How to Contact the United States Postal Service: Customer Support & More

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The no-nonsense guide on how to get help you need from the post office
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There are few organizations on the planet that seem as determined to avoid being contacted as the United States Postal Service, so we totally understand if you’re at your wit’s end. We’re going to do everything in our power to give you the help and info you need, so hopefully your frustration ends here. In this article, we’ll give you all of the contact methods at your disposal and explain where your time is likely best spent. We’ll also cover the common problems folks run into with the USPS, so read on.

Things You Should Know

  • Call 1 (800) 275-8777 to contact the USPS’s customer service line. This is your best bet for reaching an actual person.
  • Use the “email us” form online if you want to submit a request, help form, or get the info you need.
  • You must have a tracking or confirmation number to get past the robo menus on the phone or submit an online request.
  • If you don’t have a tracking or confirmation number, you’re probably best off going to a local post office in person to ask for assistance.
Section 1 of 7:

Phone

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    This is USPS’s main customer service number, and it’s the option that will be most likely to lead to a real person on the other end of the line. Follow the robo menus and enter your tracking or confirmation number to get the info you need.
    • All of the USPS phone numbers are available Monday through Friday from 8 am to 8:30 pm ET, and 8 am to 6 pm ET on Saturdays.
    • If you want an easy way to remember this number, it’s 1 (800) ASK-USPS.
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    If you want to know where a package is located, call this number. Follow the robo menus and enter your tracking information. You’ll get a set of options regarding tracking info to help you locate your package.
    • You can text 1-800-222-1811 if you want to get tracking info via text. Reply to the SMS prompts using HELP, INFO, AIDE, YES, or NO.
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    If you’re looking for tutorials or help with one of USPS’s online features, this is probably the number you want. You can choose from “troubleshooting” or “how to” to access sets of prerecorded guides regarding informed delivery, notification alerts, online user profile setup, and more.
    • This also pops up as “Processing and Distribution” on caller ID, so this may be your best option if you’ve got a business relationship with the post office.
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    If you want help ordering stamps or buying mailing supplies, this is the number for you. Notably, the hours for this number differ from the others. They’re only open until 4:30 pm ET during the week, and they’re closed on Saturday.
    • If you want free shipping supplies specifically, call 1 (800) 610-8734.
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Section 2 of 7:

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    Use the online “email us” form if you have a tracking/confirmation number. USPS seems to have a loose definition of what qualifies as an email. Their “email us” page contains an online fillable form, but it’s not via your email. Enter your tracking or confirmation number to pull up the form and send your request. [1]
    • If you don’t have a tracking or confirmation number, scroll down on the “email us” page. There are a bunch of FAQs that might help. Unfortunately, you can’t use the web form without a number.
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    Try emailing socialmedia@usps.gov or postalone@email.usps.gov. USPS does not publicly list either email address for customers, but frankly, they don’t make it easy to talk to a person so we’ll forgive you for giving this one a shot. Try firing off an email to one of these addresses to get a person to respond. If you’re lucky, they’ll forward it to someone who can actually help you.
    • You’re probably going to have better luck with the social media email. The USPS Postal One program website doesn’t look like it has been upgraded in a while.
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Section 3 of 7:

How do I get a person on the phone?

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    It is impossible to get through the robo menus to get a hold of an actual person without a tracking number. If you do have a number, call and follow the menu prompts. To get a real person, say “tracking” or “package,” enter your tracking number , and then say “customer service.”
    • It’s unclear what the distinction between the “tracking” and “package” menu options are, but both options will lead to a customer service rep. The other options (“stamps,” “mail,” and “tools”) do not appear to lead to a real person.
    • It’ll take about 7 minutes to get through the robotic menus you need to listen to, so kick up your feet and try to not get frustrated.
    • Pro tip: mute your speaker until you have to speak. The robo menu is extremely sensitive to background noise and interrupting it will require you to listen through the options again.
Section 4 of 7:

What can I do if I don’t have a tracking number?

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    For reasons beyond explanation, USPS makes it extremely difficult to get help if you don’t know your tracking or confirmation number. If you lost that info or you never got it, you may be best off just going to a physical post office and asking a staff member for help. We know that’s frustrating, but USPS doesn’t seem to offer any options. [2]
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Section 5 of 7:

Filing a Claim

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    Fill out the USPS’s online form to file a claim . You will need your mailing receipt, a tracking or label number, and proof of value (i.e. sales receipt for the cost of the package, credit card statement). You will also need proof that the package was damaged, so take photos of your package! Sign into your online account and upload the relevant documents to file your claim. [3]
    • Consult the timetables here to see how long you need to wait before you’re allowed to file a claim.
    • Unfortunately, you cannot file a claim for a missing package if it is uninsured. [4]
    • USPS doesn’t have a complaint number or any other way to file a grievance outside of filing a claim or calling customer service at 1 (800) 275-8777 and complaining to the customer service rep.
Section 6 of 7:

Missing Packages

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    Submit a help request form online to ask them to look for your mail. This is a little frustrating, but the missing mail help form needs to be completed on the same “email us” page mentioned earlier. Enter your tracking or confirmation number and follow the menu prompts to submit a help request form. [5]
    • It’s unclear what happens after you submit the form, but USPS claims they’ll start an investigation.
    • Unfortunately, USPS can’t do anything about porch pirates or thieves. They’ll just redirect you to talk to your local police.
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Section 7 of 7:

What do I do if someone dies?

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    If you are the executor, go to the post office and complete a forwarding change of address to get any remaining mail for the deceased. If you aren’t the executor, just give them any mail you receive for the deceased—they’ll take care of it. [6]
    • USPS won’t take any info from you regarding another person’s mail (alive or deceased) if you are not legally in charge of their estate, which is why the executor is in charge here.
    • If you share an address with the deceased, you’re allowed to open and manage their mail.

Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Who can I complain to in reference to a mail carrier stopping in front of my mailbox and not picking up my mail even though the flag was up?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    Your best bet is to call your local post office branch. Without a tracking number, you can't actually get a person on the phone to even talk to.
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  • Question
    Who can I contact at the USPS about having someone else's mail forwarded to me?
    Community Answer
    You can't. Having someone else's mail forwarded to you is illegal. This is mail fraud, and the punishments can be severe.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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  • Question
    Where do I find the email address for technical support?
    Donagan
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    Postalone@email.usps.gov. This is the USPS "Postal One" service, which can answer technical questions.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://emailus.usps.com/s/
      2. ↑ https://www.usps.com/help/contact-us.htm
      3. ↑ https://www.usps.com/help/claims.htm#
      4. ↑ https://www.usps.com/help/claims.htm#
      5. ↑ https://www.usps.com/help/missing-mail.htm
      6. ↑ https://www.usps.com/manage/mail-for-deceased.htm

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      If you need to contact USPS about specific shipping questions, call customer service at 1 (800) 275-8777. Alternatively, for website related questions, call tech support at 1(800) 344-7770. If it's after hours or if calling isn't convenient, you can also email them at "usps technical support @ mail ps (dot) cust help (dot) com." Finally, if you have comments or suggestions you'd like to convey, fill out a feedback form on their website. To learn how to request refunds or file a claim, keep reading!

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