Canada Post Tracking

Track a Canada Post package on this page

Enter the tracking number supplied on the label, receipt, merchant shipping confirmation, or official shipment notification.

This page accepts one general tracking number at a time. It does not provide dedicated input modes for:

• a Delivery Notice Card number;
• a sender-created reference number and mailing date;
• multiple tracking numbers;
• Automatic Tracking account matching;
• a FlexDelivery ID or address;
• a delivery preference;
• a post-office pickup credential;
• a delivery-confirmation PDF;
• a signature or Photo Confirmation request;
• Package Redirection;
• a support ticket or claim.

Use Canada Post directly when you need one of those official account, notice, reference, proof, pickup, or commercial workflows.

A retailer order number is not automatically a Canada Post tracking number or sender reference. If no usable record appears, verify the number and product before deciding that the package was never mailed or is lost.

Canada Post says it cannot recover a lost tracking number by searching a sender or recipient name, address, phone number, or email address. The sender, receipt, label, or merchant confirmation is the correct route.

Treat the identifier as shipment data. Do not publish a full tracking number, Delivery Notice Card number, reference, label, barcode, FlexDelivery address, signature, or delivery photo.

Canada Post identifiers use more than one format

Canada Post publishes several product-specific patterns, including:

• 16 numeric digits;
• 13 alphanumeric characters;
• selected 11- or 13-character identifiers;
• selected 12-digit product numbers;
• other service-specific formats.

Use the number exactly as supplied. Do not reject or classify a shipment from one pattern alone.

Canada Post’s official Track tool can also process Delivery Notice Card and reference workflows that this 11Tracking form does not provide.

What a Canada Post tracking result confirms

The strongest exact event controls what can safely be concluded.

A missing scan leaves uncertainty in both directions.

Use the strongest event that is actually recorded.

Canada Post tracking is scan-based, not universal live GPS

Canada Post says packages are typically scanned when first mailed and again when they go out for delivery. It also says some events may not be displayed and several days can pass without a new update.

That means the public record can be incomplete without being false.

The visible time can reflect several stages:

physical event
→ barcode scan
→ Canada Post system availability
→ provider ingestion
→ 11Tracking display

Therefore:

Do not use one universal waiting period for every Canada Post product, route, or country.

When a valid record has stopped changing, start with the last meaningful event and use Tracking Not Updating.

Read the exact Canada Post event

A broad normalized label can hide possession, pickup readiness, delivery location, customs control, or a return branch.

Electronic information submitted by shipper

This records shipment data before a physical acceptance event.

Use the Label Created guide for the full sender-versus-carrier decision.

In transit

Canada Post explicitly defines In transit as:

• Canada Post received the package;
• it is en route to the destination.

This is possession evidence, not continuous location.

Use the In Transit guide for repeated parent statuses and scan gaps.

Out for delivery

Canada Post defines this as the package being on its way to the final destination.

It is a local route-stage event, not an unconditional promise of delivery that day.

Use Out for Delivery or Out for Delivery but Not Delivered.

Notice left

This means the package could not be delivered as expected and is being sent toward a post office for pickup.

Reasons can include:

• the item was too large;
• a mailbox was full;
• no approved safe-drop location was available;
• signature or another delivery requirement applied;
• the sender selected Card for Pickup;
• a P.O. Box item did not fit.

A notice, post-office name, or Delivery Notice Card does not by itself prove that the item is ready.

Available for pickup

This means the post office received the item and it is ready for collection.

Wait for the exact readiness event before travelling to the outlet.

Delivery Attempt Made / Rescheduled for delivery next business day

Canada Post says it normally tries delivery again on the next business day. The same status can also mean the item returned to the depot and is not yet available at a postal outlet.

Do not treat it as a guarantee of:

• next-business-day delivery;
• immediate pickup;
• a particular attempt method;
• ringing, knocking, calling, or a specific wait time.

The later tracking event controls.

Verifying recipient’s address; Possible delay

Canada Post identified an address problem and is trying to verify the recipient’s address.

If it cannot verify the address, the item can be returned to the sender. Canada Post says that once the return process starts, it cannot be stopped.

Check delivery progress

This is a broad interruption state. Read the detailed progress message.

Canada Post notes that an arrow at the end of the progress bar can indicate a return-to-sender branch even though the progress bar does not continue showing the return journey.

Item held by customs

This means the package is under customs review.

It does not identify one universal cause, duration, payment duty, or release date.

Tracking information is unavailable

Canada Post explicitly says this does not mean the package was not mailed.

