A USPS signature waiver lets a package that would normally require a signature be delivered without one. There are two ways it can happen: the sender checks a waiver box when they mail the item, or you as the recipient authorize an electronic waiver through Informed Delivery using the Electronic Signature Online (eSOL) service. Neither option works for every kind of mail, and some services, including Certified Mail, Registered Mail, Adult Signature, and Restricted Delivery, block waivers entirely.
Which Packages You Can Waive and Which You Can’t
USPS treats signature-required mail as “accountable,” meaning the carrier will not leave it unattended without a valid waiver on file. Whether a waiver is even possible depends on the exact service the sender paid for.
You can authorize an electronic waiver as the recipient for three services only:
- Priority Mail Express
- Signature Confirmation
- Insured Mail over $500
You cannot waive the signature, by any method, for:
- Certified Mail
- Registered Mail
- Adult Signature Required and Adult Signature Restricted Delivery
- Restricted Delivery
- Collect on Delivery (COD)
1USPS. USPS Electronic Signature Online – FAQ2USPS. Redelivery – The Basics
When a sender pays extra for Adult Signature or Restricted Delivery, they are specifically paying to keep the package from being left unattended, which is why those services block every recipient waiver option. Commercial shippers can also flag an otherwise-eligible package to block eSOL, so even a Priority Mail Express or Signature Confirmation item may not offer the waiver prompt if the sender opted out.1USPS. USPS Electronic Signature Online – FAQ
How to Waive the Signature Yourself With eSOL
Electronic Signature Online is the only tool that lets you, the recipient, authorize a signature waiver after a package has shipped. It runs inside Informed Delivery, so you need an account before you can use it.
Set Up Informed Delivery First
Go to informeddelivery.usps.com and create a free USPS.com personal account. You enter your residential address or personal P.O. Box, choose a username and password, and provide contact information. USPS then verifies your identity by sending a one-time passcode to your mobile phone. Once you enter the code, Informed Delivery activates and you can opt in to eSOL from the dashboard or the Preferences page in your USPS.com profile.1USPS. USPS Electronic Signature Online – FAQ
Apply the Signature When the Package Is on Its Way
When an eligible signature-required package enters the USPS network heading to your address, your Informed Delivery dashboard shows a prompt to apply your eSOL. Clicking through authorizes the delivery. The carrier’s handheld device then receives an alert confirming the electronic signature, and the item goes to your door without a signature at the point of delivery.3USPS Employee News. Signature Move
The Cutoff You Need to Beat
This is where people miss out. The eSOL option must be applied before the package reaches your local post office. Once tracking shows an “Arrival at Unit” scan, the option disappears, and once the item shows “Out for Delivery,” it is no longer eligible at all.1USPS. USPS Electronic Signature Online – FAQ The Arrival at Unit scan often happens overnight or early in the morning, so waiting until the day of expected delivery to apply the signature is risky. Apply it the moment you see the prompt.
When the Sender Has Already Waived the Signature
Sometimes a package that seems to require a signature actually doesn’t, because the sender took care of the waiver at the time of mailing. This is a separate process, one you have no control over as the recipient.
For Priority Mail Express, the sender can check a waiver box on Label 11-B or a commercial shipping label.4Federal Register. Waiver of Signature Delivery Process When they do, the carrier signs the delivery record on the sender’s behalf and leaves the package in a location the carrier considers secure and protected from weather. The sender-initiated waiver is not available when the sender has purchased additional insurance, or for Priority Mail Express COD or Priority Mail Express COD Restricted Delivery.5USPS. What is a Waiver of Signature? What is Signature Required?
You cannot ask USPS to add a sender-initiated waiver after the fact. If the sender didn’t check the box, eSOL is your only remaining self-service route, and only if the service qualifies.
What the Yellow Slip Can and Can’t Do
If a carrier attempts delivery and no one signs, they leave a PS Form 3849 (“We ReDeliver for You!”) notice. For non-signature mail, you can sign the back of the slip under Option 3, note where you want the package left, and put it in your mailbox. The carrier picks it up and, if the spot looks secure, leaves the item there next time.2USPS. Redelivery – The Basics
That trick does not work for signature-required mail. Signing the 3849 and leaving it in your mailbox does not authorize the carrier to drop a signature-required package unattended. Someone with valid ID has to be present to sign, or the item has to be picked up in person.6USPS. USPS Mail Requiring a Signature – Accountable Mail Once a signature item has been attempted, your realistic options narrow to eSOL for eligible services, pickup at the post office, or sending an authorized agent.
Options When a Waiver Isn’t Possible
For Certified Mail, Registered Mail, Adult Signature, Restricted Delivery, and any package where the sender has blocked eSOL, no waiver is coming. Three practical alternatives remain.
Pick It Up at the Post Office
You can collect the item at the post office listed on your PS Form 3849, starting on the date and time printed on the notice. Bring a valid photo ID: a state-issued driver’s license, passport, military ID, or tribal identification card all qualify. If the notice doesn’t show the pickup location, the USPS.com tracking page displays the post office name and hours once the package is scanned back in at the end of the delivery day.7USPS. Picking Up Mail That is Being Held at Your Post Office
USPS holds most signature-required items for 15 days, and COD items for 10 days, before returning them to the sender.8USPS. What Are the Second and Final Notice and Return Dates for Redelivery
Send Someone Else
You can authorize another person to pick up the item. Write their name on the PS Form 3849 in the designated section, sign it, and give them the form along with their own valid photo ID. For an ongoing arrangement, you can file a Standing Delivery Order (PS Form 3801) at your post office, which gives a named person permanent authorization to receive your mail.7USPS. Picking Up Mail That is Being Held at Your Post Office The agent route does not work for Registered Mail or Restricted Delivery items; those must go to the named addressee.2USPS. Redelivery – The Basics
Redirect the Package
If the item hasn’t yet been scanned as “Out for Delivery” or “Delivered,” USPS Package Intercept can reroute it to a post office for Hold for Pickup or send it to a different address. The item needs a tracking barcode. COD Hold for Pickup, international shipments, and packages requiring customs declaration labels are not eligible.9USPS. USPS Package Intercept – The Basics
What You Give Up by Waiving the Signature
Any signature waiver, whether the sender’s or yours, shifts the risk of theft or loss to you the moment the carrier sets the package down. Once tracking reads “Delivered,” USPS considers the delivery complete, and any insurance claim for loss of the package is voided by the waiver.5USPS. What is a Waiver of Signature? What is Signature Required?
You can still file a claim for damaged contents, missing contents, or a service failure such as a late Priority Mail Express delivery. The waiver eliminates loss claims specifically, not every kind.5USPS. What is a Waiver of Signature? What is Signature Required?
The carrier keeps the final say. If the delivery spot looks unsecured or exposed to weather, they can refuse to leave the package even with a valid waiver in place. In that case they leave a new PS Form 3849 and take the item back to the post office.5USPS. What is a Waiver of Signature? What is Signature Required? Carrier overrides happen more often at apartments and in high-traffic areas. Adding specific delivery instructions through USPS.com, such as “leave at back door” or “place inside screen door,” gives the carrier a spot they are more likely to accept as secure.