Your package stopped tracking days ago. You're not sure if it's genuinely lost or just delayed somewhere in the system. And you don't know how long you're supposed to wait before you can file anything.
Here are the exact thresholds by carrier — and what to do in the meantime.
Official Lost Package Timelines by Carrier
| Carrier | Service | Days Before "Lost" |
|---|---|---|
| USPS | First Class (domestic) | 15 days past due |
| USPS | Priority Mail | 15 days past due |
| USPS | Priority Mail Express | 7 days past due |
| USPS | First Class International | 45 days from ship date |
| USPS | Priority Mail International | 40 days from ship date |
| UPS | Ground | 24 hours past due |
| UPS | International | 24 hours past due |
| FedEx | Ground | 24 hours past due |
| FedEx | International | 24 hours past due |
| DHL | Express | 10 business days past due |
| DHL | eCommerce | 30 days from ship date |
Why USPS International Takes So Long
USPS international packages route through foreign postal systems once they leave the US. Some of those systems scan packages frequently; others only at origin and destination, with nothing in between.
A package that goes quiet for 2–3 weeks while transiting through a foreign country can be moving perfectly normally. That's why USPS sets a 40–45 day window before opening a lost investigation — not because they're slow, but because that's genuinely how long some routes take.
What "Lost" Actually Means
When a carrier declares a package lost, it means they can't locate it in their system and have no evidence it was delivered. This triggers their claims process.
It doesn't mean the package is definitely gone. Carriers find "lost" packages weeks or months later — misrouted in a sorting facility, behind equipment, or mis-delivered and eventually returned. Filing a claim doesn't prevent the package from still showing up.
What to Do While You're Waiting
Days 1–7 past expected delivery:
- Check the carrier's site directly using the tracking number (not just the retailer's page)
- Check with neighbors, building management, or a mailroom
- Look for any delivery notice slips you might have missed
Days 7–14:
- Start a USPS Missing Mail search (if USPS) — this can locate packages before the official lost window opens. Go to usps.com/help/missing-mail.htm
- Message the seller to put them on notice
Days 15–30:
- File a formal carrier claim if you're past their declared threshold
- Contact the seller for a replacement or refund
- Note your credit card chargeback and platform dispute deadlines — don't let them expire while waiting
Platform Dispute Windows
These are separate from carrier timelines — and often shorter:
| Platform | When You Can Open a Dispute |
|---|---|
| AliExpress | After shipping date, before Buyer Protection expires (60–90 days from order) |
| eBay | After estimated delivery date passes |
| Amazon | 3 days after expected delivery (third-party sellers) |
| Etsy | After estimated delivery date passes |
Don't let platform windows expire while waiting on carrier investigations. Open the platform dispute first — you can always close it if the package arrives.
"No Tracking Update" Is Not the Same as "Lost"
Tracking gaps are common for entirely normal reasons:
- Economy international shipping (many services only scan at origin and final delivery)
- Customs processing (packages sit for days with no new scans)
- Handoffs between carriers (USPS hands off to national postal services with different tracking systems)
A package that exceeds the carrier's declared delivery window by 15+ days domestically or 30–45+ days internationally is a candidate for a lost claim. A package that just hasn't updated in a week is often still in transit.
Bottom Line
For domestic shipments, 15 days past expected delivery is the threshold for most carriers. For international, 40–45 days from the ship date. Know your ship date — it's the anchor for every deadline that follows.