UPS Vacation Hold
Anish
November 14, 2023
Did you know that you can save up to 52% on your future shipments when you sign up for an account on the United Parcel Service (UPS) website and become a UPS My Choice member? This service allows you to make delivery changes, including putting your packages on hold.
Suppose you’re going on a one-week vacation or a business trip. If you expect a package delivery within that period, you can request UPS to hold your item until you return.
How do you request a vacation hold with UPS? How much does it cost to put your package deliveries on hold? How long will UPS hold your parcel?
This article addresses these questions and explains how to modify and cancel your hold mail request. This article also discusses where UPS holds your items and how to pick up your held package.
Other companies like Federal Express (FedEx) and the United States Postal Service (USPS) also have their hold mail services. You can read more about these services through FindPostOffice.org’s blog page.
FindPostOffice.org’s online search tool can also help you find a local post office near you if you need to send or pick up mail.
How Does UPS Vacation Hold Work?
UPS allows you to stop receiving mail and hold it for a short period. If you have a mailbox with UPS, The UPS Store can offer mail-holding services.
The UPS Store can hold your mail until you return from your travel, such as from a relaxing vacation or a business trip. This service can cost additional charges, so prepare your payment before requesting UPS to hold your mail.
However, The UPS Store and other UPS Access Point locations can hold your mail for up to seven calendar days at no extra charge if you’re a UPS My Choice member.
“How Do I Request a Vacation Hold With UPS?”
To make a UPS hold mail request, you must first sign up for a UPS My Choice account and log in to your account.
Next, go to your profile page, click the “Set My Preference” box, and select “UPS My Choice Preferences.”
Afterward, choose the relevant address, expand the “Delivery Hold Requests” block at the bottom, and click “Request a Hold.” Finally, enter your preferred dates.
How Long Does a Vacation Hold Last With UPS?
UPS My Choice offers free and paid hold mail options. If you choose the free option, you can request a hold for up to seven days. But if your trip will take longer, consider using UPS’ premium (paid) services to hold your package longer.
You can also request a UPS customer center to hold your package for up to five business days.
How Much Does UPS Vacation Hold Cost?
As mentioned above, UPS can hold your package for up to seven days for free through UPS My Choice. To extend this period, you must have a premium account that costs $19.99 yearly as of July 2023.
UPS Hold Options
The following options are available to you when using UPS hold services through UPS My Choice:
- Deliver to a UPS Access Point.
- Hold according to instructions.
- Hold the item for “will call” customer services.
- Leave the item with the neighbors.
How Do You Modify Your UPS Hold Mail Request?
If you need to modify your hold mail request, follow these steps:
- Step 1: Visit the UPS website’s hold mail page.
- Step 2: Click the “Edit/Cancel Your Hold Mail Request” option.
- Step 3: Enter your confirmation number, phone number, and email address on the pop-up menu.
- Step 4: Modify the information you want to edit.
- Step 5: Click the “Continue” button.
- Step 6: Click “Yes” after verifying your information.
After completing these steps, UPS will update your request according to your requirement.
How Do You Cancel Your UPS Hold Mail Request?
If you want to cancel your UPS Hold Mail request, follow these instructions:
- Step 1: Visit the UPS website’s hold mail page.
- Step 2: Click the “Edit/Cancel Your Hold Mail Request” option.
- Step 3: Input your email address, phone number, and confirmation number on the pop-up menu.
- Step 4: Cancel the Hold Mail request.
- Step 5: Click the “Continue” button.
- Step 6: Click “Verify Your Cancelation.”
Where Does UPS Hold Your Package?
You can choose any of the following UPS services that can accommodate your vacation hold needs:
- The UPS Store
- UPS Customer Center
- UPS Access Point locations
- UPS-partnered retail locations
“Can UPS Hold My Packages While I’m Away?”
Although UPS can hold your mail through your My Choice account, as discussed in this article, you may also want to leave your package with a neighbor or, in some cases, at another address.
Fortunately, you can make arrangements with these places through UPS My Choice delivery notifications or your delivery planner.
In other words, you can choose whether to let UPS or another location hold your mail. Depending on the final place you decide on, transportation fees apply.
“How Do I Tell UPS to Hold My Package for Pick Up?”
If you want your next UPS package to be held for pickup, you have two main options:
- Use your UPS My Choice account.
- Call UPS customer service.
If you choose to contact UPS for a package hold request, call the courier’s customer service line at 1-800-PICK-UPS (1-800-742-5877).
Once you call the number, an automated system will answer your call. Begin by saying, “Hold a package for pick up,” and the system will request more information from you.
If your package has a tracking number, keep this number because it’s the only way UPS can identify and hold your package. You can find the tracking number in any of the following:
- The confirmation email from UPS
- The email from the shipper sending the package
- The bottom of your receipt
How to Pick Up Your Package at UPS After a Hold
When your package’s holding period has passed, UPS will resume its deliveries to your address. However, you can request a pickup of your held items. For example, after using your free seven-day holding period, consider doing any of the following:
- Schedule to pick up your package from the UPS Access Point or customer center.
- Wait for UPS to resume delivery to your address on a specific date and time.
