What Is USPS Informed Delivery?

Launched nationally in 2017, USPS Informed Delivery is a free digital preview service. Every morning, USPS sends you an email (or shows you in their app) with scanned images of the letter-sized mail pieces addressed to your ZIP code and house number that are scheduled for delivery that day.

It also shows tracking information for packages expected to arrive.

How It Works

  1. When mail is processed at a USPS Sectional Center Facility, high-speed cameras photograph the front of each envelope
  2. Optical character recognition reads the delivery address
  3. The image is linked to your USPS account by matching your address
  4. You receive a daily digest email (typically by 9 AM) showing all expected mail pieces

Note: Only letter-sized mail is imaged. Flat-rate envelopes, magazines, and packages are listed but not shown as images.

How to Sign Up

  1. Go to informeddelivery.usps.com
  2. Click "Sign Up For Free"
  3. Create a USPS.com account or log in to an existing one
  4. Verify your identity (USPS checks that you actually live at the address)
  5. Enable Informed Delivery — you'll start receiving emails within 1–3 business days

Identity verification may require answering security questions based on public records, or receiving a physical verification code by mail to your address.

Business Use of Informed Delivery

Businesses sending direct mail can create Informed Delivery campaigns — an interactive digital extension of physical mailings:

  • Upload a full-color "ride-along" image that appears alongside the grayscale scan of your mail piece
  • Add a clickable URL — recipients can click through to your website or landing page
  • Track opens, clicks, and delivery confirmation in a dashboard
  • USPS reports that Informed Delivery campaigns can increase direct mail response rates significantly

This makes direct mail trackable in a way it never was before — essentially bridging physical and digital marketing. Businesses using ZIP code targeting for direct mail can now measure ROI digitally.

Limitations

  • Only available to residential addresses — not PO Boxes
  • Only letter-sized mail is imaged (not all mail types)
  • One Informed Delivery account per address — only one household member can sign up per address
  • Notifications can arrive after mail has already been delivered (depends on processing time)
  • Not available in all areas (though coverage is now very broad)

FAQ

Q: Is USPS Informed Delivery free?
A: Yes — completely free for residential users. Business campaigns have a cost associated with printing, but the Informed Delivery feature itself is free.

Q: Is Informed Delivery a security risk?
A: USPS takes steps to verify identity before enrollment, specifically to prevent people from signing up for others' mail previews. Report suspicious enrollment attempts to USPS.

Q: Can I use Informed Delivery at multiple addresses?
A: You can update your address when you move, and USPS will verify the new address. You cannot have active enrollment at multiple addresses simultaneously with one account.