Has your mail delivery been delayed around Kansas City? Here’s a way to track it
We’ve heard from a few readers recently who are experiencing interruptions to mail service in Kansas City— both at the post office counter and in their mailboxes. If this sounds like you, there’s a free USPS service that may be able to help.
Informed Delivery is a long-standing USPS program that allows customers access to digital scans of the mail coming to their home. The postal service makes these scans for electronic sorting purposes, but now you may be able to get a look at them, too. Here’s what to know about Informed Delivery.
What does Informed Delivery mean?
This system gives USPS customers (so, pretty much everyone) a glimpse into what mail is on the way to their home that day. The program provides online notifications when mail is being processed by your local post office for delivery. In the notification, you can view a digital scan of the front of letter-sized envelopes and other mail pieces like postcards.
Informed Delivery doesn’t tell you exactly when your mail has been dropped off, but it lets you know when to keep an eye on your mailbox for that important bill or a letter you’ve been expecting. Its online notification system also updates you about packages sent to your address using USPS tracking.
Will Informed Delivery get mail to my home faster?
No. Informed delivery is a notification service, not a shipping service or a special form of mail tracking. It simply allows more insight into what mail the USPS is handling for you on a given day.
How do I sign up for Informed Delivery?
Create a USPS account here.
Visit this link and select “Sign Up for Free.”
Enter your address to see whether it is eligible. If it isn’t eligible, your address may not be in the Informed Delivery system yet. Check back later to see if it has been added.
Verify your identity by entering a U.S. cell phone number where the USPS can text a verification code. If you don’t have a U.S. cell phone number, you can also request verification by paper mail.
Enter the verification code to complete your account setup.
You should begin receiving notifications about incoming mail within three business days. Here’s what your account dashboard will look like until then:
Does Informed Delivery cost money?
No. It is free to create an account and monitor incoming mail through Informed Delivery.
Where can I go with more questions about Informed Delivery?
Check out the USPS’s Informed Delivery FAQ at the bottom of this page. You can also contact your local post office about specific delivery issues.
Do you have more questions about government services like mail delivery in Kansas City? Ask the service journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.
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