The fastest way to check on a package in customs is to enter your tracking number on the shipping carrier’s website, then call the carrier or USPS if the status hasn’t changed in several days. U.S. Customs and Border Protection does not run a public package tracker, so the carrier that handed your shipment to CBP is almost always the party with real answers about why it’s held and what you need to do.
Start With the Tracking Number
Every international shipment carries a tracking number from the carrier or seller. Entering it on the carrier’s site shows a timeline of scans: pickup, departure from the origin country, arrival in the United States, and delivery. When a package enters customs processing, you’ll typically see messages like “in customs,” “clearance in progress,” “customs delay,” or “held in customs.” Those updates confirm the package reached CBP. They do not tell you whether this is a routine inspection that clears in a day or a formal hold that could run for weeks.
One thing to know before you go looking for a government tracking page: there isn’t one. CBP has stated it cannot track or locate packages moving through its facilities and has no system for tracking general mail in or out of them. CBP only handles packages actually in its custody, meaning shipments flagged for inspection, detention, or seizure. If your tracking simply shows the package entered customs and has stopped moving, your carrier or postal service is the first call, not CBP.
Who to Call First Depends on How It Shipped
For packages moving through express carriers like FedEx, UPS, or DHL, the carrier is almost always the right first contact. These companies automatically use licensed customs brokers to clear shipments on your behalf, so they have direct visibility into what’s happening at customs. Call the international shipping or customs department, give the tracking number, and ask specifically whether customs has flagged the shipment and what action is needed from you. The carrier can usually tell you if duties are owed, if documentation is missing, or if the package was pulled for inspection.
Packages sent through the international postal network arrive via USPS, and the process works differently. International mail passes through USPS International Sorting Centers, which are postal facilities rather than CBP offices. If your USPS tracking shows the package entered customs and hasn’t moved, contact USPS first. For a shipment that is long overdue, USPS recommends submitting a Missing Mail Search Request online at USPS.com with the tracking number, the mailing date, sender and recipient addresses, and a description of the contents.
When It Makes Sense to Contact CBP
CBP should generally be the second call, not the first. Two situations change that. The first is when your carrier has already investigated and told you the issue sits on the CBP side, or that they’ve exhausted their options. The second is when the package has been with CBP for at least 45 business days and you haven’t received a Notice of Detention or Seizure letter. CBP will not open an investigation into a missing package until that 45-business-day threshold has passed.
If CBP has detained your package, it will notify you in writing explaining the reason and how to get the package released. Common reasons include missing invoices or documentation, possible trademark violations, or the need for a formal customs entry. When you do reach out to CBP, use the contact information on its official website and include the carrier tracking number, the names and addresses of both sender and recipient exactly as they appear on the package, a specific description of the contents including quantity and manufacturer, and the declared value.
What to Have Ready Before You Call
Pull everything together before you pick up the phone. Having the details in front of you prevents multiple rounds of calls and speeds up any investigation.
- The tracking number from your carrier or postal service.
- Full names and addresses of the sender and recipient as they appear on the label.
- A specific description of the contents. “Electronics” isn’t enough. Include the manufacturer, model, quantity, and value of each item.
- The declared value listed on the customs declaration or commercial invoice.
- Any supporting documents you have: commercial invoice, pro forma invoice, packing list, or the seller’s purchase receipt.
CBP specifically asks for the manufacturer and quantity when investigating packages, so vague descriptions will slow the answer down.
Why Packages Get Held
Most customs delays fall into a handful of categories. Knowing which one applies tells you what to do next.
- Missing or incorrect documentation. An incomplete commercial invoice, a customs declaration that doesn’t match the contents, or a missing bill of sale. This is the most common reason for holds and usually the easiest to fix.
- Undervalued or undeclared items. CBP verifies declared values to calculate duties, and a suspiciously low value gets flagged.
- Unpaid duties or taxes. The package won’t be released until estimated duties, taxes, and fees are paid. Federal law requires the importer of record to deposit estimated duties at entry or within 12 working days after entry or release.
- Prohibited or restricted goods. Certain items cannot be imported at all, including specific agricultural products, firearms without proper permits, alcoholic beverages sent through the mail, and merchandise from countries under trade sanctions. Others require clearance from agencies like the FDA or USDA before release.
- Random inspections. CBP conducts routine compliance and security checks that can add several days to a week. Nothing to do but wait.
- Trademark concerns. If CBP suspects counterfeit goods, it will detain the package and notify you.
Fixing the Hold
Once you know why the package is held, the fix is usually straightforward. For missing documentation, send the corrected or missing forms to your carrier or directly to CBP, depending on who contacted you. A corrected commercial invoice or a more detailed packing list resolves most documentation holds within a few days.
For unpaid duties or taxes, you’ll be told the amount owed. How you pay depends on how the package shipped. USPS collects the duty owed along with a postal handling fee at delivery. Express carriers typically have their customs broker advance the duty to CBP and then bill you for that amount plus a brokerage or disbursement fee, which is separate from the government duty and can add meaningfully to your total. If the package came through a freight service, you may need to go to the carrier’s local office, complete the CBP entry procedure, and pay duties before the goods are released.
Don’t sit on an unpaid-duty notice. Merchandise with unpaid duties that stays in customs custody for six months from the date of importation is considered unclaimed and abandoned, and CBP can sell it at auction or destroy it. You can still be on the hook for storage fees that accumulated during that period. If you know a package is stuck and you can’t or won’t pay the duties, arranging for return to sender or formally abandoning the shipment is better than letting fees pile up.
For content discrepancies, where the package description doesn’t match what CBP found inside, providing accurate descriptions and supporting documents like purchase receipts usually clears things up. If the mismatch was innocent, the hold typically resolves once CBP is satisfied with the explanation.
If CBP Seized the Package
A seizure is more serious than a hold. CBP seizes packages containing prohibited items, counterfeit goods, or merchandise imported in violation of law. When a seizure happens, CBP must send you written notice within 60 calendar days of the seizure date. If a state or local law enforcement agency made the initial seizure and turned it over to CBP, the notice deadline extends to 90 calendar days. In limited circumstances tied to ongoing investigations, CBP leadership can extend the notice period by an additional 30 days, and a court can grant further extensions.
After receiving a notice of seizure, you have the right to petition CBP for return of the merchandise under 19 U.S.C. ยง 1618. The petition must be filed before CBP sells the seized goods. If CBP finds the violation occurred without willful negligence or intent to defraud, it has the authority to return the merchandise or reduce any penalties. If the petition is denied or the goods are clearly prohibited, the merchandise may be forfeited and destroyed. For legitimate goods caught up in a seizure through paperwork errors or misunderstandings, acting quickly with thorough documentation gives you the best chance of getting the package back.