What Does "Departed USPS Regional Destination Facility" Mean?

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Learn more about Regional Origin Facilities and other mail centers

Co-authored by Luke Smith, MFA

Last Updated: March 4, 2024 Fact Checked

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• What does “Departed USPS Regional Facility” Mean?
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• What is a USPS Regional Facility?
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• When will you get your package?
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• What if you never receive your package?

|Show more |Show less

While tracking your USPS mail, one status message you might see is “Departed USPS Regional Facility.” This simply means your mail has left one of USPS’ numerous sorting facilities and is en route to the next stop on its journey before it reaches its destination. We’ll tell you more about what this status message means, what a Regional Facility is, how soon your mail will arrive, and answer more of your burning shipping questions, below.

USPS Regional Facility Shipping Status

The status “Departed Regional Facility” means that your mail has left one of USPS’ sorting centers and is currently en route to its next stop on its way to its destination. Delivery time varies, but your mail should arrive within a few days if the facility is within your region.

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Section 1 of 4:

What does “Departed USPS Regional Facility” Mean?

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1. 
   This means your package has left a USPS shipping center. If you see this message while tracking your mail, it means that your package or envelope has recently left one of the USPS’ sorting facilities and is on its way to the next one.

   • You might get this message multiple times while your package is in transit, since it can pass through multiple regional facilities on its way to its destination.
   • Similarly, “Arrived at USPS Regional Facility” means your mail has been delivered safely to one one of these sorting centers, and is getting ready for the next leg of its journey.
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Section 2 of 4:

What is a USPS Regional Facility?

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1. 
   Regional Facilities receive, sort, and send mail along its route. On its journey from sender to recipient, your mail stops at a number of waypoints. These include regional facilities called Processing and Distribution Centers, where mail from the area is safely examined, sorted, and sent to its next stop.

   • Mail can stay at each facility for anywhere from a few hours to a few days (which is more rare), depending on the size of the facility.
   • The “Origin Facility” is the first regional facility your mail passes through on its journey.
   • The USPS has hundreds of these facilities all across the country. Look up and learn more about them using their Facility Access and Shipment Tracking tool.
   • These are different from post offices (or “Customer Service Facilities”), which are your mail’s last stop before a mail carrier delivers it to your door.

Section 3 of 4:

How soon after the message will you get your package?

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1. 
   Delivery time varies, but expect your mail within a few days. How soon your mail arrives depends on a lot of factors, like the weather, how far away the facility is, if it’s a busy season like the holidays, or even how well-staffed each facility is. If it’s a nearby facility, like one in your state, customer testimony suggests that it’ll be in your hands within a few days.

   • Track your package’s status by inputting its tracking number into USPS’s tracking webpage.
   • Look for the status “Out for Delivery,” which means your mail is in the hands of a carrier and will arrive at your door that same day.
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Section 4 of 4:

What if you never receive your package?

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1. 
   Submit a Help Request and Missing Mail Search Request. Visit the USPS website’s missing mail page. First, submit a Help Request Form to have a USPS employee help you with your problem. If your package still hasn’t arrived within 7 days of submitting the form, submit a Mail Search Request to open a search for your lost package.

   • For either of these options, you’ll need to find your package or envelope’s tracking number. For the latter, you’ll also need the sender’s and recipient’s addresses, the type of package, a description of the contents, and any pictures that might help USPS identify the package, if available.
   • Or, speak to a representative by calling 1-877-672-0007 from 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. Central Time Monday through Friday, or email MSSC@usps.gov.

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