Fillable Form USPS Hold Mail Request

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What is a USPS Hold Mail Request?

A United States Postal Service Hold Mail Request, or USPS Hold Mail Request, is a request filed with the USPS in order to have mail that would be sent to you within a given period of time held at the post office for up to 30 days.

When your mail is held by the USPS, it will not be sent to your mailing address, and will instead be set aside in the post office for either you to pick up or to be sent once the holding period ends, depending on the post office and your own request.

Mail often needs to be received by a person in order to properly be considered sent, and some mail may even contain sensitive or confidential information or messages that you may not want anyone else to have access to. If the mail is sent and you are not there to receive it, this may cause the mail to simply be left in your mailbox or otherwise dropped off at your mailing address, which leaves it at risk of being looked through by other people. Thus, it is important to consider filing a Hold Mail Request with your local post office in order to avoid such issues.

Having your mail held is useful for when you know that you will be away from home and unable to properly receive mail for an extended period of time, such as if you go on vacation, or if you have a medical emergency. Doing this allows you to better manage the mail that comes to you and address them all at once when you have the time.

How do I fill out a USPS Hold Mail Request?

The USPS Hold Mail Request form is quite short and easy to fill out. Make sure to double-check any and all information you enter to ensure that there are no issues with your mail when you get back.

Name

Enter your full legal name.

Address

Enter the following information about your mailing address:

• Number
• Street
• Apartment or Suite number (if applicable)
• City
• State
• ZIP code

Beginning Date

Enter the date from which you wish your mail to start being held at the post office.

Ending Date

Enter the date that you wish the holding period to end.

Mail Delivery/Pickup

Check the box that corresponds to how you would like your mail to be handled at the end of the holding period.

• Please deliver all accumulated mail and resume normal delivery on the ending date shown.
• I will pick up all accumulated mail when I return and understand that mail delivery will not resume until I do.

Customer Signature

Sign the request in the space provided.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Do I need to verify my identity in order to make a Hold Mail Request?

Yes. This can be done either online or in person at the post office.

If I have missed mail from before I filed the Hold Mail Request, can I request that it be redelivered?

Yes. You may have the mail itself be included in the mail to be delivered to you or picked up by you or a trusted person at the end of the hold period.

Can my mail be held at the post office for more than 30 days?

No. Hold mail requests are strictly only for up to a period of time between 3 and 30 days. In order to hold your mail for longer, you will need to sign up for a different service.

Is it possible to have my mail sent to a different address instead of being held at the post office?

Yes. This is called rerouting your mail, and can be done by signing up for a forwarding service or otherwise updating your mailing information at the post office.

When should I file the Hold Mail Request?

You can make your request up to 30 days in advance or as early as the next scheduled delivery day.

When does the Hold Mail service start?

The USPS will begin holding your mail starting on the date that you request it to begin being held.

Can I submit the USPS Hold Mail Request online?

Yes. However, if the filing service or portal is unavailable online for any reason, you will need to submit the request in person at your local post office.

Who can submit a USPS Hold Mail Request?

A USPS Hold Mail Request may be submitted by anyone at an eligible address or their authorized agent. The agent is someone authorized by the customer to act on their behalf. A third party may schedule a USPS Hold Mail Request for a particular address as long as the customer can provide all information required to complete the request.

How do I edit, change or cancel a USPS Hold Mail Request?

Confirmation numbers for USPS Hold Mail Requests are sent via email if submitted online or through the Customer Care Center, as long as you provide a valid email address. A direct link to the USPS Hold Mail application is provided in the email, allowing you to make changes to your request.

What if I lose my confirmation number?

Contact the USPS as soon as possible to have your confirmation number reissued to you.

Can I authorize someone else to pick up my USPS Hold Mail?

Yes, you have the option to authorize a third party to pick up your held mail by providing written permission to the appropriate Post Office location. The third party that you authorize will need to present Acceptable Forms of Identification.

How do I get mail when my USPS Hold Mail Request ends?

Review the directions provided when the USPS Hold Mail Request was filed. You can pick up your mail at your local Post Office location or your letter-carrier can deliver your mail on the ending date you specify. Please note the following:

• You must present one of the Acceptable Forms of Identification if you choose to pick up your mail.
• If you pick up your accumulated mail in person, regular mail delivery will resume the next Postal business day.
• If you choose to have your letter carrier deliver your accumulated mail, only the mail that will fit in your mail receptacle will be delivered if you are not home. If the accumulated mail exceeds your mailbox size, your letter carrier will leave a PS Form 3849 - We ReDeliver for You! and return the overflow mail to your local Post Office location for pickup.

Note: There is a 10 day period in which to pick up mail at the end of a USPS Hold Mail; service request. If not picked up by this deadline, it will be returned to the sender. If your delivery does not resume as requested, contact the USPS in order to resolve the issue.

Can I pick up USPS Hold Mail earlier than originally requested?

Yes. If you pick up your mail earlier than the date supplied on the USPS Hold Mail Request, the 'Hold' is automatically canceled and regular mail delivery will resume on the next Postal business day.

What do I do if my USPS Hold Mail did not start or stop as requested?

Contact the USPS and they will determine what the issue is and how to resolve it as soon as possible.

How would a change of address affect a Hold Mail Request?

It depends on the situation.

If the USPS Hold Mail Request is for the new / current address, then you may submit a normal USPS Hold Mail Request.

If the USPS Hold Mail Request is for the old/previous address AND you are now residing at that address, the forwarding order must be canceled before you can submit a USPS Hold Mail Request.

If the USPS Hold Mail Request is for the old / previous address AND you do not reside at that address, then you may NOT submit a USPS Hold Mail Request for that address, as you no longer live there.