delivered status is the last one that you will see in your tracking history, and no additional updates are made once the package has been delivered.

 

— Status Not Available

There are a number of reasons why you might see this message. First, the USPS system might be down, and the tracking is not updating. In that case, you will likely see an update the next day. However, it could also mean that your USPS package has been lost or damaged. For some reason, the post office may be unable to scan the tracking bar code. If you do not see an update on the USPS website to this status within a couple of days, then you will have to contact customer service to determine the cause of the issue.

 

USPS Delivery Schedule

So, what does the weekly USPS delivery schedule look like? USPS delivers regular first-class mail and packages on Monday through Saturday. Regular mail delivery does not occur on Sunday. However, some Amazon deliveries take place on Sunday, as do certain express services like Priority Mail Express. In addition, USPS adheres to the Federal holiday schedule. They do not deliver mail or packages on Federal holidays.

The time at which your mail gets delivered each day depends on where you are located along the carrier’s route. If your house is toward the beginning of the route, your mail and packages should get delivered early in the day. However, if you are located at the end of the route, then it could be as late as 8:00 PM before you see your mail each day.

 

How Long You Should See “Awaiting Delivery Scan” Status

In most cases, you should only see this status for one or two days. Typically, your package will be delivered either the same day or the next day from the time you see this message. However, in the event of a lost package, this status could remain for several days. It could take the post office a couple of days to realize the package is lost and then a few more days to find it. It might be quicker to head down to the post office and attempt to pick up the package instead of waiting on another delivery attempt.

 

When To Contact The Post Office

So, when should you contact the post office with tracking issues? If you see the Awaiting Delivery Scan USPS message for more than two days, then go ahead and contact the post office. This likely means there is an issue with your delivery, and you can have the post office start looking into the problem.

Remember that some other status messages may remain longer than a couple of days without an issue. If you see the In Transit message, then you should not contact the post office until at least a week has passed without any updates. It can sometimes take several days for your package to move from one facility to the next, so it is not uncommon for the In Transit message to be displayed for several days.

 

The Bottom Line

The Awaiting Delivery Scan message can have a few different meanings, but it most likely means that your package simply did not get scanned correctly. It could be that the package was not scanned when it was loaded onto the truck for delivery, or it might even mean that the bar code did not get scanned when the package was delivered. The worst case would be when the package was loaded for delivery but was then lost before being delivered. In that case, you might end up filing a claim with the post office for a lost package.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What is the difference between a scan and a delivery scan?

Scans occur at many points along the way for a package as it moves through the USPS infrastructure. This could be as it arrives or leaves a sorting facility. It might also get scanned when it arrives at your local post office or is loaded onto the truck for delivery. However, the delivery scan occurs when your package makes it to its final destination. The delivery scan is the scan that takes place when the final delivery of the package happens.

 

How long does it take to await the delivery scan?

In most cases, this status message is cleared within a day or two. In some cases, it might stay longer than this. However, that usually signals that there is a problem with delivery. If you see the Awaiting Delivery Scan message for more than two days with no other updates, then you should go ahead and contact the post office for assistance.

 

What should I do while awaiting a delivery scan?

There is nothing that you need to do while waiting for the delivery scan. It means that your package is still on its way to your location, and it should be delivered soon. The only time that you need to act is when this message remains unchanged for too long. If more than two days pass with no updates to the Awaiting Delivery Scan tracking status, then go ahead and contact USPS customer service for help in locating your package.

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