Express Mail is a service that helps you get your mail to its destination in the United States overnight.
It’s available only to domestic customers and is one of the most popular services offered by the United States Postal Service, or USPS.
This guide will answer common questions about how Express Mail works and how to use it:
1. What Is USPS Express Mail?
USPS Express Mail is a popular option for sending packages within the United States. It’s one of the fastest USPS services to get a package from point A to point B for an additional charge.
Two types of USPS Express Mail are available: Priority Express Mail and Global Express Guaranteed.
Priority Mail Express is a mail service that offers guaranteed overnight delivery in most cases. For some ZIP codes, it is a 2-day delivery.
The cost depends on how fast you need your package delivered and where it’s going.
Global Express Guaranteed is a service that guarantees delivery in three days or less. This service is available for all other international and many domestic destinations within the United States.
2. How Do I Track My USPS Express Mail Order?
The USPS Express Mail tracking system allows you to track your order from start to finish. You can check the status of your package at any time by entering the tracking number into the website.
If you want to track your package, you’ll need to find the tracking number first.
You can locate your unique tracking number in the following:
- The Proof of shipment from the U.S. Postal Service
- Evidence of purchase for insurance policies purchased from the Postal Service
- Notification of shipment by email if you used USPS.com.
- Your online store’s shipment confirmation email.
- Part of your USPS Tracking label that you can remove from the bottom
3. Where Can I Purchase USPS Express Mail Labels?
You can find Express Mail labels in any USPS retail location or online. They are free and come in packs of 50.
To use the label, fill in the address and affix it to the package. When you bring it to the post office, the postal clerk will weigh your package and collect postage at the counter.
If shipping internationally, you must also provide customs forms with your package.
If you decide to purchase the label online, you can just print it, affix it to the package, and drop it off at a USPS mailbox or post office.
Read also: Does USPS Forward All Types of Mail? (We Checked)
4. Is USPS Express the Same as Overnight?
USPS Express Mail is the same as overnight shipping, but it’s not always available in all locations.
To get something delivered overnight, you must ensure that the service is available in your location.
If the item is going to a location that doesn’t have overnight delivery available, USPS will deliver it as soon as possible. This is usually within two business days.
5. What Are Your Options if USPS Express Mail Is Late?
If you’re wondering what your options are if USPS Express Mail is late, the good news is that they offer a full refund if your letter or package is not delivered within the specified time frame.
Several criteria affect this policy, such as the package’s drop-off time and the starting and ending zip codes.
If the U.S. Postal Service delays a package, you can file a claim with them to get your money back. You can do this in person at any post office or online by going to USPS.com and using their online tracking tool.
6. Can I Use a Regular Envelope for Express Mail?
USPS provides flat-rate envelopes you can use for free, but you can use a regular envelope for Express Mail.
However, just like any other mail, you must ensure the envelope is rigid and strong enough to protect the contents from damage.
If you are mailing an express mail package, there is a 70-pound weight limit. The total length and width cannot exceed 108 inches.
If your package exceeds these dimensions, you will incur an oversize shipping cost.
Additionally, a dimension-noncompliance fee is assessed for failure to provide exact dimensions or to pay the DIM weight rate where applicable.
7. Is USPS Express Mail Delivered Separately?
USPS Express Mail is delivered separately from regular mail.
It is sent from the origin to the destination by air, making it possible to arrive sooner than regular mail.
In addition, it is delivered by a different process than regular mail. It is not sorted with regular mail.
Instead, it is given priority and sent directly to the post office that serves your city or town.
Read also: Does USPS Check Packages Weight & Dimensions? We found out for you!
8. How Late in the Day Will USPS Deliver Express Mail?
The USPS promises to deliver Express Mail by 6 pm anywhere in the continental US. This is useful if you need to send an important document and don’t want it sitting on a porch or in an office all day.
If you are waiting for an important document to be delivered with Express Mail, check the tracking information.
If your package has not been delivered by 6 pm, contact USPS to find out whether it will be delivered by the next day or if there is any way you can pick up your item.
9. Where Can I Drop off Express Mail for USPS?
If the express mail packages fit, you can deposit them in any blue mailbox or Post Office mail drop slot.
However, if you want to ensure USPS has received the package and will be sorted immediately for processing, it is best to go to the Post Office.
When you go into the Post Office, you can ask an employee to put a stamp on your package or take it directly to their processing area. When they receive your package, they will process it immediately so it can get on its way as quickly as possible.
In addition, if there are any problems with the address or weight of your package, you can address them immediately instead of waiting days or weeks until it gets back to you so that you can fix it.
You can use the locator tool on USPS.com to find the nearest post office location.
10. Who Can Deliver Express Mail for USPS?
There are no agreements between the US Postal Service and private companies to deliver Express Mail.
Furthermore, USPS is the only overnight shipping service that can deliver to a PO Box. Other carriers, such as UPS and FedEx, cannot do so.
Nonetheless, the USPS and FedEx have an agreement under which FedEx Express will transport USPS Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail parcels from airport to airport across the United States.
Read also: Does USPS Open Or Inspect Packages? We explain here!
11. What Is the Difference Between Certified Mail and Express Mail?
USPS Express Mail is a service that allows you to send packages quickly, with guaranteed delivery.
It’s the perfect choice for when you need to send a package in a hurry.
The difference between certified mail and express mail is that certified mail only comes with an extra layer of security. It is similar to insurance for your package.
Certified mail will have a tracking number, but it won’t come with a guarantee that the package will be delivered promptly or on time.
12. Why Is My Priority Mail Express Not Updating Its Tracking Status?
If you’re tracking a package via USPS Priority Mail Express and it’s not updating its status, there are a few things to check.
First, make sure that you’ve entered the correct tracking number. If the website gives you an error when you enter the number, double-check that it’s correct.
Additionally, sometimes the tracking status of your Priority Mail Express package won’t update because it’s in a holding pattern.
The package is still on its way, but it’s being held at a sorting facility for some reason.
Finally, call USPS customer service at 1-800-222-1811 for help.
They can help you figure out what’s going on with your package and hopefully get it moving again so you can track its progress online or by phone.
Sources:
Simpl Fulfillment – Compare USPS Priority Mail to Priority Mail Express