USPS Hold Mail request for a temporary absence

What does USPS Hold Mail do?

The local Post Office keeps mail for your address during a temporary absence, then follows your end-of-hold instructions. It is a pause in delivery to the address, rather than a way to send mail to a temporary location.

Choose the service based on the intended result. If you are taking a short trip and returning to the same address, a hold may fit. If you need eligible mail redirected somewhere else, use the forwarding route instead.

How long can USPS hold my mail?

The standard hold period is at least three days and no more than 30 days. You can request it up to 30 days in advance. Check the start and end dates together, including the arrangements for receiving mail afterward.

For a hold beginning on the requested delivery day, USPS gives a 3 a.m. ET cutoff, Monday through Saturday. Starting an online request after that cutoff is different from having a hold accepted in time for that day’s delivery.

Allow at least three days between the end of one hold period and the start of the next. If you need a longer continuous arrangement, compare the forwarding options instead of planning back-to-back holds.

Why do I have to sign in and verify my identity?

The online Hold Mail process requires a USPS.com account and verification for the current address. Follow those steps before submitting the order. If you already completed the qualifying verification through Informed Delivery, USPS may not require you to repeat it for that address.

A login issue, a verification failure, and a completed hold that is not being followed need different follow-up. First check which step actually failed. Have the address, requested dates, and any confirmation ready when using USPS support.

How do I submit the online hold request?

Sign in from the USPS Hold Mail service, enter the address information requested, and complete verification. Choose the dates and the available delivery or pickup instructions for the accumulated mail. Review the information before submitting.

Keep the confirmation so you can identify the request later. A browser returning to a sign-in page or a saved set of dates is not evidence of a completed order. Check the confirmation rather than assuming that reaching the final screen submitted it.

What happens when the hold ends?

Follow the delivery or pickup choice recorded with the request. USPS describes the carrier delivering accumulated mail on the last hold day, or the customer picking it up from the Post Office.

Plan that final step when choosing the dates. If your absence changes, use the request-management and support options for the existing order rather than assuming a new overlapping request will replace it.

Can I use Hold Mail before changing my address?

The services solve different needs. Hold Mail stores mail at the address for a limited period. A change of address forwards eligible mail after a move. If you submit a change of address after a hold request, USPS says the change of address overrides the hold and the held mail is forwarded.

For an absence longer than the standard hold period, review forwarding options. For an individual delayed package, use the tracking history and its next steps; starting a household hold is not a search request for a package already missing.