What Happens if You Don’t Pick Up Your Package From UPS?
Typically, UPS will hold a package for up to seven days. If you are the recipient and don’t pick up your parcel within this period, UPS will return the item to the sender.
Suppose UPS is holding your package, and you find out that you cannot pick it up in the specified time frame. You can call the UPS facility where your parcel is being held and ask for details or instructions on picking the item up.
“I Need to Change a UPS Delivery I’ve Sent”
You can use UPS Delivery Intercept to request delivery changes for a package you have sent before the courier makes the first delivery attempt. This service offers the following options to help you update your delivery details:
- Request the parcel to be returned to you.
- Redirect the package to a different address.
- Reschedule the delivery for another day.
- Request to hold the package for pickup by the recipient.
“I Need to Change a UPS Delivery I’m Receiving”
With a UPS.com account, you can enable UPS My Choice to reschedule or reroute your packages online. The following sections explain the steps to perform the changes to your delivery.
Open Your Dashboard
Log in to your UPS.com account and view your My Choice dashboard.
Select Your Package
Click “Delivery Options” to select your package. If you don’t see the link, the shipper may have restricted this option.
Follow the Prompts
The prompts on the page will help you make delivery changes, such as rerouting your package to a different location and changing the delivery date.
Which UPS My Choice Is Right for You?
UPS My Choice has two membership levels: basic (free) and premium (paid). Premium provides greater delivery management and allows you to make unlimited delivery changes at no extra cost.
The table below shows the comparison of both services’ features to help you decide which one fits your needs:
| Features | Basic (free) | Premium (paid) |
| Delivery alerts | Included | Included |
| Estimated delivery time | Included | Included |
| Inbound and outbound package visibility | Included | Included |
| Authorize the release of packages | Included | Included |
| Specify where to leave packages | Included | Included |
| Leave packages with neighbor | Included | Included |
| Deliver packages on a different day | $9.99 | Included |
| Deliver packages to a different address | $14.99 | Included |
| Deliver the item to a UPS Access Point location | $5.99 | Included |
| Upgrade UPS SurePost packages | $7.99 | Included |
No Need for Tracking Numbers: You Can Do the Following on One Screen
Even without a tracking number, UPS My Choice allows you to perform the following tasks:
- View your inbound and outbound shipment details.
- Receive delivery updates through email and text.
- Change your package’s delivery date or location.
- Tell the delivery driver where to leave your item.
- View the estimated delivery time.
- Follow shipments as they transit toward their destinations.
FAQs
Can UPS hold a package for pickup?
UPS can hold your package for pickup through the UPS My Choice service. Sign up for a UPS.com account and access My Choice to request a package hold for pickup.
How many times can you put your mail on hold?
With a premium UPS My Choice account, you can make unlimited changes to your deliveries. These changes include holding your packages at a UPS Access Point and authorizing their release.
Can I choose the time of day I want my package delivered?
If you’re a premium UPS My Choice member, you can select a two-hour delivery window from a four-hour estimate. You can also choose your preferred delivery window two days before your item’s scheduled delivery date.
As a UPS My Choice member, UPS will charge you a fee for every two-hour confirmed delivery window request. But if you’re a premium member, you can receive two free requests with your yearly subscription.
UPS will not charge for this service until the shipping company delivers your package within the confirmed window.
How can I see my past and incoming packages?
If you’re a UPS My Choice member, you can see your packages from the past four months. A convenient calendar view also lets you see your parcels scheduled for delivery.
Suppose you have more than one address with your membership. The calendar will also show deliveries going to those addresses.
Will I need to authenticate my UPS My Choice enrollment with an activation code?
UPS may require you to authenticate your UPS My Choice enrollment through email using an activation code. The company will send a welcome letter through the postal mail service about 7 to 14 days from your enrolment date.
Ensure to authenticate your account immediately. Your activation code is valid for 45 days from the date on the welcome letter.
Once you have verified your membership, you can access all available UPS My Choice features.
Can I authorize anyone else to pick up the held mail?
UPS allows others to pick up your package by requiring you to provide written permission authorizing that person to pick up your mail. This person must carry a photo identification (I.D.) when they collect your package.
Can I pick up my package before the end date of UPS Hold Mail?
You can pick up your parcel before the hold mail period ends. In this case, the hold mail request automatically gets canceled, and UPS resumes delivery to your address on the next business day.
How far can you set your UPS Hold Mail request in advance?
You can set your hold mail request as far in the future as you want. This service has no scheduling limitations for requesting UPS to hold your mail.
How late can you submit your UPS Hold Mail request?
The latest you can submit your hold mail request is one day before you want UPS to hold your mail. If you want to avoid unnecessary issues, consider scheduling your request several days early.
How many Hold Mail requests can you submit?
You can submit any number of hold mail requests, but you must refrain from sending them consecutively. Leave a gap of at least one day between hold mail requests.
References
- View All Shipments With UPS My Choice
https://www.ups.com/us/en/track/ups-my-choice.page - Personal Mailboxes
https://www.theupsstore.com/mailboxes/personal-mailboxes - Options for Changing Your UPS Delivery
https://www.ups.com/us/en/support/tracking-support/change-delivery-options.page