Possible explanations include:

• scan-to-display delay;
• limited rural or foreign-post information;
• an untracked international service;
• data no longer displayed;
• invalid input.

Generic Delivered is not the same as safe drop

Canada Post defines the exact status:

Delivered as a safe drop

That exact phrase means Canada Post attempted direct delivery, the recipient was unavailable, and the package was left in an eligible safe area at the delivery location.

Canada Post says safe drop requires:

• a location protected from weather;
• placement not visible to passers-by;
• no signature requirement;
• no funds to collect;
• no sender instruction to Do Not Safe Drop.

Do not rewrite generic Delivered as safe drop.

Generic Delivered can describe a recorded outcome at:

• a residence;
• a community mailbox;
• a parcel locker;
• a merchant;
• a mailroom;
• another delivery point;
• a signature delivery;
• a safe-drop location.

The exact delivery event and details control.

Photo Confirmation applies to safe drop

Canada Post’s Photo Confirmation is designed for eligible safe-drop packages.

Canada Post says the photo can be viewed by the signed-in addressee through Track or the mobile app. In a rare case where a photo cannot be taken, Canada Post can leave a safe-drop notification card instead.

Therefore:

A Photo Confirmation can document where Canada Post recorded placement.

It does not independently prove:

• the named recipient personally received the package;
• the address was correct beyond the carrier record;
• the package remained there;
• the contents were complete or undamaged;
• theft;
• delivery-agent misconduct.

Do not publicly share a delivery photo that exposes a home, address, person, vehicle, or other identifying details.

Signature, Proof of Age, and delivery confirmation are different

Signature

Canada Post Signature records the signatory’s name and signature.

The person who signs is not automatically the named addressee.

At a residence, the person who answers can sign for an eligible item. Canada Post says Signature items are not delivered to children.

If no one answers, the item can move to a post-office pickup workflow.

Post-office pickup of a Signature item

Depending on the item and authorization, an eligible Signature package can be collected by:

• the addressee;
• a cohabitant at the same address;
• an authorized representative.

Canada Post can require government photo identification, address confirmation, proof of residency, a signed notice, an authorization letter, or other legal authority.

Do not infer authorization from possession of the tracking number alone.

Proof of Age

Proof of Age is separate from ordinary Signature.

Canada Post allows the sender to select an age threshold such as 18, 19, or 21. The applicable requirement depends on the chosen service and provincial or territorial context.

Do not apply one age rule to every Canada Post signature shipment.

Delivery confirmation

For eligible items, Canada Post’s official Track tool can provide delivery confirmation after additional validation such as the destination postal code.

This 11Tracking page does not retrieve the PDF, signature image, or signer identity.

A signature or delivery-confirmation record strengthens the carrier evidence. It does not automatically prove:

• the named addressee personally signed;
• the signer was authorized;
• the package remained in that person’s possession;
• the contents were intact;
• legal liability.

Delivery Notice Card and post-office pickup

Canada Post’s official Track tool can use a 15-digit Delivery Notice Card number. This 11Tracking page does not provide a dedicated notice-card input.

A card can be left because:

• the sender selected Card for Pickup;
• the package was too large;
• a community mailbox could not accept it;
• signature was required and no eligible person signed;
• no safe location was available;
• a pickup key or other outlet process applied.

The card does not prove that the item is already at the post office.

Pickup state sequence

notice or unsuccessful delivery
→ transport to post office
→ post-office receipt
→ Available for pickup
→ customer collection

Wait for the readiness event.

Missing physical card

If the physical Delivery Notice Card is missing, the tracking number or official Delivery Notice Card number can still provide the current official instructions.

Do not interpret a missing card as proof that no delivery workflow exists.

Pickup identity

Official pickup requirements can vary by the person collecting the item and the item type. Canada Post can require:

• valid government photo ID;
• matching address;
• proof of residency;
• signed Delivery Notice Card;
• authorization letter;
• legal authority.

Use Canada Post’s current pickup instructions for the exact item. Do not upload identity documents or authorization materials to 11Tracking.

Holding periods

Post-office, Deliver to Post Office, and FlexDelivery holding periods are product-specific and can change. This page does not publish one universal hold period.

Automatic Tracking is a separate account feature

Automatic Tracking is not the same as entering a number into ordinary public Track.

It can use a signed-in personal account to automatically add matched:

• incoming packages;
• return packages;
• notifications;
• eligible delivery preferences.

Canada Post can match packages using private profile information such as:

• full name;
• alternate names;
• address;
• phone number;
• email address;
• FlexDelivery information.

