A FedEx door tag is the paper notice a FedEx driver leaves after a delivery attempt that could not be completed, usually because no one was home or a signature was needed. Use the door tag number printed on it (DT followed by 12 digits) to track the package, sign for it, redirect it to a FedEx location or arrange the next delivery.
What you do next depends on which boxes the driver checked. A tag can mean FedEx will simply try again the next business day, that it needs your signature first, or that the package is already waiting for you at a pickup location.
What does a FedEx door tag mean?
FedEx says a driver leaves a door tag after the first delivery attempt. The most common reasons are that no one was available, that the package required a signature and nobody could sign, or that the driver could not find a secure place to leave it. The tag records the reason and the date of the attempt.
You cannot request a door tag in advance or get one before a delivery attempt. FedEx creates the door tag number at the door and links it to the package’s original tracking number, which is why the tag is the fastest way to find a shipment you were not expecting.
How do you track a FedEx door tag number?
The door tag number starts with the letters DT followed by 12 digits, for example DT999999999999. FedEx accepts it anywhere it accepts a tracking number, entered without spaces. You have three ways to look it up:
- FedEx tracking: type the DT number into the tracking box on fedex.com, which returns the linked tracking number and status.
- FedEx Mobile app: scan the barcode on the tag with your phone camera.
- Text: FedEx lists texting “follow” plus the door tag number to 48773.
Once you have the real tracking number, the rest of our FedEx tracking and delivery guide applies. If the status stops moving after the attempt, the steps in fixing FedEx tracking that is not updating cover the usual causes.
What should you do after you get a FedEx door tag?
Read the tag first: it shows whether this was the first attempt or the final one, whether a signature is required and, sometimes, a pickup location. Then choose one of the options FedEx lists on its door tag help page.
| Option | How it works | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Next-business-day redelivery | If the tag marks a first attempt, complete and sign the form on the tag and leave it on your door; the driver marks when they will return | Indirect-signature packages when you will be out again |
| Pick up at the listed location | Bring the tag or tracking number and a government-issued photo ID to the location printed on the tag | Final-attempt packages already moved to a FedEx location |
| Redirect to a FedEx location | Choose a FedEx Office, Walgreens, Dollar General or other FedEx location in FedEx Delivery Manager and pick up on your schedule; FedEx describes this as free | Anyone who is rarely home during delivery hours |
| Schedule a time or change the address | FedEx Delivery Manager offers scheduled delivery or delivery to another residence as premium options whose price varies by location | Time-sensitive packages |
If the driver checked “Final delivery attempt”, FedEx has already taken the package to a FedEx location, so redelivery to your door is no longer the default. Collect it promptly: packages that sit unclaimed are eventually sent back, which is covered in our guide to FedEx return to sender.
Can you sign a FedEx door tag to release the package?
Yes, for most packages that need an indirect signature. Sign the box on the tag and put it back on your door, and the driver can leave the package on the next attempt. FedEx Delivery Manager also lets you sign virtually for eligible packages instead of using the paper tag.
Two exceptions matter. Packages that require a direct or adult signature cannot be released by signing the tag or signing virtually, so someone has to be there in person (an adult with ID, for adult-signature items). Our guide on how to tell if a FedEx package requires a signature explains the three levels, and whether someone else can sign for your FedEx package covers neighbors and family members.
FedEx also states that drivers will not follow handwritten notes or other unofficial instructions. A signed door tag or a Delivery Manager request works, and a sticky note asking the driver to leave the box does not, as explained in leaving a note for a FedEx signature-required package.
What do you need to pick up a door-tagged package?
Bring the door tag or the tracking number plus a government-issued photo ID. If the address on your ID does not match the address on the shipping label, FedEx asks for something that shows the matching address, such as a utility bill or an insurance card.
Check the location’s hours before you go, because many FedEx pickup points are inside retail stores with their own schedules. Our FedEx locations guide explains the types of drop-off and pickup points, from FedEx Office stores to FedEx counters inside retailers.
Do door tags work the same for FedEx Ground, Express and Ground Economy?
The process is the same: every service uses the DT number format, the same tracking tools and the same Delivery Manager options. What changes is the signature setting the shipper chose and how soon the next attempt happens, since FedEx notes next-business-day re-attempts may not be available in every area.
FedEx Ground Economy (formerly SmartPost) runs through the FedEx Ground network, so its door tags are handled the same way. If you are tracking a package that has not arrived yet rather than one that was missed, our FedEx shipping map times guide shows how long Ground shipments normally take, and tracking FedEx by address helps when you have no number at all.
How can you tell a real FedEx door tag from a scam?
A real door tag carries a DT number that returns a shipment when you enter it on fedex.com or scan it in the FedEx app. Look it up yourself rather than calling a phone number or opening a link printed on a notice you are unsure about.
Be wary of a “missed delivery” text or email that asks for card details, a redelivery payment or login credentials, especially if the link does not go to fedex.com. You can report delivery scams to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
What can shippers do to avoid door tags?
Most door tags come from signature options the recipient did not expect. As a shipper, require a signature only when the item’s value or the law calls for it, and tell the buyer if one is needed. Our step-by-step guide to sending a FedEx package shows where those options are set.
If a package comes back to you after failed attempts, you will need a fresh shipment. Check whether FedEx labels expire before reusing an old label, and see how to reprint a FedEx label if the original is damaged.
If you are open to UPS or USPS for your own shipments, ParcelPath offers up to 85% off UPS and up to 89% off USPS, with no subscription or per-label fee. You can compare both carriers in the ParcelPath rate calculator, and our roundup of shipping services and solutions compares the main options. The full FedEx shipping guide covers the rest of the FedEx lineup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a FedEx door tag number?
A FedEx door tag number is the code printed on the notice a driver leaves after a missed delivery. It starts with DT followed by 12 digits and is linked to the package’s tracking number. Enter it without spaces on fedex.com, scan the tag’s barcode in the FedEx Mobile app or text “follow” plus the number to 48773 to see the shipment.
Can I sign a FedEx door tag and leave it on my door?
Yes, if the package needs only an indirect signature. Sign the box on the door tag and leave it on your door, and the driver can release the package on the next attempt. This does not work for packages that require a direct or adult signature; someone must be present to sign, and FedEx Delivery Manager’s virtual signature is not available for them either.
What does “final delivery attempt” on a FedEx door tag mean?
It means the driver will not bring the package back to your door automatically. FedEx has taken it to a FedEx location, which the tag or the tracking page identifies. Pick it up with the door tag or tracking number and a government-issued photo ID, or bring proof of address if your ID shows a different address than the label.
Can I redirect a door-tagged FedEx package to a store?
Yes. In FedEx Delivery Manager you can send the package to a FedEx location such as a FedEx Office, Walgreens or Dollar General store and pick it up on your own schedule. FedEx describes redirecting to a location as free, while scheduled delivery times and changes to another residence are premium options that vary by location.
Sources
- FedEx: I got a FedEx door tag, now what? (fedex.com/en-us/customer-support/how-to/door-tag.html)
- FedEx: Door tag help, Canada (fedex.com/en-ca/delivery-manager/door-tag.html)
- FedEx Ground Economy service page (fedex.com/en-us/shipping/ground/economy.html)
- Federal Trade Commission: ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Part of our FedEx Tracking and Delivery guide. Related: FedEx Tracking Not Updating, FedEx Shipping Map Times, Can I Track FedEx by Address.
