What Does the USPS Tracking Status “Delivered to Agent for Final Delivery” Mean?
Some USPS tracking statuses are straightforward, such as “Arrived at USPS Facility”, “Arrived at Post Office”, or “Delivered”. Others may raise questions. For instance, what does “Delivered to Agent for Final Delivery” mean? Who is this agent, and where can you find them? Let’s figure this out.
“Delivered to Agent for Final Delivery” means that the USPS has delivered your package to someone authorized to accept mail on behalf of the addressee. If you live in an apartment complex, this intermediary may be a doorman, concierge, property manager, or mail room employee. If your apartment complex has self-service parcel lockers, then “Delivered to Agent for Final Delivery” means that your package has been left in a locker.
If you don’t live in an apartment complex, your package may have been accepted by a family member or roommate. Packages addressed to a university campus may end up at the campus mail center. Packages addressed to an office building are usually received by the mailroom on behalf of employees.
Some sources claim that “Delivered to Agent for Final Delivery” can mean hybrid shipping, in which the USPS handles most of the delivery before handing the package off to a private carrier for final delivery. However, such arrangements do not exist. The USPS network is built specifically to deliver to every address in the United States. While the USPS does have hybrid delivery arrangements with private carriers, in these arrangements, the private carrier handles long-haul transport, and the USPS handles delivery to the recipient, not the other way around.
If your package’s tracking status is “Delivered to Agent for Final Delivery”, first check with your family members, roommates, and neighbors, as they may have accepted the package on your behalf. If your apartment building, office, or campus has a mail room, check there first. If your apartment complex does not have a dedicated mail room, ask someone who works in the reception area.
Don’t panic if your package isn’t there. Sometimes carriers scan packages early, so yours may still be on its way. Wait a day, and if it still hasn’t arrived, contact your local post office. They may be able to tell you where your package is and how to retrieve it.
If the post office cannot help you and your package does not arrive within seven days of the estimated delivery date, you can file a missing mail search request on the USPS website. Note that the USPS considers packages with the tracking status “Delivered to Agent for Final Delivery” as delivered, so they won’t know if you haven’t received your package. This is why you should be proactive and contact the USPS if you think your package has been misplaced or lost.
For international shipments originating in the US specifically, “Delivered to Agent for Final Delivery” often means that the USPS has completed its role in the delivery and that the destination country’s postal service or contracted local carrier has taken over final delivery. In this case, tracking the package via the destination country’s carrier’s website may yield more precise tracking information.