Royal Mail tracking: numbers, statuses and missing parcels

Royal Mail delivers letters and parcels to every UK address. Tracked 24, Tracked 48, Special Delivery and many international services come with a tracking number. Signed For confirms the delivery with a signature but isn't tracked along the way, and basic first and second class post has no tracking.

Where to find the tracking number

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  In the dispatch email from the shop, if it sent your order with a tracked service.
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  On the Post Office receipt, if you posted the item yourself.
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  On the card left through your door when an item couldn't be delivered, which also says where it is waiting.

What Royal Mail numbers look like

Many tracked items have 13 characters in the international postal format: two letters, nine digits and GB, such as AB123456785GB. Parcels sent to the UK from abroad keep the sender's 13-character number, which usually works with Royal Mail once the parcel arrives. See tracking number formats.

The stages you'll see

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  Received or accepted: Royal Mail has the item, from a Post Office, a collection or a business account.
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  At a mail centre or on its way: being sorted and moved towards your local delivery office.
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  Out for delivery and then delivered, sometimes with a signature or a note of where it was left.
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  Held at your local Customer Service Point or Post Office: it couldn't be delivered, or a signature or a fee is needed; the card says how to collect it or arrange redelivery, and how long it will be kept.

Typical problems

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  A fee to pay on an import: parcels from outside the UK can carry VAT, duty and a handling fee; when they do, Royal Mail collects them before delivery and leaves a card saying so. Pay only on the Royal Mail website, typed in yourself: texts and emails asking for a small parcel fee through a link are a common scam.
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  Parcel not delivered: check the card, your neighbours and any safe place; if tracking says delivered, follow the delivered but not received checklist.
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  Missing parcels: Royal Mail asks you to wait a set number of working days before an item counts as lost, and the claim is usually made by the sender, so contact the shop first if you ordered online.