This is a private account-matching workflow.

Automatic Tracking does not capture every package

Canada Post’s terms say:

• not all related tracking numbers will be captured;
• a package can appear at any point in the delivery process;
• the user can add or remove tracking numbers manually.

Therefore:

An unfamiliar auto-tracked package can be a gift, split merchant shipment, or mistaken match. Canada Post allows the user to flag it without changing delivery.

Notifications

Automatic Tracking and Canada Post notification tools can send alerts for:

• a package being identified;
• an interruption;
• duties or taxes;
• Out for delivery;
• Available for pickup;
• delivery to a residence, community mailbox, parcel locker, or merchant;
• return activity.

USTracking does not have Canada Post’s private name-and-address matching capability. USTracking can monitor only a supported number supplied or saved by the user.

Delivery preferences are best-effort

For an eligible parcel, a signed-in user can request a predefined safe-drop location before the delivery attempt.

Canada Post says it makes a reasonable effort to follow the preference.

The normal delivery mode still comes first, such as:

• community mailbox;
• parcel locker;
• regular mail receptacle.

A preference can be blocked by:

• signature;
• Proof of Age;
• identity requirement;
• sender restriction;
• package eligibility;
• location access;
• safety;
• delivery stage.

If the location is unsafe or inaccessible, the item can move to another delivery or post-office branch.

FlexDelivery is an address service, not a reroute

FlexDelivery is a free Canada Post service that provides a unique address for delivery to a chosen post office.

The user enters the FlexDelivery address during checkout.

FlexDelivery address created
→ merchant ships through Canada Post
→ post office receives item
→ readiness notification
→ pickup

It is not:

• a tracking status;
• an after-dispatch reroute;
• a general hold request;
• a service that any carrier can use.

Merchant and carrier eligibility

The merchant must accept a Canadian post-office-box-style address and ship through Canada Post.

Another carrier cannot use FlexDelivery merely because the selected destination is a post office.

FlexDelivery can be used for eligible purchases ordered into Canada when the merchant accepts the address and Canada Post receives the package.

Readiness

Creating the address or selecting the post office does not mean the package is ready.

Canada Post’s first pickup notice confirms that the item reached the post office and is available.

Package Redirection is a commercial sender workflow

Canada Post Package Redirection is not a universal recipient tool.

Current official guidance describes it as a commercial-account service for eligible packages that:

• originated in Canada;
• are still in Canada;
• meet shipment-specific eligibility;
• are controlled through the sender’s commercial workflow.

It can redirect an eligible shipment to another address or return it to the sender.

A recipient’s delivery preference and a commercial sender’s Package Redirection are different actions.

Use the canonical Change, Reroute, or Hold guide for the general decision.

International Canada Post tracking

International visibility depends on:

• the service purchased;
• origin and destination;
• Canada Post and foreign-post systems;
• customs;
• product-level tracking availability.

Eligible records can show:

• order creation;
• Canada Post receipt;
• departure from Canada;
• arrival at destination;
• delivery attempt;
• delivery.

Some international services do not provide public tracking or delivery confirmation.

Do not assume that every Canada Post international item will produce a complete public history.

Packages sent to the United States

Canada Post directs users to USPS for later details on eligible items sent to the United States.

The evidence sequence is:

Canada Post export or departure event
→ transportation and customs
→ USPS data or item-level acceptance
→ USPS network movement
→ delivery

A Canada Post departure or handoff event does not prove USPS has scanned the individual item.

When both numbers are available, compare the exact Canada Post and USPS events.

Packages coming to Canada

If an incoming international item does not appear in Canada Post Track, Canada Post directs the recipient to:

• the sender;
• the origin-country postal administration.

The sender or origin post commonly controls the international inquiry before Canada Post has a visible record.

Alternate identifiers

A shipment can continue with:

• the same postal identifier;
• a destination-country identifier;
• no public alternate number.

This page does not promise to discover every alternate number.

Canada Post and customs are separate actors

Incoming international packages are presented to the Canada Border Services Agency.

CBSA controls:

• review;
• inspection;
• admissibility;
• classification;
• duties and taxes;
• release.

Canada Post can transport the item, present it to customs, collect applicable amounts, and publish events. Canada Post says it cannot intervene or inquire while CBSA is reviewing the package.

Therefore:

Customs release is a milestone. Canada Post processing and delivery can still remain after release.

Use Package Stuck in Customs when the unresolved issue is customs review, documentation, inspection, payment, or release.

