Whether you've purchased some equipment or have sensitive business documents on the way, UPS may require a signature from anybody at the location or from an adult age 21 or older. If you know beforehand that nobody will be available to sign on the scheduled delivery day, UPS gives you options to reschedule the delivery, have your package sent elsewhere or hold it for pickup. In some cases, you can even presign for the package online and avoid needing to wait for another delivery attempt.
Understanding the UPS Delivery Process
When you're receiving a package through UPS, oftentimes you don't have to worry about having someone available to sign for the shipment. The driver will simply drop off your package between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. and put it somewhere deemed safe at your location. However, your sender may pay the UPS signature-required cost when the package has a high value or contains something sensitive.
If nobody is available when the delivery attempt occurs, UPS will leave an InfoNotice at the point of delivery. This document informs you of any next delivery attempt and provides other options to receive the package. You'll have three chances to have the package delivered before UPS sends it back to the sender.
Presigning Through UPS My Choice
As long as the sender doesn't require an adult signature, you can often presign for the package using your UPS My Choice account. After logging in, look at your delivery calendar to find the package and then click the entry to see the details. You'll see the option to sign for the package online if it's available for that shipment. Before choosing this option, though, make sure that you have a safe location for the driver to leave the package in order to avoid theft.
Requesting a Package Hold
If you can't presign or want a safer alternative, you can tell UPS to leave the package at your nearest UPS Store or Access Point location, such as CVS or Michaels. Simply go to your package's tracking page and look for the "Change Delivery" button. Select the option to send the package to another address and follow the prompts to select the Access Point.
Depending on the location, you may pick up your package from a locker or representative. Be prepared to present identification such as your tracking number and photo ID. If your package is in a UPS locker, you may use a special code sent to your phone to gain entry.
Rerouting Your UPS Package
As an alternative to having the package sent to your home or held for pickup, you may request that UPS deliver the package to another place, like your office or company's receiving desk. You'll also find this option through the "Change Delivery" option on the UPS My Choice tracking page for your package. Do note that some senders may restrict you from changing the delivery address, especially when you have a sensitive shipment.
Rescheduling the Package Delivery
When you know a time that you'll be available to sign, you can visit your package's tracking page and request a new delivery date and time beforehand. This will avoid the hassle of waiting for a UPS InfoNotice, and you get to choose a two-hour period that works for you. This service does come with a fee unless you're a UPS My Choice Premium member who gets two delivery-time changes a year.
Handling Missed UPS Packages
When you have a UPS missed delivery because you couldn't sign, you should find a UPS InfoNotice on your door or other point of delivery. This paper will often note that UPS will make another delivery attempt and will provide alternative options if you still won't be available. For example, you can sign the notice and request to pick up the package at a UPS location or change the delivery day. You can also make updates to the package's delivery options using the UPS My Choice website.