Inquiry, investigation, and claim are different

Canada Post separates:

support ticket or inquiry
→ investigation
→ compensation claim

For eligible missing-package issues:

• the sender or receiver can initiate some inquiries;
• only the sender can request and receive claim compensation.

For a purchase, the seller can remain the strongest first route because the seller usually has:

• the mailing receipt;
• shipment details;
• proof of value;
• commercial relationship;
• compensation eligibility;
• replacement or refund authority.

Do not tell every recipient that only the sender can report a problem. Do not tell every recipient that they can receive the Canada Post claim payment.

Choose the correct Canada Post action

Verify Canada Post messages independently

Canada Post sends legitimate email, text, app, and Automatic Tracking notifications. That does not make every Canada Post-branded message genuine.

Canada Post says it does not charge users simply to track or release a delivery.

Treat a message as suspicious when it asks you to:

• click an unfamiliar delivery or customs link;
• pay a redelivery, release, tracking, address, duty, tax, or storage fee;
• provide card, identity, or account information;
• enter a pickup code;
• change the address urgently;
• download a file;
• contact an unfamiliar number.

Use this verification sequence:

1. open Canada Post Track or the official app independently;
2. enter the tracking number;
3. inspect the exact event;
4. use only the official action shown there.

A real Canada Post tracking number does not authenticate the sender, link, fee, or payment page.

Protect Canada Post shipment data

Treat these as sensitive:

• tracking number;
• Delivery Notice Card number;
• sender reference;
• label;
• barcode;
• address;
• FlexDelivery ID and address;
• delivery photo;
• signature;
• delivery-confirmation PDF;
• pickup authorization;
• government ID;
• proof of residency;
• customs document;
• payment information.

A tracking number can expose shipment and delivery details. Keep evidence private and redact it before sharing.

This page does not need a tracking screenshot, photo, signature, address, ID, or notice card to explain the general next step.

Frequently asked questions

Can I enter a Canada Post Delivery Notice Card number on this page?

This page does not provide a dedicated Delivery Notice Card workflow. Canada Post’s official Track tool can use the 15-digit card number.

Can I track by reference on this page?

No dedicated reference workflow is provided here. Canada Post’s official Track tool can use a sender-created reference with shipment context such as the mailing date.

Can I enter multiple tracking numbers?

No. This page accepts one general Canada Post tracking number at a time. Canada Post’s official Track tool supports additional and multiple-number workflows.

Is Canada Post tracking live GPS?

No. It is a barcode-scan and event record. Canada Post says some events may not appear and several days can pass without an update.

Does electronic shipment information mean Canada Post has the package?

No. It means a shipment record exists. In transit is stronger evidence because Canada Post defines it as meaning it received the package and it is en route.

What does In transit mean?

Canada Post received the package and it is travelling toward the destination. It does not provide continuous location.

Does Notice left mean the item is ready for pickup?

No. Notice left means the item is moving toward a post-office pickup workflow. Available for pickup means the post office received it and it is ready.

Will Canada Post definitely try again the next business day?

No. Canada Post says it normally tries again, but the same attempt status can also mean the item returned to the depot and is not yet collectible.

Does generic Delivered mean safe drop?

No. Canada Post defines the exact status Delivered as a safe drop. Generic Delivered can refer to other delivery locations and methods.

Does every safe-drop package have a photo?

No. Photo Confirmation applies to eligible safe-drop packages, but Canada Post describes a rare exception where a photo cannot be taken and a notification card is left.

Does a Canada Post delivery photo prove I received the package?

No. It records carrier evidence of placement. It does not prove personal receipt, continued possession, content condition, theft, or misconduct.

Does the signature prove the named addressee signed?

Not automatically. Another eligible person at the address or an authorized post-office representative can be the signatory.

What is Automatic Tracking?

It is a signed-in personal-account feature that matches some incoming and return packages using profile information. It does not capture every package.

Why did Automatic Tracking miss my package?

Canada Post states that not all tracking numbers will be captured and that a package can appear at any point. Use ordinary Track or add the number manually.

Is FlexDelivery a reroute service?

No. It is a Canada Post address used during checkout to send an eligible purchase directly to a selected post office.

Can another carrier deliver to a FlexDelivery address?

No. FlexDelivery is a Canada Post service. The merchant must accept the address and ship through Canada Post.

Can I redirect any Canada Post package?

No. Recipient delivery preferences and commercial Package Redirection are separate tools. Package Redirection is a sender/account workflow for eligible shipments.

Does Canada Post departure mean USPS has the package?

No. A Canada Post export or handoff event is not item-level USPS acceptance. A later USPS possession or facility scan is stronger evidence.

Who controls an incoming package in customs?

The Canada Border Services Agency controls customs review and release. Canada Post says it cannot intervene while the item is under CBSA review.

Who can open a missing-package inquiry?

For eligible shipments, either sender or receiver can initiate some inquiries. Only the sender can request and receive Canada Post claim compensation.

Can 11Tracking retrieve my delivery photo, signature, or PDF?

No. Use Canada Post’s official Track or account tools for eligible proof. 11Tracking explains the public status but does not retrieve private evidence.

Can 11Tracking redirect or claim the package?

No. 11Tracking can perform a supported lookup and explain the public record. USTracking can save supported shipments and monitor future public events. Neither service can redirect, obtain proof, open a ticket, file a claim, clear customs, or recover a package.

Keep Canada Post updates together in USTracking

After identifying the strongest recorded event and the correct official action, USTracking can help you:

• save a supported Canada Post shipment;
• organize the available public timeline;
• monitor future recorded events;
• receive notifications;
• read plain-language explanations;
• keep publicly available postal-partner events together.

USTracking cannot:

• locate or recover the physical package;
• create or correct a scan;
• retrieve a lost tracking number;
• use a Delivery Notice Card or reference workflow unless separately supported;
• access Automatic Tracking;
• match packages by name, address, phone, email, or FlexDelivery data;
• create a FlexDelivery address;
• set or override a Canada Post delivery preference;
• redirect a package;
• generate pickup authorization;
• retrieve a delivery photo, signature, or delivery-confirmation PDF;
• contact Canada Post, CBSA, USPS, a foreign post, seller, sender, post office, or delivery agent;
• open a support ticket;
• file or receive a claim;
• clear customs;
• authenticate a message or fee;
• guarantee an update or delivery.

Use USTracking as a monitoring and interpretation companion, not as a substitute for Canada Post or the responsible sender, merchant, post office, postal partner, or authority.

Scope and limitations

• This page covers the public tracking record for supported Canada Post parcel identifiers.
• The 11Tracking form accepts one general tracking number at a time.
• It does not provide dedicated Delivery Notice Card, reference, multiple-number, Automatic Tracking, FlexDelivery, delivery-preference, Package Redirection, pickup-credential, Photo Confirmation, signature, delivery-confirmation, ticket, or claim workflows.
• Canada Post Tracking is a barcode-scan and event record, not continuous GPS or a complete physical history.
• Electronic shipment data does not by itself prove Canada Post physical possession.
• Canada Post defines In transit as meaning it received the package and it is en route.
• Absence of a public scan does not independently prove possession, non-possession, normal movement, loss, theft, or misconduct.
• Out for delivery is a route-stage event, not an unconditional same-day guarantee.
• Notice left, transport to a post office, Available for pickup, and customer collection are separate states.
• Delivery Attempt Made does not guarantee next-business-day delivery or immediate pickup.
• Generic Delivered must not be equated with the exact status Delivered as a safe drop.
• Photo Confirmation is a safe-drop feature and is not guaranteed for every delivered or safe-drop item.
• A photo, signature, or delivery-confirmation record strengthens evidence but does not prove every disputed fact.
• Automatic Tracking is a private account feature and does not capture every package.
• Delivery preferences are eligibility-limited and best-effort.
• FlexDelivery is a Canada Post-only checkout address product, not an after-dispatch reroute.
• Package Redirection is a commercial sender/account workflow for eligible shipments.
• International tracking depends on service, origin, destination, customs, and postal partners.
• Canada Post departure or handoff does not by itself prove USPS or another destination post accepted the individual item.
• CBSA controls incoming customs review and release. Canada Post says it cannot intervene while CBSA is reviewing the package.
• Sender and receiver can have inquiry roles, but only the sender can request and receive Canada Post claim compensation.
• A real Canada Post tracking number or event does not authenticate an email, text, fee, payment page, customs request, or address-change link.
• Products, status wording, identifier formats, account features, proof availability, pickup requirements, claim rules, international services, postal-partner routing, and service alerts can change before the next scheduled review.
• 11Tracking is independent and is not Canada Post, CBSA, USPS, a foreign postal administration, merchant, sender, postal outlet, claims administrator, or legal adviser.

Last reviewed: July 22, 2026 Next scheduled review: September 20, 2026 Correction contact: contact form Evidence basis: Current official Canada Post tracking, status, delivery, proof, pickup, Automatic Tracking, FlexDelivery, redirection, international, customs, claims, service-alert, privacy, and fraud materials, supported by the private page-specific research packet